Cybersecurity tips: 5 Things Every Small Business Should Know

Nearly every business believes the unfortunate data breaches and attacks only happen to others; that the overall risk of an attack on your business is low.  Why would anyone care to target me?

The truth is that hackers would love nothing more than to gain access to your sensitive company data.  It’s why we decided to develop a list of 5 things every small business should keep in mind through the new year…

Normal Business Hours? 

The internet doesn’t shutdown when we are done for the day.  Your network is vulnerable to an attack any time day or night.  Therefore, developing a network security plan that provides 24/7/365 protection is key to ensuring proper defense.

We encourage implementing a multi-layered protection, including Antivirus and Antimalware installed on every device, as well as other barriers like a properly configured firewall.

Employee Training & Education

The most common reason for a security breach revolves around authorized users.  Phishing and Ransomware Attacks prey upon employees opening attachments or clicking on a link within the body of a message to gain access.

Properly training and educating your staff, as well as third-party vendors are a vital component to a more secure network.  We offer these services, as well as real-world phishing security testing to see how susceptible your staff may be to clicking on malicious links/attachments.

Maintain Network Updates & Patches

The security industry works at nearly the speed of light just to keep up with the latest attacks being released.  It is not uncommon to receive multiple updates in a single week.  These patches and updates are important because there is an entire counter-industry working to locate vulnerabilities they can exploit.

The constant updates can be a burdensome undertaking, which is why we include it in many of our Managed Service plans.

Strong Password Policies & User Convenience

When nearly every device, program, and application requires some level of identify authentication to access, it is easy to make sacrifices in the name of convenience.  We choose efficiency by having our browser store credentials, jot down access codes onto sticky notes, often left on our desk.

An average person has 27 different logins they are expected to memorize. Further, each is expected to follow password best practices, using unique credentials for each profile. The reality is we often utilize a single password for most. Sacrificing the protection of the network, as well as our own personal identity.

We partnered with Passportal, a secure cloud-based password and identity management tool that allows one-click access to all your program, site, and application credentials. A solid solution to improve security and prevent user fatigue while gaining access.

Be Proactive

Most small businesses lack a proper IT department, staff, or specialist.  Even in cases where someone is responsible for managing the IT for a small business, they are often working as the jack-of-all trades.  The result is often a reactive approach, repairing problems as they arise, rather than monitoring your overall network health.

A true IT solution involves a pool of talented individuals who can resolve any issue that arises, as well as prevent potential downtime.  It is a costly and often unrealistic expectation for new businesses to absorb.

It’s why partnering with a trust managed service provider (MSP) like TSI makes sense.  We can help bridge the gap between cost and proper network security.  Delivering enterprise solutions which meet your needs and budget. To learn more, Contact Us today!