Many businesses move online because that’s where the money is. Unfortunately, some companies lack the technical know-how to stay safe from hackers, viruses, and data leaks. With a constantly changing cyber-landscape, what’s a business owner to do?
Here are five ways to identify your business’s online security risks.
Identify Key Assets
The first step to identifying your business’s weak points is to think about what you are using technology for.
Is there confidential information that could be damaging if leaked to the public? What if you’re a bank, and someone else’s financial assets could be at risk if you got hacked?
Consider all of the following when trying to assess your assets:
- What would happen if your business’s data got leaked?
- What would happen if your company’s data was incorrect?
- What if your data was suddenly inaccessible?
This is the hardest part of identifying your online security risks! Take your time and think of every possibility before going further. The last thing you want is for someone to hold your company’s cloud data hostage.
You should also consider implementing API security to protect digital assets from online harm.
Look for Threats
Now that you know what your assets are, how might they be compromised? Who might be after your data, and how might they gain access?
Most computers are susceptible to online threats, but in a business situation, that can affect the entire network!
Don’t overlook insider threats, either. If you have employees, one of them could steal confidential information. While unlikely, it’s still worth having a system in place to ensure no employee tries to interact with data they aren’t authorized to access.
Check for Weak Points
Now that you know the threats, the next step is figuring out what to do about them. This can be easier said than done.
For example, it’s easy to fire one employee who leaks information, but what if someone casually opens an email containing a virus? Or what if someone has a weak password?
Here are a few common weak points to get you started:
- Weak passwords. Many public Wi-Fi spaces have either minimal security or intuitive passwords that make them easy to hack.
- Too many employee privileges.Restrict IT functions and program installation to specific, trusted personnel.
- Weak Wi-Fi security.Password-protect your routers and conceal your Wi-Fi’s SSID.
- Back up your data.When was the last time you did it?
One of the best things you can do is stay up-to-date on the latest cybersecurity issues. That way, when something comes up, you’ll know what to do about it and be able to tell your employees.
Get Virus Protection Software
Virus protection probably feels like a no-brainer, but not all are created equal. Before buying anything, check out what program and plans are best for your business.
Good virus protection will also have a firewall attached, which will alert you to hacking attempts, among other things.
The best companies also have ways of screening their employees’ work emails for suspicious content (such as unrecognized addresses). If you can manage this, it will save you a lot of trouble.
Educate Everybody
Online security is not just a problem for you, the boss. If you have employees, educate them about phishing, malware, and creating strong passwords. Make some of those mandatory. The more everybody knows, the easier it will be to catch a problem.
Final Thoughts
Attacks, data breaches, and phishing are things that everyone at your company can help prevent. By reading this article, you have taken the first step towards educating yourself and others.
But if you want to have your bases fully covered, contact a cybersecurity expert about your business today!
