Internet Cybersecurity Tips for Small Businesses

Protecting your small business from cyberattacks has never been more important. It’s natural to wonder if cybersecurity is a priority. After all, you aren’t running a big company. Do you need to spend money and time watching out for cybercriminals? Unfortunately, the answer is definitely “Yes!” 

Around fifty percent of all data breaches occur in small businesses. Cybercriminals know that many small businesses are unprotected or highly vulnerable to cyberattacks, which makes smaller businesses ideal targets. 

As a leading provider of small business internet, we are passionate about helping our customers protect their interests. Read on to learn key ways to improve cybersecurity for small businesses. 

How Can I Protect My Business from Hackers and Data Breaches? 

Small business cybersecurity is a big subject, one worth digging deeper into so you can better protect your company. Some of the most effective steps you can take to boost cybersecurity for small businesses include: 

Conduct a Risk Assessment 

You only have so many resources to apply to cybersecurity. It makes sense to identify where you are most vulnerable so you can put those resources where they will do the most good. 

A cybersecurity risk assessment is the process you use to identify vulnerabilities in your IT environment, determine how likely a security event is to occur, and measure the potential impact of those events. The assessment should give you a map of sorts that you can use to improve your cybersecurity. 

Use Strong Passwords 

Everyone is tempted to use weak, easy-to-remember passwords. Weak passwords are a major vulnerability, though, one that cybercriminals are hoping for. Don’t give them what they want. Instead, use strong passwords for every login. 

Remembering numerous complex passwords is not something most humans are capable of, which is why password managers are so popular. A reputable password manager can generate complex passwords as often as needed and save all of those passwords for use by you and your team. 

Backup Your Data 

Whether it’s a fire, a flood, a cyberattack, or just an employee’s mistake, you can lose important data in the blink of an eye. Lost data can make it difficult or impossible to do business. That’s why every smart business schedules regular data backups to ensure smooth business continuity.  It’s never been easier to back up your data. Plenty of options exist that allow you to set up data backups at whatever intervals you want so you can retrieve that data whenever you like. Just make sure you are using a backup system offered by a reputable company so you know they are protecting your data as well.  H3: Use Secure Networks Hackers are always looking for easy targets. Unsecured networks, such as Wi-Fi networks without password protection, are vulnerable to cybercriminals. That’s why every business needs to use secure networks for everything.  There are multiple facets to securing your small business internet network, including:  

• Use access control to ensure that only authorized individuals have access 

• Use complex passwords 

• Employ multi-factor authentication (MFA) 

• Segment networks 

• Implement encryption 

• Regularly audit networks 

Enable Powerful Firewalls 

Firewalls allow you to control access. Hardware firewalls put up a barrier between the internal network and the internet while software firewalls monitor outgoing traffic from each device. Utilizing both together gives the most robust protection.

Review the configuration of firewalls periodically to ensure that they are preventing unauthorized access while still allowing the traffic you want. Make sure you are logging network flows and reviewing the audit logs from time to time so you know who is accessing your network. 

Train Employees in Best Practices Online 

Roughly 80 to 90 percent of cyberattacks are caused by human error or behavior. While it can be tempting to focus on the failure of employees, it’s more productive to take a proactive approach and prioritize basic cybersecurity training for your staff.

Cybercriminals are always changing tactics as well. The only way to keep up with the threat is to engage in periodic cybersecurity training. If you design a system where someone in the company keeps abreast of known threats and guides employee training in those threats, you can stay a step ahead of the criminals. 

What Should I Do If My Business Experiences a Cyber Attack? 

It’s often shocking to be the victim of a crime, including a cybercrime. It can be difficult at first to even accept that it happened. One minute things are going along as normal, the next minute you realize that someone has harmed your business. It’s normal to be upset, and it’s common to question whether or not it happened. 

Once you have verified that the attack occurred, you have to decide what to do next. This is where it’s helpful to have a plan in place. 

Consider developing a business resilience plan (BRP) so you know how to restore operations promptly and how to respond after the attack. 

Designing a BRP does take some work, but once you have developed your first plan, it’s relatively easy to update it. The plan also only has to be as complicated as your business requires. For example, a BRP for a garden shop is not going to be as complicated as one for an IT provider. 

Here to Support You with Reliable Business Internet Solutions 

Strengthen your small business’s security with a reliable and trusted network when you switch to WOW Business Internet today.