Securing Your Small Business against Cyber Threats: A Beginner’s Guide
In recent years, there have been several cyber threats that have rocked the economy and left many on edge about the future. Both the Solar Winds and Colonial Pipeline hacks from last year were two of the most significant cyber attacks in recent history. At the same time, the ongoing events in Ukraine have brought cybersecurity to the forefront, highlighting the need for all businesses to keep their data secure.
Many might think that cyber threats are only a concern for sprawling governments and massive corporations. However, this is far from the truth. Small businesses, startups, and individuals can also be at risk. As a small business owner, you must not assume that your business is too small to be a target for cyber attacks. In this article, we will look at three simple-yet-impactful ways that you can safeguard your small business against cyber threats.
1. Find a Good Identity Provider (IdP)
When dealing with cybersecurity, it’s easy to focus on the devices and data you’re trying to protect. However, managing people’s digital identities is equally critical. Both you and your employees must be able to protect your online activity while accessing your company’s database.
This is where an Identity Provider (IdP) comes in. An IdP is a service that helps to manage digital identities, providing an extra layer of security while streamlining the process of logging in and out of different areas of your digital infrastructure. By availing of a good IdP, companies can provide easy access to the various tools and areas of data while ensuring an additional layer of security.
2. Set up a Secure Network
Protecting your company’s digital devices is essential, but your network’s security is equally crucial. Network security refers to protecting your larger, web-connected network from the threat of infiltration. There are different measures to do this, including encrypting your local network, changing your router and admin passwords regularly, and setting up guest networks for public users.
If you have a physical office, protecting your Wi-Fi router becomes easier. However, the post-pandemic era has various businesses with employees working from home. Thus, it’s essential to protect your staff’s home networks and routers, too, by training them to maintain digital hygiene and equipping them with dependable routers from companies known for their security.
3. Institute Good Digital Hygiene
Your data is only as safe as you can handle it. The best cybersecurity program cannot secure data if employees mishandle devices, leading to data breaches. Instituting good digital hygiene policies becomes paramount. This means cleaning up both electronic and information-based assets, keeping everything organized, and, crucially, updating regularly.
Using strong, secure passwords, organizing digital assets like documents, files, and folders, and keeping devices up to date are excellent places to start. Digital hygiene is not just for bosses. It’s everyone’s responsibility, and companies need to define what the term means and train employees to keep it up over the long haul.
Conclusion
In conclusion, cyber threats are prevalent in today’s digital world, with many small businesses also becoming targets. However, there is good news because you can protect your business from cyber attacks. Finding a good IdP, setting up a secure network, and instituting good digital hygiene policies are three easy yet impactful ways of safeguarding your business’s digital data.
