No business is too small to fall victim to a cyber security attack, so even if you only run a startup with a few employees, it’s essential to be proactive about your IT. A data breach could otherwise cause downtime which would have a negative impact on both your profits and your reputation. Fortunately, if you’re organized there are a few things you can do to protect your business. It’s also worth outsourcing IT services to ensure you get access to the latest in security technology. Here are a few ways you can be proactive about your IT.

 

Outsource your IT services

 

Consider outsourcing your IT to a managed service provider such as Pointivity MSP. They will have the necessary resources to monitor and protect your data, network, and systems. A managed service provider will offer various services such as encrypted cloud hosting, disaster recovery, and data backup. They will also closely monitor your systems to intercept threats and reduce risks by looking for areas of improvement in your cyber security.

 

Train your staff

 

Often security breaches are due to human error so it’s essential to train your staff in IT best practices. This includes educating them about different types of cyber attacks such as phishing campaigns and ransomware. It’s also important to use strong passwords and multi-factor authentication and to ensure they protect their own devices. A training session like this will be a good way to reconnect your team especially if they’re working remotely. You can ensure they follow best practices even while working from home.

 

Update your software

 

Software updates occur for a reason so never ignore these notifications. The reason software updates itself is because it’s constantly looking for areas for improvement and adapting to new tricks in cyber crime. Keep your software up to date and ensure it’s compatible with the latest in cyber security to ensure your data and systems are protected.

For healthcare institutions, consider upgrading to EHR software to safeguard your electronic health information. This software, for example, can ensure your private records like test results, medical histories, and treatment plans are secure and HIPAA-compliant. Your institution may expose to several risks online, such as fraud or identity theft, if your data is stolen or lost, leading to errors and delayed medical care.

 

Upgrade your tech

 

You could also consider upgrading some of your hardware. It’s a good idea to conduct a technology assessment to help you figure out which tech it’s worth investing in. You can also speak to an IT consultancy firm about this. They will be able to help you with hardware procurement, installation, and onboarding. Newer models will be more efficient and compatible with the latest software and operating systems, so it’s worth thinking about an upgrade.

 

Control access

Control access to sensitive information and set up multi-factor authentication. If employees don’t need access to certain data then there’s no need to grant them this. You should also have a system in place for what to do when a member of staff leaves. Ensure they no longer have access to company data from remote devices. This will prevent it from getting into the wrong hands. You could also create guidelines about IT best practices to give to new staff during onboarding. By being proactive from the start, you can encourage others to the same and make sure you protect your business.

Learn About the Threats

If you want to protect your business, you need to know the threats and what you need to protect against.

Some of the threats you might not know about: – people sending emails with links to fake websites (phishing) or as an eFax (faking it as fax) that steal passwords and credit card numbers, attackers using brute force on usernames and passwords, attackers downloading malware, viruses, rootkits or ransomware via email, stealing data from the computer of employees, hijacking business identities on social media, denial of service attacks on websites.

Does this already sound daunting? Don’t worry. There are solutions for all of these threats that can prevent them or make it very difficult for attackers to succeed.

Managing the Risks

Not all the threats are malicious. Spam, for example, can also come from non-malicious sources. It might be your clients who want to reach you at any cost. That is good, but it can also become a problem when you no longer receive important messages for your business. That’s why you should have the right tools, for example, competent data network wiring installation, to sort out some of the issues.

You should keep track of which types of threats are typical for your industry. For example, in the restaurant business, people often get infected with food poisoning by impure products or get attacked at their workplace.

On the other hand, Banks might receive many phishing emails because they are often in the spotlight. Hence, it is important to learn about the expected threats.