Every 39 seconds, a website falls victim to a cyberattack. Many small businesses aren’t prepared for these security breaches because they believe there’s no way their site could become one of the 30,000 that are hacked into daily.
They couldn’t be more wrong.
Cybercriminals don’t discriminate when it comes to gathering data. Not accounting for that is one of the biggest mistakes in business cybersecurity that you could ever make.
On top of assuming you’re a target, you also have to set strong passwords, train your employees, outsource your cybersecurity, and create a data recovery plan. You should also perform regular software updates, stay away from public wi-fi, and protect your documents.
Do you want to know how all these steps can come together to keep your business safe? Check out this guide to learn how to avoid common cyber threats.
1. Assuming You’re Not a Target
One of the biggest mistakes in cybersecurity that you can make is denial. While you usually don’t hear about breaches unless it involves a huge corporation, hackers aren’t picky.
They can and will go after smaller businesses as well. They’ll even attack freelancers if they think they could benefit from it.
To avoid a breach, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Put protective measures in place before it’s too late.
2. Neglecting Regular Software Updates
It never feels like you get update notifications at an opportune time. You’re always in the middle of a huge work project when you get the little text box at the top of your screen.
Even if you’re in the middle of a major breakthrough, it’s recommended that you save your work and allow your computer to proceed with the update.
You see, developers spend their time looking for security holes. When they find one, they plug the vulnerability and release a fix in the update. Until you download it, you leave your computer open to hackers.
You should update your web browser when it prompts you to do so for the same reason.
3. Using Weak Passwords
Your passwords are the first line of defense when it comes to protecting business data. Hackers can’t gain access to your accounts unless they guess them correctly.
That means the longer and more complicated, the better. You should also consider using multifactor authorization, and don’t use the same password more than once. Using personal information is a bad idea, as well, and don’t forget to change your passwords every now and again.
Long and Complicated Is Ideal
The shorter your password is, the easier it is to guess. Go with long phrases that are 8 characters or greater. Use a mixture of upper and lowercase letters, and throw in a few numbers.
Of course, remembering such a word might be a bit complicated. It’s acceptable to write your passwords down as long as you don’t leave them sitting out in the open where everyone can see them.
Use Multifactor Authorization
It never hurts to provide a bit of backup for your passwords by using multifactor authorization.
When you try to log into one of your accounts, you’ll have to type in a password like normal. From there, multifactor authorization will step in by sending you a code via email or text message. Once you plug the code in, you’ll get redirected to your account like normal.
Don’t Use the Same Password More Than Once
Using a different password for everything can get confusing after a while. You lose track of what password you used for which site. If you find yourself stumbling, though, you can believe that cybercriminals are as well.
Meanwhile, if you were to use the same password for everything, hackers will only need a single sequence of characters to gain access to every account you have.
Don’t Use Personal Information
Many people tend to use birthdays and anniversaries when coming up with passwords. Not only are these dates sentimental, but they’re not hard to remember.
The problem is that they’re easily obtainable via your social media and are the first pieces of information that hackers will use to try and get into your accounts.
Change Your Passwords
A great way to keep cybercriminals on their toes is by requiring employees to change their passwords every 90 days or so.
If you’re going to implement this system, consider investing in a password management program to help your employees stay on track.
4. Refusing to Outsource
Cybersecurity is a huge job that you shouldn’t try to take on by yourself. Instead, consider using outsourced tech support.
The professionals will be able to save you money and provide your company with 24-hour protection. Having them on your side will also save you valuable time.
You’ll Save Money
While hiring a digital security team can be expensive, it can also save you money. They have a set of business cybersecurity tools that they can use to prevent pricey data breaches.
If you were to hire an in-house staff, you would have to pay for all the equipment yourself, along with the team’s salaries.
Your Company Will Get Specialized Attention
Depending on the industry you’re in, you’re going to have unique security needs. Tech support companies often go out of their way to hire a diverse team.
That means they’re sure to have someone on staff who knows how to work your programs and security systems.
24/7 Protection
Hackers don’t rest after you lock up for the night. An attack could happen at any time.
By outsourcing your cyber security, you ensure that you have 24-hour protection. If a hacker tries to break into your system, you’ll be the first to know about it.
You’ll Save Time
With an experienced IT team taking care of your cyber security, you and the rest of your team are free to focus on keeping your company going.
