Information technology and broadband are significant drivers of productivity and efficiency growth for small firms as they expand into new markets. To counter the escalating cybersecurity risks, organizations must have a cybersecurity strategy in place to safeguard their own operations, their clients, and their data.
- ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ๐
Establish fundamental cybersecurity procedures and regulations for staff members, such as mandating strong passwords, and acceptable Internet usage standards that spell out the consequences of breaking the organization’s cybersecurity rules. Create guidelines on how you manage and protect customer information and other important data. - ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป, ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐ฐ๐๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ๐
Maintain clean computers: The best defense against viruses, malware, and other online risks is to use the most recent versions of your operating system, web browser, and security software. A scan should be performed following each update of antivirus software. As soon as new updates for other crucial software become available, install them. - ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ป๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
A firewall is a group of connected programs that guard against unauthorized access to information on a private network. Check to see if the operating system’s firewall is activated, or install online-available, free firewall software. Make sure any home systems that employees use for work are firewall-protected - ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐บ๐ผ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ป
Mobile devices can pose serious security and management difficulties, particularly if they contain sensitive data or have access to the company network. To stop thieves from stealing data while a phone is connected to a public network, mandate that users password-protect their devices, encrypt their data, and install security software. Establish reporting processes for equipment that has been lost or stolen. - ๐ ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ๐๐ฝ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ฏ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
Make regular backups of all computer data. Word processing files, electronic spreadsheets, databases, financial files, human resources files, and accounts receivable/payable files are examples of critical data. Data should be automatically backed up, if at all possible, or at least once a week, and copies should be kept offsite or in the cloud. - ๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐น ๐ฝ๐ต๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ
Prevent unauthorized users from accessing or using company computers. Locking up laptops when left unattended will prevent theft or loss since they are easy targets. Make sure each employee has their own user account, and insist on using strong passwords. Only important people and trusted IT staff should be granted administrative privileges. - ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ช๐ถ-๐๐ถ ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ๐
Make sure your office’s Wi-Fi network is hidden, encrypted, and secure if you have one. Set up your wireless access point or router so it does not broadcast the network name, sometimes referred to as the Service Set Identifier, in order to conceal your Wi-Fi network (SSID). Access to the router is secured by passwords. - ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ผ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐
Make use of the most reliable and verified tools and anti-fraud services by working with banks or processors. Additional security requirements may be imposed on you in accordance with contracts with your bank or processor. Use different computers to process payments and browse the Internet, and isolate payment systems from other, less secure programs. - ๐๐ถ๐บ๐ถ๐ ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป, ๐น๐ถ๐บ๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐๐ผ๐ณ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ
Don’t let a single employee have access to all the data systems. Employees shouldn’t be allowed to install any software without permission, and they should only be granted access to the specific data systems that they require for their tasks. - ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
Make it mandatory for employees to use special passwords and to update them every three months. Consider using multi-factor authentication, which requires more than just a password to obtain access. Determine whether your vendors who deal with sensitive data, particularly financial institutions, offer multi-factor authentication for your account by checking with them.