Moving a small business online is a perfect way to develop the brand and help in opening up new avenues for selling the products or services. However, opening up a company online can also leave the company vulnerable to cyber-attacks, which means the owners need to think about creating a robust cybersecurity policy in addition to creating a website and a robust digital marketing strategy.Cybersecurity in the Modern Workplace.
Although a cyber-attack is potentially harmful regardless of whom the victim is, it can be even more dangerous and potentially deadly for a company. If a company is attacked then, they may not only lose data, personal information, and money, but also lose their customers data, personal information, and credit information. This can lead to a substantial loss of reputation and an identity issue that cannot be mitigated.
It is reported that up to 43 percent of all online cyberattacks are attacking small businesses. This is because they are less likely to have a good team on hand for cybersecurity. They are also less likely to think in-depth about all the online security threats. The good news is that there are security firms that can help companies minimize the risks and secure their company, irrespective of the size of the company.
The head of a company would be wise to consider enlisting the aid of a cybersecurity firm to secure their company’s future, but in the meantime, here are some general cybersecurity guidelines that can now be adhered to help protect the business from online cyberattacks.
Encourage conversations about security inside the company
First of all, it is essential to ensure that the culture of a company promotes safety. If it’s not on the employees’ radar, then the company is still at high risk as technology can’t protect workers leaving open gaps that malicious hackers can exploit. Much like you wouldn’t buy an expensive security device and leave the front door open, so you can’t invest in cybersecurity technologies and don’t train the staff on secure online practices.
To begin with, if not already, training in security awareness should be mandatory so that all workers undergo it on an annual or semi-annual basis. Anyone can use a reminder, and security threats change regularly so that the awareness of safe practices of the employees also needs to change. Ultimately, once it’s launched, workers need to know how to avoid an attack. The sooner an attack closes, the lower the chance of significant losses.
Distribute a guideline on cybersecurity
Merely informing the staff about safe cybersecurity practices is not enough; an organization needs to keep them responsible for their actions. This can be done by developing and distributing a cybersecurity policy to all the employees. This strategy will include how scams can be identified, guidelines for developing safe passwords, and explain how workers should access the internet at work.
Under the regulation, personal use of the internet should be limited or expressly prohibited so that there are no grey areas where workers are left to make poor decisions. Furthermore, the policy will clarify who will manage security risks and the correct chain of communication if an employee finds anything they think might be a problem. The cybersecurity policy also needs to explain clearly how any sensitive data is treated to ensure that it is always safe. This may involve limiting the access of other employees or authorized departments to sensitive data.
Encrypt the data always
When in doubt, encryption should become the workplace motto. The best way to protect business data is always to encrypt the data. There is no wrong time to encrypt data because no one will ever regret taking an extra step, but if a business fails to do so at an inopportune moment, they will regret revealing sensitive data.
Encryption means that even though a third party accesses the data, they will not be able to read it because they will not be able to show the correct authorization. Encryption helps to protect the security of confidential information and ensures that all emails and files sent between employees are unacceptable.
Leaks occur when an encryption breach is taking place anywhere in a chain of work; taking one extra step will help protect the organization and employees at all times.
