Most small businesses don’t have the time or resources to invest heavily in the complexities of cyber security. This includes how to help mitigate cyber threats to small businesses and ways to implement protective measures. With all the responsibilities around team management, supply sourcing, billing, and sales, it can be easy for this to fall through the cracks.
However, the fact is that small businesses need to keep cyber security front of mind since it’s no longer just big organisations that can be targeted. By strengthening your business’ cyber resilience and staying on top of cyber security management with proactive defence strategies, you can focus your energy on growth, innovation, and customer satisfaction while aiming to avoid the costly after-effects of a cyber-attack.
Why it’s important to bolster your cyber business security
Small businesses often have to manage cyber risks themselves, while large organisations can benefit from specialised teams. By bridging the gap with a robust cyber security plan, you can access significant benefits, including:
More secure business assets – most cyber security solutions contain built-in measures that can reduce the risk of potential threats to your business and team. This includes malware, phishing, and accidental sharing of sensitive business data.
More productive employees – quality cyber security measures can reduce the risk of your devices going offline, save you from lost time dealing with breaches, and instil greater confidence that your sensitive data is protected.
Greater customer confidence – with such a big business market, trust is very important. With robust cyber security protocols in place, your customers can be confident that their sensitive data is being properly managed.
Maintained business continuity – optimised cyber security can mean a reduced likelihood of your website going down, of you losing access to important files, or of customer data being breached.
5 cyber security checks you should conduct in your small business
Luckily, your small business can implement simple checks and measures to help better protect itself – here are the five cyber security checks every small business owner should consider doing:
1. Encourage cyber security awareness in employees
Many small businesses don’t possess a dedicated IT team, so it’s important to ensure your employees are aware of the potential cyber security threats they could face, including how to spot them and what to do if they come across suspicious activity. Your processes and team can be the first and last line of defence in protecting your business, so arm them effectively.
Potential strategies:
- Introduce access controls that help reduce the likelihood of unauthorised individuals accessing important info.
- Ensure passphrases aren’t shared, and look to revoke accounts when employees leave.
- Devise a thorough cyber security incident response plan, reward employees for threat identification, and cultivate a proactive cyber security culture.
2. Update software as soon as possible
One of the best ways to help stay protected from a cyber security incident is by keeping your operating system and applications up to date. Cyber criminals will seek out software vulnerabilities in order to access business data, so software manufacturers will release periodic updates that help strengthen those weak points.
Potential strategies:
- Where possible, switch on automatic updates.
- Check regularly for new software versions.
- Consistently update your devices, including desktop, laptops, and mobiles.
- Ensure your operating systems and web browsers are up to date to help protect against the latest threats.
3. Do regular file backups
Important information should be replicated in a backup. This is a digital copy of your most important business information, like customer data and financial records. Having a backup means you can rest easy knowing you are likely to be safer from data loss due to hardware failures, breakage, theft, or malware infections.
Potential strategies:
- Select an appropriate backup system that offers secure cloud backup, like Telstra Data Protect.
- Regularly back up the data on your devices to the cloud or to external hard drives.
- Regularly attempt to restore your data as a way to test your backups.
4. Implement multi-factor authentication
This is a business security process that asks you to offer two or more proofs of identity before granting access to an account. By switching on multi-factor authentication, you are granted an additional layer of security that can make it harder for attackers to access your devices and accounts.
Potential strategies:
- Set up multi-factor authentication wherever possible.
- Consider using options like a random pin, physical token, biometric, email, SMS, or an authenticator app.
- Consider financial and email accounts as your highest priority.
5. Utilise password management
It can be difficult and overwhelming to set up and remember unique passwords for every account you need to access. However, cybercriminals can attempt to break into any account or device where multi-factor authentication is unable to be used. That’s where passphrases and password managers can help keep your business secure.
Potential strategies:
- Devise passphrases that are unpredictable, unique, and at least 14 characters long.
- Use a reputable password manager that securely stores your passwords in a single platform, which can save you from needing to remember them.
[H2] Talk to TBTC Sydney City about improving your cyber business security
The cyber security landscape is ever-evolving, so this is just a small snapshot of the considerations you may need to think about. At Telstra Business Technology Centre Sydney City, we can help locate any vulnerabilities and recommend cybersecurity services that benefit your business and help you secure your assets. Talk to us today. Let’s get solving.