You’ll have peace of mind knowing that while you fill out spreadsheets and assist customers, there’s someone there protecting your business.
5. Not Training Your Employees
It’s not unheard of for even the most tech-savvy employee to slip up. That’s why you have to train everyone on the ins and outs of mistakes in cybersecurity.
Many cybersecurity companies offer this type of training, which is another reason why it’s a good idea to outsource. Professionals can teach your staff how to recognize a phishing email and spot the common signs of a virus or attack.
Whenever you implement a new software program, make sure to instruct your team on how to use it safely. If you make changes to your cyber security policy, hold a meeting to inform your staff.
It’s also recommended to place your cybersecurity policy somewhere your employees can easily refer back to it if need be.
6. You Have No Policy in Place
Being prepared for hackers is a bit difficult when you have no plan in place to deal with them.
Not everyone in your company is going to know how to set strong passwords and spot phishing emails. They need a set of rules to guide them.
Your policy should outline rules for social media use, password sharing, using personal devices, and more.
Identify Threats
The first step in putting a policy in place is to identify your risks as well as the business assets that you aim to protect. Once you know what they are, order them according to priority.
From there, it’s all a matter of coming up with countermeasures for every threat that you identified.
Set Goals
Next, come up with a list of achievable goals to mitigate your risks. They should be simple to implement, rather than long drawn-out policies.
Decide on the basics first. This will create a solid foundation that you can base the rest of your cybersecurity decisions on.
Once you have a list of goals thought out, be sure to share them with your employees. After all, they can’t follow your rules if they don’t know what they are.
Document Your Policies
After you hold a meeting to discuss your goals with your team, document them. Again, it’s a wise idea to write them down and put them somewhere in the office where everyone can see them.
If a member of your staff does something to violate your policy, follow through with the proper punishment.
Test Vulnerabilities
Once a month or so, test your system for vulnerabilities by having a professional attempt to hack in.
After their audit, they’ll give you helpful feedback that you can use to make changes to your policy.
7. You Have No Data Backups
As you run your business, you’ll collect and rely on tons of data. If a cyber attack were to render this data useless, you would have to start over on several projects.
Unless you have regular backups that you can use to get back to regular operation as soon as possible, you may end up having to shut your doors for good. Losing progress and restarting from the ground up isn’t cheap, after all.
The good news is that there are several ways that you can back up your data.
Cloud Solutions
Cloud solutions are the most common way businesses back up their data. Changes you make to documents will be reflected in the cloud.
Thanks to integration technology, you (or your employees) can begin a project in the office and finish it later on at home. If a hacker erases your data, you can restore your files in a matter of minutes.
Removable Devices
The main problem with using cloud technology is that it can be expensive. If you find that you can’t fit it into the business budget, you can use removable devices instead.
With a single flash drive or a few disks, you can preserve all your company’s files. Keep in mind that the larger your business is, the more USB drives and disks you’ll need. Keeping your devices organized can prove difficult after a while.
Flash drives and disks can also be quite easy to lose. If that’s something you’re worried about, you can invest in an external hard drive instead.
8. Using Public Wi-Fi
Getting a change of scenery by working in your favorite coffee shop might be tempting, but it doesn’t come recommended. You can’t guarantee that your connection to the public wi-fi will be secure.
If you’re not careful, you could end up joining a fake network that hackers can use to hijack your work session. If you send a file to an employee, a cybercriminal can pop in and obtain the information. After they get what they need, they’ll pass the file along like nothing ever happened.
9. Your Documents Aren’t Protected
As a business owner, you’re going to be sending out numerous documents every day for employees and vendors to look over and sign. If you don’t put any protections in place, the information in your PDFs may end up in the hands of cybercriminals.
So, before you email a PDF, make sure that it’s password protected. You can also encrypt your data.
10. There’s No Recovery Plan
The faster you can bounce back after a breach the better off your company will be when it’s all said and done. To this end, you need to have a recovery plan.
An IT specialist can help you come up with an effective recovery roadmap, and give you an accurate timeline, so you know when you can get back to business as usual.
Avoid These Mistakes in Business Cybersecurity
Every day, thousands of businesses fall victim to cyberattacks. Due to not having the right protections in place, many of them end up closing their doors for good after.
Don’t let that happen to you.
Avoid these common mistakes in business cybersecurity and hire a killer IT security team who can help you keep your data from falling into the wrong hands.
For more helpful cybersecurity tips, visit the business section of our blog.