It’s a big mistake for small business owners to overlook cyber-attacks and burglaries. Indeed, criminals may target small businesses in both offline and online settings on a large scale. So, you must boost security by adopting effective preventive measures. This can reduce your risk of becoming a top target for the bad guys. Here are some proven strategies to strengthen security barriers around your small business.
- Reinforce your doors, windows, and locks
Upgrading your doors, windows, and locks can increase your small business security. For example, reinforced steel doors are more resistant to break-ins. Investing in high-end and commercial-grade locks can help secure your entrance and exits while protecting sensitive rooms. If burglary rates are high in your zone, reinforcing your doors and locks can add an extra layer of your protection to your business. You should always securely lock your offices when not in use.
- Update your business software
About 71% of cyber attacks are aimed at small businesses, so it helps to prioritize your cybersecurity alongside physical measures. Outdated software can make your systems vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Software updates often pop up on your screen when developers make some upgrades to their applications, so avoid the tendency to dismiss their notifications. Regularly updating your business apps is crucial to fixing bugs and boosting online security. Equifax, one of the biggest data breach scandals in recent history, happened due to an unpatched vulnerability issue. You should note that hackers hunt for loopholes in your software. It will cost less resources to install an update than to fix a massive data breach.
- Train your team to identify phishing attacks
Phishing is a common technique used by hackers to lure their targets into revealing sensitive information like usernames, passwords, and credit card details. The best way to reduce your organization’s chances of falling victim to deception is to train your team in phishing tricks. Email phishing is often personalized to each user and may appear convincing. Once your team is well-educated on common phishing strategies, they can identify suspected attacks and secure your sensitive data.
- Build access control systems
One effective method to minimize the risk of losing equipment to thieves is to regulate access to your business premise. Consider building a robust access control mechanism to regulate access to key areas in your business building. For example, you can demand all your employees to swipe their identity cards to unlock doors or gates leading to your offices. Irrespective of the size of your business, online ID card printing companies can help design your employee identity badge according to your security specifications. It’s also important to distribute fewer keys to buildings that contain sensitive data or costly machines. Consider changing your locks immediately when you misplace your keys.
- Use secure passwords
Data breaches are too common, yet many small business owners don’t think about the alarming rates of these incidents. When it comes to your online security, the simplest way to improve your security is to use strong passwords and change them with time. Changing your password is a good idea; however, doing this incorrectly can compromise your security. According to UNC researchers, if users change their passwords too often, like once every 3 months, they tend to make small changes to their old passwords and reuse them. These minor transformations can make it easier for hackers to guess your password. Use secure password managers like LastPass and Dashlane to create unique and strong passwords across multiple accounts. This will offer you the security advantage of changing your passwords safely without stressing your employees. Password managers also allow you to share your password sets with your team so they can easily log in and manage various accounts.
- Inspect your building before and after work
Checking your business environment before and after work is a great idea to ensure everything is safe. You can sense danger and address potential security concerns before they take your business by huge surprise. On top of that, routine inspection can allow you to improve your repair and maintenance culture. Encouraging employees to report things that appear out of place or suspicious is a good idea.
- Carefully dispose of your sensitive documents
Classified documents are never safe in a trash can. Once your sensitive papers land in the dumpster, you cannot tell who could access them. Consider disposing of sensitive documents appropriately when you need to. You may shred all your vital documents like invoices, customer quotes, and other printed materials before disposing or recycling them.
Photo by Pew Nguyen
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