Online Security for Small Business
Many small business owners are unaware of how vulnerable their computers are to cyber security threats and stolen information. Unfortunately, not enough of these buisnesses are properly protecting their systems online. If you are using a personal computer and devices such as tablets and smartphones to run a business then you could be at serious risk to a cyber attack through your internet network or WiFi. Many of these attacks are assumed on the neglegence of the user, but following simple security procedures provides a secure system free from theft and failures.
The easiest way to secure your system is by using a stronger password. Be creative and use more than six characters. Always use mixed-case letters and include numbers and symbols. A cyber criminal is more likely to attack another target if your password is too difficult to crack or guess. Now that small business owners are utilizing tablets and cell phones, it’s just as important to install these strong passwords on personal devices, too.
If your business is larger, you might consider separating your home and business computers. Budgets are always a consideration, and it may seem to make more sense financially to consolidate devices and PCs for home and office use. A lot of small business owners are doing work like this, and it exposes you and your customers to significant risk. Consider having a dedicated work computer. The affordability of desktops makes having a dedicated business computer is a good investment in risk reduction.
With a healthy computer, always remember to check for the latest updates from Microsoft and Apple. The security updates from these developers are available weekly and install patches on your operating system if maleware or a virus is detected. These security updates also include e-mail protection that guard against spam and other threats. While most people are obsessed with security programs, viewing responsible content and updating the OS is enough to keep cyber criminals from accessing your system over the internet.
If you have employees using your system then it is very important to prevent access to websites that are likely to contain spyware, malware, and other Internet threats. Use the content filter that comes with your operating system to prevent them for accessing these sites. It is one of the easiest solutions for small business to cut off hackers from infecting their computers with these dangerous programs. An Internet use policy lets employes know what their responsibilities are when using a computer on company time. Most importantly, if your employees are downloading work related material it must still be scanned and treated as potentially dangerous software.
Cyber criminals can still gain access to your system through WiFi, and this is becoming an increasingly popular way to execute an attack on small business. Look into having a stronger encryption and make sure all of the default wireless passwords are changed. Hackers are thieves and they will park outside your business like any thief would in a van and steal credit cards, bank account numbers, and passwords on a laptop through your WiFi connection.
It’s difficult for state agencies to arrest and prosecute these savvy tech criminals, and they continue to grow in number and sophistication. Small business make for an easy target because more than half don’t have these simple security measures in place. Take the appropriate steps to secure your system and never again consider the loss of business if you were potentially hit by a cyber criminal.