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Businesses can use technology to streamline practices, connect with customers, and improve products and services. However, the more your small business relies on technology, the more vulnerable you are to cyberattacks. Here’s a look at a few common cybersecurity mistakes small businesses make, as well as how to avoid them:
Unsafe Remote Work Practices
Many small businesses have moved their workflows online in order to keep employees separate and safe during the pandemic. However, your employees may not have the safest networks at home, leaving your business vulnerable to ransomware attacks. Working with a cybersecurity company to develop a cohesive security approach can keep everyone safer.
Poor Employee Training
Even when everyone works out of the office, it only takes one small mistake to create a major issue. Ultimately, most cyberattacks work through some form of social engineering. Teach your employees how to recognize suspicious links, downloads, or requests sent over email. Remember, cybersecurity training shouldn’t be a one-time thing. Regularly connect with your employees about best practices and emerging threats to ensure everyone is on the same page.
Out-of-Date Technology
Although you don’t necessarily need to have the absolute newest tech in order to keep your business safe, you should be wary of any tech that’s truly out of date. The big issues come up when the models or software you’re using are no longer supported with updates and security patches. In the same vein, be sure to download and install all updates that are available in order to reduce vulnerability.
Bad Password Rules
Passwords such as “12345” and “password” have become something of a cybersecurity punchline, but you might be surprised by how often employees use similarly lackluster passwords for business accounts. It’s extremely tempting to use sequential numbers, pets’ names, and other simple passwords in order to keep them as memorable as possible. However, easy to remember usually means easy to crack. Require password security minimums for all company accounts to keep your data secure.
DIY Approaches
Intrepid business owners might decide to take matters into their own hands in order to spend as little as possible on cybersecurity. Although this approach is understandable, it’s thoroughly misguided. Even cybersecurity experts turn to tried and true technology in order to keep data safe. The DIY approach isn’t likely to be as secure as you might think — you’ll spend far more fixing a problem or recovering from an attack than you would on investing in reliable services.
Putting Off Backups
Regular backups can be your business’s greatest safety net when it comes to certain cyber attacks. For example, if you wind up on the receiving end of a malicious server wipe, backups can get your business back up and running with minimal damage done. The more frequently you run backups, the less of an issue these kinds of attacks will be. Be sure to store your backups in a second location — physical damage such as flooding will render your machines and backups useless if everything is in a single place.
Ignoring Cyber Security New
Finally, business owners need to stay aware of tech and cybersecurity news as it applies to their industry. Many cyberattacks happen in trends and waves — meaning, unless you happen to be among the first to be targeted, you could get some warning about attacks that are on the rise. Consider subscribing to a tech news site or info letter to stay up-to-date on the latest information.
These mistakes can be costly and, unfortunately, they’re all too common. We hope this article helps you catch issues in your business before they lead to major problems. A proactive approach to cybersecurity will save you in the long run and keep your company safe!
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