Small businesses have always been vulnerable to cyber threats, but with a recent report finding 43% of data breaches have been from SMEs alone, there's never been a more important time to take your cyber security seriously.
This statistic is alarming, and it highlights the urgent need for small businesses to take cybersecurity seriously. In this blog post, we will discuss some cybersecurity best practices that small businesses can implement to protect themselves from cyber threats.
What Can You Do to Protect Your Business
Educate employees on cybersecurity
One of the most important steps that small businesses can take to protect themselves from cyber threats is to educate their employees on cybersecurity best practices. Employees need to be aware of the threats and understand how to avoid them. They should be trained on how to create strong passwords, recognize phishing emails, and keep their devices secure.
Use strong passwords.
Passwords are the first line of defence against cyber threats. Small businesses should ensure that all employees are using strong passwords that are difficult to guess. Passwords should be at least 8 characters long and should include a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. Employees should also be encouraged to change their passwords regularly.
Keep software up to date.
Small businesses should ensure that all software used in their operations is up to date. Software vendors often release updates to patch security vulnerabilities. Failure to install these updates can leave businesses vulnerable to cyberattacks.
Use antivirus software.
Antivirus software is a critical tool for protecting against cyber threats. Small businesses should ensure that all devices used by employees have up-to-date antivirus software installed. Antivirus software can detect and remove malicious software before it can do damage to a business
Implement Firewalls
A firewall is a network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic. Small businesses should implement firewalls to protect their networks from cyber threats. Firewalls can be hardware or software-based
Use Two-Factor Authentication
Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security to the login process. It requires users to provide a second form of authentication, such as a code sent to their phone, in addition to their password. Small businesses should implement two-factor authentication wherever possible to reduce the risk of unauthorized access.
Back up data regularly
Data backups are critical for ensuring that businesses can recover from a cyberattack or other data loss event. Small businesses should back up their data regularly and store backups in a secure location. This will ensure that critical data can be recovered following a cyberattack or other disaster.
Limit access to sensitive data
Small businesses should limit access to sensitive data to only those employees who need it to perform their jobs. This can be accomplished through role-based access control, which restricts access based on an employee's job function. Limiting access to sensitive data can reduce the risk of data breaches and other cyber threats.
Monitor network activity.
Small businesses should monitor network activity to detect and respond to cyber threats quickly. This can be accomplished through the use of network monitoring software, which can detect anomalous activity and alert IT staff to potential threats.
Develop an incident response plan
Despite the best efforts of small businesses to prevent cyber threats, it's still possible that they may experience a breach or other cyber event. Small businesses should develop an incident response plan that outlines how they will respond in the event of a cyberattack. This plan should include steps for containing the attack, recovering from the attack, and notifying customers and other stakeholders.
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Game-Changing Solutions You Can Use
As a managed service provider (MSP), we offer a range of solutions to help small businesses protect themselves from cyber threats. Here are some of the solutions we offer:
Usecure for human error mitigation
Usecure is the one-stop solution that evaluates, educates, and calculates its way to a security-savvy school improving cyber-security hygiene for both students and staff. Usecure offers useful features such as planted phishing emails that test employees without the risk of a data breach and security awareness training.
Learn more about human risk and data-driven solutions mitigating its effects
Bitwarden for Password Management
An open-source password manager that enables companies to protect multiple accounts with robust passwords using end-to-end encryption without ever needing to remember them. This is perfect for schools that need to ensure hundreds of students all have unique yet strong passwords for multiple accounts.
View the free password manager thousands of businesses are adopting HERE
Cloud Monitoring
Cloud monitoring is a critical tool for businesses that rely on cloud-based services. It provides real-time monitoring of cloud environments to detect and respond to security threats quickly. It can also provide insights into system performance and help identify areas for optimization.
Learn more about cloud monitoring HERE
Anti-Virus protection
Anti-virus protection is a must-have for all businesses. It provides a layer of defence against malware, viruses, and other cyber threats. Our anti-virus solution provides real-time protection and can be configured to automatically scan for threats and update virus definitions.
Find out how we can manage your Anti-Virus protection HERE
Security Assessment
Security assessments are a critical tool for businesses to understand their level of risk and identify areas for improvement. Our security assessments include vulnerability scanning, penetration testing, and risk assessments. We provide a comprehensive report detailing our findings and recommendations for improving security.
These are the reasons you should conduct an IT risk assessment
A Partner That Understands Your Business
Across the last several years cyber-attacks of all varieties have increased drastically, and they show no sign of slowing down. Nevertheless, cyber attacks can be mitigated, and business owners who are perspicacious enough will be able to identify and patch weaknesses in their operations saving them the fear and risk of financial loss.
The entrust IT Group have over 17 years of cyber security experience working with small and large businesses. Throughout these years we have educated customers and their staff on phishing as well as implemented some of the best monitoring and end-point security solutions – all of which significantly mitigate the risk of an attack occurring.
Want to learn more about how you can stay cyber-safe or feel ready to put the right security solutions in place? Please feel free to get in touch with one of our experienced consultants on 0330 002 0045 or email enquiries@entrustit.co.uk
