Networks, cloud-storage, and wireless connections between computers, peripherals, and mobile devices have become the norm in today’s office. That means our data needs more protection than ever before.

Businesses of all sizes, from small companies to large enterprise corporations, are targets of malicious hackers. They work to plant a virus or malware in their systems and steal sensitive data.

Unfortunately, too many companies aren’t sure what to do to best protect against these threats and may have a false sense of security from a single anti-virus software.

In 2017, cyber attacks cost small and medium-sized companies an average of $2,235,00. (Barkley)

Not having proper security awareness and protocols in place for your business can be costly. Costs related to malware intrusions come from two main areas:

• Costs due to damage or theft of IT assets
• Costs due to disruption of your normal business operations.

SchrankLABS is serious about our clients’ IT security and we have a team of dedicated experts that provide managed cyber security solutions including everything from anti-virus and malware protection to hack detection and prevention.

We’ve found that many businesses just aren’t aware of the basics of good IT security, and once implemented, their chances of a network breach or virus attack decrease significantly.

So, in this article we thought we’d share our 10 most important tips to guard against a breach and improve your IT security.

Follow Our 10 Cyber Security Tips to Protect Your Business

A sobering statistic that not many small business owners know is that 60% of small businesses close their doors within 6 months of a cyber attack. They just can’t recover from the costs and damage inflicted on such a critical part of their business.

We help many of our SchrankLABS clients in Burlington, Rochester, and beyond ward off potential data breaches of theirs and their customers’ data. The good news is that you and your team can learn the best practices of cyber security before it’s too late.

Protect your business with these 10 vital IT security tips.

1. Take Inventory of Current Security Protocols

It’s important to know where you currently stand with your IT security. You want to identify the security practices that are helping, such as employee cyber security training, and those that aren’t.

You also want to take stock of the apps and software you’re currently working with and what they’re protecting… mobile devices & computers? Your wireless network? This way you can get a good view of what’s properly protected and what‘s vulnerable.

2. Get a Security Assessment from a Pro

Before you make decisions on your own that might not give you the best solutions for your needs, speak with an IT pro, like SchrankLABS. We can help identify where your network may be at risk and provide the best solutions that include a layered approach to ensure you’re covered properly.

3. Hold Cyber Security Training for Employees Regularly

It takes just one phishing email disguised as a “new purchase order” to fool an employee into opening an attachment with a virus or ransomware script. Have an IT pro teach your employees what to look for in a bogus email and how to avoid becoming a victim of a phishing email. Regular staff cyber security training goes a long way to protecting your network.

4. Password Protect Devices

Set a protocol in place at your company for computers and mobile devices to use lock screens and strong passwords. This can protect your data in case of a lost or stolen device. Strong passwords that include a combination of upper and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols should also be implemented for logins to company apps, like Office 365 or Salesforce.

5. Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN)

Companies that use a VPN to ensure safe connections greatly reduce the risk of a hack when their staff is traveling or connecting to free Wi-Fi at airports or coffee shops. This adds another layer of security between your data and the internet at large.

6. Use a Reliable Firewall

Next generation firewalls are much more sophisticated than their predecessors. They offer a multi-pronged approach to preventing hacks of your network, including scanning for viruses, detecting suspicious activity, and monitoring email threats.

7. Get Help with Data Privacy Compliance

Governments are finally catching up to data breach incidents that seem to happen regularly. Companies that don’t secure customer data that’s collected, such as credit card details, run the risk of costly fines in the event that data is breached. Get help from an expert to ensure how you collect, store, and transmit customer data is compliance with rules and regulations.

8. Use Two-Factor Authentication

Many services now offer two-factor authentication when logging in. This means that if you’re logging into your bank account online, instead of only using your user name and password, you’d be sent a code that would have to be entered to complete the login. This is an important extra protection in case passwords are compromised.

9. Keep Operating Systems and Software Updated

While those update reminders can get annoying, they also can hold important security updates for software and operating systems. Be sure that your whole team is regularly updating software and devices so any security patches are applied.

10. Back Up Everything Regularly

A good backup and recovery plan thwarts ransomware and other cyber attacks that could leave you crippled if you lost your all your data. In the event of a virus or data loss incident (like a crashed hard drive), a data backup saves the day every time.

Get an Expert IT Security Assessment Today

SchrankLABS can help you assess your current IT security and make expert suggestions for any vulnerabilities.

You can easily book an appointment at your convenience or call us anytime at 262-347-3199. We’re here to keep you safe!