With ransomware on the rise, and small businesses being easy targets for hackers, if you don’t have the right security measures in place, it is not a question of if you will suffer a cyber incident, but when. In fact, 44% of small businesses reported being the victim of a cyber attack and the average cost of an attack was $9,000. For more stats, check out our Sentry Small Business Tip Card.
Cybersecurity is a real issue impacting small business owners across the country. Do you know what to do if you have been compromised? What about preventing an incident? By implementing simple cyber security practices throughout your organization, your small business can safeguard their information and data for increased profits.
Prevention
These easy tips will help you in your quest to secure your small business from cyber crimes.
1. Antivirus and Antispyware
All of your organization’s computers need to be equipped with antivirus software and antispyware. Keeping this software updated will ensure all security patches are as effective as they can be.
2. Firewall
Secure your internet connection by using a firewall, encrypting your information, and hiding your Wi-Fi Network.
3. Employee Education
Educate your employees about cyber threats and how to protect your organization’s data. Holding your employees accountable to the Internet Security Policy and procedures you have in place is important for eliminating vulnerabilities.
4. Security Practices
Make sure your sensitive data is handled with care. Establish standard practices and policies to protect that information. This can include passwords, limited access, and offsite storage.
5. Passwords
As basic as this might seem, passwords continue to be incredibly important. Require your employees to use strong passwords and to change them often – at least two times a year.
6. Storage and Transit
Invest in data loss protection software, use encryption technologies to protect your data in transit, and use two-factor authentication where possible.
7. Website
Your checkout and sign-up pages on your website are important to protect, but they are not the only pages that need to be protected. All of your public-facing website pages need to be protected.
What to do if you’ve experienced an incident
Unfortunately, prevention efforts are not a 100% guarantee that your network and data will be safe. If you realize you have been compromised, contact your Managed Security Provider. When necessary, informing the authorities. Call your local law enforcement or the state attorney general to report stolen finances or identities, as well as other cybercrimes to the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
You can find them at www.ic3.gov. You can also report the fraud to the Federal Trade Commission at www.onguardonline.gov/file-complaint. The US Chamber of Commerce has an internet safety toolkit and to report a vulnerability, you can go to www.us-cert.gov.
For more on cybersecurity click here.
And, feel free to contact us to learn more about our Cybersecurity Services.
