A cyber-attack can result in financial loss, data breaches, and reputational damage. With GDPR compliance and data protection top of mind for businesses, avoiding data leaks and fines is critical.

Our guide explains how to protect your small business from cyber threats.

What Is A Cyberattack?

Various cyberattacks exist. Online threats are constantly evolving, from phishing to malware and ransomware.

From hacktivists to nation-states, cybercriminals target small businesses for profit. Financial details, personal details, and account login details are all sought to commit fraud, data theft, or extortion.

This includes selling stolen credit card numbers and account profiles or stealing customer information to commit identity fraud.

Protecting Your Business

In order to protect your business, you should take multiple precautions to prevent security breaches and speed up the recovery process in the event of a breach. Daniel Menard has some good infrastructure protection tips.

Here are some suggestions for Cyber Protection for all small businesses.

Back-Up All Data

Ensure that all-important business data, such as customer information, quotes, orders, payment details, document templates, and financial records, are regularly backed up.

Keep your backup safe from other employees. Cloud storage is good for backups.

Your cybersecurity policy should specify what data will be backed up and how it will be managed.

Protect Data With Passwords

Password protect all devices and use two-factor authentication for all user accounts that allow it.

A business password policy can help you manage multiple accounts, such as social media, editing apps, and other software.

Keep your business login details safe by managing your passwords properly. Online tools can help you with this.

Update All Computers

It’s critical to keep all IT equipment (computers, servers, smartphones, tablets) updated. Set your equipment to automatically update patches when they become available.

Set Up Antivirus And Firewalls

Ensure all computers have antivirus software and that your internet router and servers have firewalls. This will help raise security awareness within your company and team.

Trusted Software Only

It is recommended that you only use software and apps from reputable services or manufacturer-approved app stores.

Staff should not be allowed to download unknown third-party software containing malware. Removing admin privileges from their accounts and reminding them of your cyber policy can help.

Inform Your Staff About Phishing

Phishing emails can’t be stopped, but you can train your staff to recognize the signs. Employees should be suspicious of emails that are not addressed to them, and should not open attachments from unknown senders.

Remember to ask yourself: Are you expecting an email? A supplier sending you an invoice for a service you didn’t receive is probably a scam. Look at the email address that sent the email – is it the same domain as the service you use?

In particular, if an employee receives an email from the finance department requesting a fund transfer, the employee should always verify the sender in person.

These tips should help when it comes to protecting your business from cyber-attacks. Do you have any other tips that could help? Please share them in the comments below.

Photo by Mati Mango