business cyber security improvement tipsProtecting your business against prospective hackers and other security breaches will reduce the potential chaos that would otherwise unfold. It is for this reason that improving a company’s security measures is one of the most important things that it can do.

While working online has benefited businesses across countless industries, there are also drawbacks, primarily due to the increased chances of a cybersecurity attack. The good news, however, is that there are countless methods to combat this.

For starters, it’s important to have password protected files so that it is much easier to protect confidential information. Still, this is nowhere near enough in this day and age. The employees of a company must receive the appropriate cybersecurity training, backup files consistently, update computers with the latest software programs, among numerous other things.

More information on how to best improve the security measures of your organization will be outlined below.

1. Working Online

People live in a technologically advanced society, and the internet has benefited the modern day company in numerous aspects. Everything is now completed at a faster and more efficient speed, and everyone is able to stay connected no matter where you are located in the world. The ability to communicate has sky-rocketed, and the level of innovation that various gadgets have brought with them has also made it easier for businesses to enter the global market. Of course, the downside to all of this progress is that those who want to hack confidential and private information also have more opportunities available to them in order to do so. It is for this reason that all of the following procedures are necessary.

2. Password Protected Files

Having long and complicated passwords attached to every single computer and phone is the first and easiest way to protect your information. Consider coming up with a phrase that has symbols, numbers and a string of capital and lower-case words attached to it. Remember not to use common phrases, and especially don’t use something that relates to your personal information, such as a birthday or a mother’s maiden name. Furthermore, every single employee working in the company should have something different that they use for their work purposes, and is only shared with the managers, or another leading figure within the company.

3. Cyber-Security Training

As much as you protect your various computers and files with password-protected encryption, and even if it is a fingerprint scan, it’s important for every worker to be knowledgeable about cybersecurity training. Moreover, there are various programs that provide these types of services, with one example being the rigorous penetration testing that is done by Alpine Security. The more hands-on expertise and training that is provided to employees, the better equipped you will be should the occasion arise where it is necessary to protect your confidential data.

4. Secure Wi-Fi

It may sound common sense and simple enough but ensuring that you have a secure wi-fi network is your first line of defense should any type of cyber-attack occur. When you leave it open, hackers will have a much easier time accessing your network and thus your internet search history, so remember to come up with the type of password that was mentioned at the beginning of the article.

5. Backup Files

Every single employee within the company has worked hard for everything they accomplished thus far. The business depends on this work in order to achieve their goals and success, which is why losing months and years’ worth of information will cause a lot of chaos within the organization. Yet another solution to ensure the work isn’t lost is to back up files on a weekly, if not daily basis. This should become a habit for everyone at the end of the workday, before they leave the office. You could even consider backing everything up twice, simply to ensure that if something happens to one external hard-drive or cloud system, there is another source that holds all of the valuable information.

6. Eliminate Shared Accounts

Eliminate shared accounts between employees, because if one gets wiped out, everything will disappear at the same time. It simply means that there will be more passwords involved as well, but it will be better for your company’s wellbeing at the end of the day. More so, be cautious about the type of workers that you hire, as you need to have the right individual for the job. You must hire employees that are trustworthy and will safeguard the company’s private information. Ensuring that people who work there believe in the business, its values and goals, will also help ensure they take care more caution in their day-to-day.

7. Update Computers with Latest Software

In addition to training employees, having secure passwords, and everything else already mentioned, there are plenty of anti-virus and other type of software programs that will help strengthen company’s networks and servers. Having an IT professional who is tasked with protecting the data will know exactly what they need to install and when. Often times, these programs will also need to be updated as more advancements are made in the field.

8. Limit Confidential Access

The more people you trust with access to confidential information, the higher likelihood that something could happen where it gets in the wrong hands. That is also why it would be wise to limit the amount of people who know the passwords to the company’s most crucial information, or the secret sauce of their success. This type of confidentiality should be left to the business owner, and the various leaders within the organization. While it is a bigger responsibility for fewer individuals, it is also important to realize, of course, that a security attack could still occur without any of these individuals expecting it to.

9. Installing Cameras

Something else that your workplace should get into the habit of doing is installing high-quality camera surveillance to monitor the space, both day and night. Technology has currently advanced to a point where cameras are able to easily detect people even if it’s pitch black out, and it, therefore, also makes it easier to act should a burglar try to step foot on the company grounds after hours. As a business owner, you should have access to the security footage to your phone, and you should be contacted if a stranger attempts to break in.

10. Alarm Systems

Going hand-in-hand with the cameras that you should have installed at the company, ensure that there is also an alarm system that goes off if a trespasser steps foot there. This will make it much easier to contact the authorities, and people who hear the alarm can do exactly the same. Moreover, it could work as fright mechanism as well, to scare the individual off in the first place, now that everyone knows he or she is there.

11. Have a Night Patroller

For ultimate peace of mind, you could hire an individual that patrols the company grounds at night. Likely, this will be an officer, and although it won’t help in the event of a cyber-attack, it would be easier to ensure that strangers don’t try to steal from the business after hours, especially when there is expensive equipment that can be found in the office. The likelihood you will do this also depends on the type of organization you are running, and the more expensive the gadgets that are found within the laboratory or office are, the more you should consider hiring a night patroller.

12. Get Insurance

Regardless of the measures you take, things could still happen. In the event that your business is stolen from, you need to have the appropriate insurance that can remedy the situation. The alternative would be to spend a lot of money from the company’s budget, while this profit could have been spent purchasing new equipment and gadgets, instead. Imagine that the various computers and technological gadgets within the office are stolen. This would be a worst-case scenario, and the company would need to spend a lot of money in order to re-purchase every single item. Be prepared in the event that something happens, even if nothing does.

You could go a few years without having any security issues, but then that could all change in the span of one day. For the sake of your business, its employees and the hard work that everyone puts in every single day, it is crucial to protect yourself against hackers, various cybersecurity attacks and even in-person burglary. Often times, it’s something as simple as ensuring your employees are knowledgeable on the topic.

That being said, don’t forget to hire an individual that is an expert in IT, who knows exactly what they should do in order to safeguard the computer’s networks, and check up on their efficiency on a daily basis. Try these various procedures out first-hand and see how they will not only make for a safer work environment, but it will help put everyone at ease, especially given the fact that confidential work will not go in the wrong hands.