Keep your small business safe and secure with these basic cyber security tips
Nowadays, more companies than ever are turning to digital resources to help their businesses run. However, this comes at an often hidden cost: information security. The more frequently companies entrust their information to digital storage, the more likely it is to be stolen by a hacker.
If you’re a small business just starting out and you want to make use of new technologies and online resources, use these tips to keep your data and your customer’s information safe and secure.
Be Careful With Files
The practice of peer-to-peer file sharing first became popular with the invention of Napster in 1999. Since then, plenty of people have been directly sharing files through the internet. However, be careful to only open files from sources you know and trust; many hackers will use file-sharing to upload a virus or other malware to your computer, allowing your information to be stolen. If your business is around the Massachusetts area outsourcing your cybersecurity needs to be sent to the Boston IT support company they can help you mitigate the risk of file-sharing.
Train Your Employees
Whether your company is just you and a friend working together or if you’ve got dozens of employees working online every day, having everyone informed on digital safety is essential. All it takes is one person to make a mistake that can compromise your entire digital security. Keep employees up to date on password changes, website information, and anything else that could be important regarding your company’s digital safety.
Surf Smarter
Plenty of companies rely on online information for resources, sharing data, completing transactions, and more. That being said, be careful about which parts of the internet you visit on your company computers. Know what indicates a safe and legitimate website, as opposed to a dupe created by hackers to steal information like credit card numbers, names, and more. If you’re completing a transaction for a customer or just to restock the inventory for your company, check to see if the website is secure first. Secure sites will usually have a lock icon next to their URL; this means that any payment information you’re entering is safe and secure.
Online resources and technology are incredibly useful for running a business effectively. However, be careful about how you’re using it, or you could end up with your sensitive information falling into the wrong hands.
