All organizations fall into the category of a cyber-attack risk. With hacking, malware, cyber-abuse, breaching of hardware, defacing websites and fraudulent activity on a company’s network, business and personal digital files are at risk more leaders realize. However, there are security measures that can be taken to assist with preventing and minimizing threats.
Cyber-attacks are preventable. The level of unpreparedness tends to be what makes companies vulnerable to attacks. Small businesses are not at a disadvantage in protecting themselves from threats, as there are cost-efficient ways to implement some of the feature larger companies embrace. Along with cost-efficient plans, there are simple steps small businesses can take to help prevent and decrease their chances of being a victim of an attack:
Password protection
- Implement password length/strength that requires 8+ characters, containing upper & lower case letters, numbers and special characters;
- Don’t use identical passwords for multiple pages/accounts;
- Require frequent password changes/updates every 90 days;
- Advise employees to keep passwords in a secure location;
Log-off policies
- Instruct employees to log off company pages while away from their desk;
- Implement a session time out function to company hardware;
Limited employee access
- Allow employees access only to necessary information having to do with their job description;
- Restrict access to important data and employee information;
Backup data
- Daily backup of important company information from the network is crucial;
- Regularly verify the data has been restored properly;
Steps to implement as your business grows
- Designate a job/person to handle security and preparedness;
- Control network access using administrator account, firewall and proxy server, while updating software regularly;
- Secure computers and data with antivirus software and update frequently;
With technological advances, there comes a heightened technological risk. Cyber-attacks are increasing at an alarming rate, targeting almost 3 out of 4 small businesses. By putting a security plan in place, a company’s level of threat decreases dramatically. Ultimately however, leaders must take the initiative to protect their people, secure their assets and strengthen their brands!
For more information on how to build, strengthen or defend your brand or reputation, contact Fallston Group at 410.420.2001 or by email at info@fallstongroup.com.
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