How to Protect Your Small Business Against Cyber Attacks 

Prefer to listen to this blog post? Click here for the audio version.

Small business cyber security has become especially important as being online has become the primary source of communication for businesses with remote workers. According to the Verizon 2019 Data Breach Investigation Report (DBIR), 43% of breach victims were small businesses. By following the suggestions below to be proactive, not reactive in your company’s security strategy, you can potentially avoid being the victim of a cyber attack. 

How do I keep my small business safe from cyber attacks?

  • Recognize the types of sensitive information you have and need to protect. Intellectual, financial, personal/client information, and credentials are all examples of sensitive information
  • Take time to educate employees on how to protect company data— credit card information, attachments in emails, and changing passwords frequently is necessary. Keeping their protection up to date and using strong passwords are just a few of the steps they can take to protect themselves against cyber attacks 
  • Confirm that there is an active firewall in place and that systems are compliant. Hosting should have patching/security vulnerabilities. If your business relies on a UTM for web filtering, consider adding a dedicated web filter. Web filters can provide additional security, such as protection against malware, phishing, and viruses 
  • Secure hardware (laptop, phone, credit cards)
  • Hire an expert to evaluate risks and protect your data
  • Many applications and systems offer the option of adding a layer of security when you log in. Multi-factor authentication and biometric log-in systems are just a couple of examples of the tools you can use. It is also critical that you back up your data, change passwords often, keep operating systems up to date, and use of antivirus software.
  • Be aware of the different types of threats and report when you see suspicious activity right away. This will help prevent or stop the attack. Phishing scams, malware, and ransomware are just a few of the threats small businesses face 

To learn more about the latest cyber security threats and how to protect yourself and your business, download our whitepaper on Cyber Crime and Internet Security.