Today’s businesses are FULL of technology. Unfortunately, that also means they’re full of opportunities for cyber criminals who don’t have your business’s best interests at heart. Here are some practical things you can do TODAY to start protecting yourself.
Tip #1: Educate yourself and your employees about cyber security.
Congratulations! You are already better off today by reading and applying this. Your people (aka human capital) are your greatest asset and best defense. Learn all you can about how hackers work and what they try to get. Teach your people how to spot a fake email and what not to do online with email attachments and web ads.
Unfortunately, it isn’t sufficient to have had a company meeting or memo a couple of years ago. Threats change all the time and people forget as a matter of course. This reminder has to be active and at least quarterly. Stay in front of it and stay informed and educated.
Tip #2: Lock the doors and bolt the windows.
Anti-Virus protection is only a minor part of the equation these days, but every computer needs it, And, it needs to be a real one, not one of those freebies that came with the computer. Phones, tablets, watches, printers, appliances, and other types of smart devices all need to be running the latest operating systems and firmware.
Do regular monthly updates on anything that plugs in or is wirelessly connected to your network. Check that automatic updates are being actually applied at least monthly. Get rid of outdated or unused hardware and software. Use an active firewall that can scan and filter incoming threats in email and web traffic. And, make sure the rules and policies are reviewed and updated at least quarterly. Subscribe to a zero-day threat prevention system if possible. Make it hard for a thief to break in and they likely won’t.
Tip #3: Hope for the best but prepare for the worst.
Have a disaster recovery plan in place. Just like you would prepare for a flood, fire, tornado or other physical disasters, make a plan on how you would function and recover from a virtual incident.
Surprisingly, over 50 percent of companies we meet don’t have data backups at all. Almost 100 percent of those with backups have never tested or used the backup. Test your employees and your plan just like you would practice a fire drill. Make sure your business insurance covers flooding and cyber attacks. Make sure you have redundant systems and any infected system can be isolated and restored with minimal impact to the rest of the business.
Don’t be the latest victim of cyber in-security
I hate seeing cyber crimes happen to good, hard-working people. Take the threat seriously and protect yourself. If you want help implementing any of these best practices, or to take it up a notch and harden your systems, feel free to contact us. I will give you a free personalized threat assessment.
We have helped hundreds of business professionals and are confident that we can make a noticeable impact on your business with a worry-free guarantee.
