As a small business owner, you know that it is important to keep your business as cyber secure as possible. Unfortunately, many small businesses don’t take the necessary precautions to protect themselves from online threats. In this blog post, we will discuss some small business cyber security tips that will help you keep your business safe from cyber-attacks.
One of the main reasons why small businesses are more likely to suffer from cyberattacks is that they often have less robust security systems in place than larger businesses. This means that hackers can more easily target small businesses and steal sensitive information such as customer data or financial records. However, some useful tips will help you prevent cyberattacks:
5 Tips to Keep Your Business’ Data Secure from Cyberattacks
1. Know the most common cyberattacks:
Cyberattacks are constantly evolving, but the best defense against them is to know what they look like and what the signs are when you are being cyberattacked to take action quickly.
The most common cyberattacks are:
- Malware: You can get malware on your device by clicking on intrusive notifications, popups, and ads from harmful websites, which most of the time are connected to a chain of malvertising sources. Guardio eliminates notifications by tracing and blocking their sources.
Another way to get malware is by installing extensions that seem innocent. Malicious extensions can abuse granted permissions to steal credentials, install adware, and several forms of malware, causing huge damage to your system, taking control of your browser, and bombarding you with notifications. Installing an extension like Guardio will help you remove malicious extensions from your devices and alert you before they’re installed.
- Phishing emails: These are emails that look like they come from a legitimate source but are actually sent by cybercriminals in an attempt to steal your personal or financial information. They often contain links to fake websites that look real but are designed to steal your login credentials or infect your device with malware. To protect yourself from phishing emails, Guardio detects and blocks this phishing and other malicious sites.
- Ransomware: This is a type of malware that can encrypt your files and demand a ransom payment in order to decrypt them. It can spread through phishing emails, malicious websites, and infected devices. Once it’s on your device, it can encrypt important files like photos, videos, and documents. To protect yourself from ransomware, Guardio blocks malicious websites and phishing emails that attempt to infect your devices with this malware.
2. Update your software:
Install and regularly update strong cyber security software on all of your business’ computers, laptops, and smartphones. This will help to protect your devices from malware and viruses. Finding the appropriate antivirus software is crucial for your small business’ arsenal against cybercrime. Antivirus software doesn’t have to cost a fortune; explore your options and choose the most convenient.
3. Educate your employees about cyber security risks:
Make sure they know what to do if they suspect that their device has been compromised. It is also important to have a plan in place in case of a breach to quickly contain the damage. When a data breach occurs with a service you use, it puts your privacy at risk. Guardio monitors your email addresses for leaks and notifies you as soon as they happen so that you can immediately take action to avoid identity theft. One Guardio membership allows monitoring for up to five different email addresses.
Make sure that your employees are using strong passwords for their accounts and that these passwords are changed on a regular basis. You can also use two-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security to employee accounts. With all the tasks during your work time, you are likely to forget to update your password, but Guardio alerts you when it’s time to change it.
4. Back up your files regularly:
In the event that your files are encrypted by ransomware or lost due to a hardware failure, you will be grateful for having recent backups. There are many cloud-based backup services available that are relatively inexpensive and easy to use. Keep an offline copy of your backups to ensure you can still access them in the event of a cyberattack.
5. Secure your Wi-Fi networks:
Be sure to use strong passwords for your Wi-Fi networks and change them regularly. You should also enable encryption on your networks. The most common type of encryption is WPA/WPA, but there are other options available as well. Be sure to consult with your router’s documentation to determine which encryption method is best for you.
Conclusion
Cybercrime is a growing problem for businesses of all sizes. By taking some simple steps, you can help to protect your small business from becoming a victim of cybercrime. Guardio can help you by blocking malicious websites, phishing emails, and extensions, as well as monitoring for leaks and data breaches. One Guardio membership allows monitoring for up to five different email addresses.