Truth be told, small businesses don’t spend as much on cybersecurity as they should. They don’t do enough to prevent cyberattacks, and for hackers, it is much easier to cause a breach, or steal data, because security perimeters are not strong enough. Many industries, such as retail, have suffered serious setbacks in recent years, and cybercriminals have hacked into devices, networks, and IT resources, often without a lot of effort.
As evident, cybersecurity must be taken on priority, and a few steps can go a long way. Below is a list of things that smaller businesses can consider, without a doubt.
Engage ethical hackers
Basically, you are giving permission to ethical hackers to try hacking into your systems, networked devices, and servers. If they manage to do the same and find a security vulnerability, they get paid, and if they don’t, there is no remuneration. Many companies run bug bounty programs, including big names like Google and Facebook, but even as a small business, you can do the same. There are also other services that can engage ethical hackers on behalf of your business.
Create a comprehensive cybersecurity policy
Many companies, surprisingly, lack a comprehensive cybersecurity plan. They end up doing too little, or too much, without a proper set of protocols. Establishing the same is critical. From setting guidelines for your employees to follow, to creating an incident response plan – every step matters. For instance, what should an employee if they have unintentionally downloaded a malicious file.
Figure out access right management
Security breaches and data theft often occur because too many people have access to files, resources, applications and devices. Even for small businesses, access right management does matter, and for that, an IAM, or Identity & Access management, tool is necessary. Make sure that privilege users are protected, and where required, use multifactor authentication. The lockout feature, for instance, can be activated on selected accounts and devices to prevent brute force attacks.
Finally, be aware
It is important to constantly identify and note cybersecurity threats, and sometimes, simple steps can prevent a breach. For instance, place your devices behind firewalls, ask employees to use a password manager, use network segmentation where needed, and ensure that all firmware and software programs are updated to the latest version. Being proactive is necessary, while being reactive is as important, especially following a cyberattack.
You can always hire cybersecurity experts to gain more insight on how to create better security policies for your small business.
