Defend yourself
Protecting your small business from cyberattacks
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, small businesses have quickly adopted remote working and transitioned to new technologies, but these adjustments have come with more risks.
Compared with larger companies, many small businesses have fewer resources to dedicate to cybersecurity.
Protect your small business from cyberattacks with these tips:
1 Evaluate your online systems To effectively protect your business from cyberthreats, first you should have a complete understanding of your current ecosystem of online operations. Ask yourself: “What do we do on any machine that’s connected to the internet whatsoever?” says Andrew Lipton, vice president, head of cyber claims at AmTrust Financial Services, a small-business insurance company.
Business owners should know what types of data they store and where.
Lipton suggests talking to a legal expert to understand the consequences of a data breach, and to get a professional opinion on how to protect your data.
Then you’re in a good position to talk to your internet service provider to find the best way to secure your data.
2 Implement cybersecurity best practices As a
business owner, you can implement basic security practices such as:
•Installing firewalls to prevent unauthorized access to your networks.
•Using antivirus software and ensuring that it’s updated regularly.
• Regularly backing up data and storing it offline or in another location, not just in the cloud.
• Creating strong passwords and not using the same password across different accounts. • Requiring multifactor authentication, which asks for two identifying factors, like a password and a code, to access accounts and systems.
3 Train your employees — and yourself You and your employees are often the first line of defense in protecting your business from cyberattacks.
Receiving basic cybersecurity training can help you and your staff identify common threats, such as phishing emails or suspicious downloads, as well as develop online best practices like safe browsing and strong passwords.
And with employees working remotely or in different office locations, it’s particularly important to create and review cybersecurity policies for your business, including safety guidelines and what to do in the event of a data breach.