5 Cyber-Security Tips for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses

Cyber-security polcies are crucial in today’s world is increasingly digital and interconnected. That means that cyber criminals are also increasingly targeting businesses, both small and large. Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are the backbone of the American economy. There are more than 6.6 million businesses in the United States, and more than half of those businesses are SMBs. The majority of SMBs are privately owned and operated. In other words, they have no employees and have a total combined revenue of under $1 million. Because of this, SMBs often lack the resources, experience, and expertise to protect themselves from cyber-security attacks.

As luck would have it, there are several simple steps SMBs can take to protect their business. In this blog post, we’ll cover the top six cyber security tips for SMBs. If you’re an owner of a small business looking to protect your business, check out our blog post on the top 6 steps you can take to secure your business.

Create a Digital Cyber-Security Culture

The first step to protecting your business is to create a digital security culture within your organization. There are three main elements to this culture: a cybersecurity commitment. Which is a focus on everything and how it relates to cyber security. A culture of cybersecurity, having all staff aware of the effects of not following policy. And the adoption of proven cybersecurity practices, ensuring all protected technology. When an organization has a strong digital security culture, employees trust the organization. And if there is a breach they know what to do when they discover security issues. This culture is built and strengthened with education and training throughout the organization. When employees understand what cybersecurity looks like in practice, they’re more likely to trust the process. Leading to more reports of potential issues.

Train Your Employees

Education and training are key to building a strong digital security culture. Given the complexity of today’s technology, most employees do not have the knowledge required to keep your network secure. If you don’t have the senior-level cybersecurity experience yourself, you can’t expect someone else to know all the basics. That means it’s essential to train your employees on cybersecurity practices.

If you want to see our recommended cyber-security polices you can check those out here.

Install Proper Software to protect from cyber-security attacks

One of the best ways to protect your business from cyber threats is to use industry-standard software and hardware. Unfortunately, it’s common for small businesses to buy less-than-industry-standard equipment or software. This is typically due to cost savings. But, cheap solutions are often insufficient and won’t provide your organization with the protection it needs. The most basic form of cybersecurity is properly setting up your network. That means using industry-standard equipment and devices with industry-standard software. Ideally, this should be done by a network administrator or specialist within your organization. Beyond network security, you should also protect your data with encryption software.

Install Network Equipment

Another important step in protecting your business is to ensure that all your network equipment is compatible with your organization’s needs. This includes both the physical equipment and the software that connects everything together. For example, if you provide services to customers, you’ll want to make sure that your network supports service activation and delivery. That means you’ll need to use hardware and software that supports Cloud-based Networking and Service Management.

Incorporate Cyber-security Principles

The final cybersecurity tip for SMBs is to incorporate cybersecurity principles into your day-to-day operations. If you don’t, you’re putting your business at risk of serious cyber threats. It’s important to remember that cyber security is a continuous process. New threats appear every day, so you can’t rely on a single cybersecurity strategy. Instead, you have to be ready for these threats in real time. For example, you have to constantly be on the lookout for potential cybersecurity issues like improper device connections, blind spots, and weak passwords. You also have to be aware of potential threats like advanced malware, data breaches, and identity theft.

 

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