Cyber-attacks are on the rise. From small businesses to national organisations, hackers have shown little mercy in recent years and are indiscriminate in who they target. Protecting your business is vital.
At SMY IT Services, our team keep up to date on all the latest security developments and work behind the scenes to keep you safe from harm.
Here are five of our top cybersecurity tips on how to keep your business safe.
Passwords are a great tool to protect your data, but that doesn’t mean a single layer of protection is enough to stop cybercriminals from gaining access.
Many organisations have been subject to password leaks, with criminals around the world being given an easy way in to steal sensitive information. Those protected by multi-factor authentication (MFA) however, are in a much safer position.
The technology is an increasingly free feature on various software and operating systems, ensuring anyone logging into an account must also have their log-in approved on another device. This could be a confirmatory email sent to your inbox, or a text message sent to your phone.
Every user should have MFA enabled on their accounts, from the bottom to the very top of the business.
You should use a different password for every account you own. That sounds daunting, doesn’t it? Especially when the average business user has more than 200 to remember.
But it doesn’t have to be that complicated. Password managers such as Roboform and Lastpass not only help generate unique passwords for each of your accounts, they also keep them securely stored using enhanced encryption and MFA.
Password re-use is the most prevalent and dangerous practice around. Don’t let complacency open the door to cybercrime.
Backing up your data is a key way of bouncing back fast in the event of a cyber-attack. Your data is often the most important target for cybercriminals out to make a hefty return.
A simple, safe and secure backup system is vital for every business, ensuring a swift recovery solution after any attack.
Our highly secure cloud-based system ensures your business will never lose its priceless and irreplaceable data. What’s more, we also offer additional backup at an off-site, 100% secure data centre.
As part of our services, we ensure software is up to date as outdated software poses a serious cybersecurity risk. By keeping software and operating systems up to date, it ensures the door is not left open to malicious actors.
It is all well and good protecting your computers and in-house systems, but don’t forget the modern world we live in. Cybersecurity policies should extend to the mobile devices used in your business, from tablets to mobile phones.
When out and about, using a virtual private network (VPN) is recommended when accessing business information via open or public Wi-Fi networks.
Remind your staff of the importance of good cybersecurity practice and ensure they are always acting in a way to keep your business safe when not in the office.
Firewalls and anti-malware software are effective tools for bolstering your protection. But an even better way of decreasing the chances of an attack is by training your staff.
Talking through how to spot a phishing email is a great place to start. As is good practice on not clicking links from unknown sources. Cybercrime affects all areas of a business, so it is imperative everyone plays their part in preventing it.
Cybersecurity policies in your business should also be documented to ensure all staff are up to speed.
SMY is here to help
We use the very latest technology to protect our clients from cybersecurity dangers. From thwarting sophisticated attacks to advice on how to spot simple phishing emails, our expert team are here to help.
We can help encrypt your devices – from mobile phones to USB drives – and implement tracking and remote wipe facilities to stop data falling into the wrong hands.
If you need more advice on how to keep your business safe, call our friendly team on 01473 557203.
They are always on hand to help, especially outside of normal working hours to help lessen the disruption to our users.
- Ian Walters -