IT Support & SecurityWritten By: admin

Hacking and malware attacks are two of the most enigmatic challenges that continue to be major issues. In 2020 CNBC published an article that brought into light some really grave statistics:

•    43% of cyber threats are directed at small businesses (SMEs). 
•    Cyber assaults cost small businesses almost $200,000 on average. 
•    It's rare to find a company that is unaffected by cyber-attacks, regardless of sector or scale.

Every 39 seconds there is a cyber-attack happening somewhere in the world, making cyber security for small business the need of the hour. Now the question arises, what to do about it? How to keep the business unharmed from the cyber security threats? This article discusses the ways following which every business owner would be able to protect the organization from the looming threat of cyber-attacks.
 

1.    Install an appropriate firewall for your network

The first line of defence for any business should be its firewall protected network. The firewall not only manages and tracks incoming and outgoing traffic, but it also keeps track of the security scheme. If there is data leakage happening from the business network, a firewall will quickly detect it. It can immediately shut down a function if it detects anything unusual on the network or on any device connected in the network.
 

2.    Data encryption is essential

Encryption is the process of scrambling data with the help of sophisticated algorithms. Encrypted data cannot be used or read without decryption, for which a decryption code is required. So, even if the data gets compromised or stolen, the risk of unauthorised parties using the data becomes significantly low because the data is a jumbled mess without the decryption keys. It's faster and simpler to encrypt whole discs rather than picking a few data for encryption. To enhance the cyber security for small business, whole operating systems should be encrypted, not just laptops.
 

3.    Disaster Recovery in Cloud Computing

There are a number of advantages of using cloud computing for businesses. Leading cloud service providers provide advanced security features, such as auto-encryption of files. The levels of encryption can be specifically customized so that the service would decrypt files when accessed by people using specific passwords and IP addresses. Trusting a single employee with the cloud computing can be risky. To ramp up the cyber security for small business, it is advisable to use a dedicated IT company specialising in cloud computing services.  In that way the IT team of the company can focus on things at hand and leave the security matters at the hands of the experts.
 

4.    Regular data backups is a must!

One of the most effective ways of saving a company from significant data loss is by taking data backups at regular intervals. The copies of the main data ensures that it can be easily retrieved and used, even if there is a case of cyber-attack. When the files are retrieved from a backup, the data is returned to its original location. The whole procedure is completed in a matter of minutes, ensuring zero data loss! When effective cyber protection measures are combined with due diligence and sound practices, ensuring cyber security for small business is not difficult. 

5.    Stop throwing away hard drives

Throwing away a hard drive without deleting old files or formatting the drive completely, is like handing over the keys of your locker to the thieves! The details on the drive can be hacked and used to damage the business. As mentioned earlier, erasing deleted files or formatting the drive makes it more difficult to recover or restore the deleted data of the hard drive. Remove unnecessary files from your machine to avoid putting more data at risk than is completely necessary. Outdated files from the cloud backups should be regularly removed as well. The best practice before throwing away a hard drive is making it as unreadable as possible. There are multiple methods of doing this. Running a strong magnet over the drive multiple times after formatting it, is a simple way of doing it. Another way is to physically damage the drive so that it becomes completely useless. 

6.    A strong IT infrastructure

To run a business network properly, the hardware and the software teams of the company should run in sync. At Vareli, we understand the importance of cyber security for small businesses. We have a host of cyber security services to minimize the risk of digital security breaches. We have the expertise and experience to set up a solid IT infrastructure for your company. Get in touch with us as we have much more to offer and would be delighted to assist your company!

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See Also - Why do Businesses Need Encrypted Emails ?