October marks National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, which is put on by the Department of Homeland Security. The organization’s end goal is to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity and to ensure all Americans have the resources they need to be safer and more secure online.
It’s timely, too. Cybersecurity has ascended to become one of the top issues for companies all over the world. A PricewaterhouseCoopers study in 2018 showed about 62% of global CEOs worry that cyber threats will affect their company’s growth prospects. Cybercriminals will steal an estimated 33 billion records in 2023, according to a 2018 study from Juniper Research. That compares to 12 billion records in 2018.
That same study found another staggering statistic: more than half of all data breaches globally will occur in the United States in 2023.
You don’t want to be one of those numbers. In honor of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, here are a few tips small business owners should know to keep their data safe.
Install antivirus software
This point may seem obvious, but perhaps that’s why it’s one of the most overlooked preventative measures. All of your business’s computers should be fitted with some type of antivirus or antispyware software and updated regularly.
There are plenty of vendors to choose from, and some of the larger providers, like Norton and McAfee, have cost-effective plans. You can ensure your programs are updated regularly by setting them to automatic updates.
While antivirus can’t prevent all cyberthreats, it will certainly help. And the software can alert you when your device has been affected.
Employee knowledge
Believe it or not, but your employees are actually one of the biggest threats to your systems. And an overwhelming majority of the time, their actions aren’t intentional — it’s naivety. All of your employees should be aware of common cybersecurity threats, like phishing, malware and more, so they can learn how to spot them and alert leadership.
The WannaCry ransomware bug that affected thousands of businesses worldwide a few years ago entered systems through a human factor. There are businesses dedicated to training employees about cyberthreats. Your company should also create technology-use guidelines to help employees understand what’s off limits on your business’ devices.
Continuously update systems
There are thousands of potential bugs or exploits in your computer system that you likely have no idea about. But the companies who produce these devices do. Trust them, and don’t ignore those annoying update reminders that pop up every so often.
Yes, that pop up might come at a terrible time, but set it to remind you in an hour. These updates are crucial to keep your business and devices protected.
Back up your data
Backing up all of your devices is a great way to pre-empt any type of attack that might come your way. Ransomware attacks hold your data hostage until you pay a fee, and even then, they still might not return what you lost. If you have your data backed up somewhere, you don’t have to give into demands and will have an easier time getting back on track.
You can purchase space through online cloud-based platforms or purchase large hard drives to hold your files. There are also a number of local companies that provide server or cloud-based data services.
Passwords and authentication
Strong passwords can go a long way to keep you protected. Make sure to use a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters with special characters, like !, #, $ or %. Having these types of passwords can be a pain to remember, but have a post-it note handy in a secure place to remind you in a time of need.
You can also set up your systems to change passwords every few months. That way your employees will have no choice but to update them frequently.
