How to Keep Hackers Away from Your Small Business

A study of the University of Maryland showed that hacking happens every 39 seconds. Of this activity, 62% is targeted at small businesses. Such a high number proves that small business owners shouldn’t just sit back and hope for the best. They must have a cybersecurity plan to keep hackers away from their system.

Since small businesses are easy-pickings for hackers, business owners should strengthen their defense with the following tips:

Make redundant backups

When all else fails, your backups will save your operation. Backups help restore your system in the event of a data breach. It’s also a lifesaver when a hacker takes your system and computers hostage.

You should have a synced backup that stores copies of your documents automatically. As much as offline backups work, a cloud backup is also important should the hacker access all your hardware.

Backups can’t stop hackers on their tracks, but it will save your business in the worst-case scenario.

Use strong passwords regularly

Passwords are the keys to your system. It’s not enough that you change them habitually; you should also keep them strong. Most cases of data breach happen due to the employees’ lack of knowledge on how to handle passwords. Passwords like “abc123” or “password1234” are like closed gates with no locks. Hackers can break through your system in no time.

Always use complex passwords. If you find it difficult to remember, use reliable password managers. Of course, you still have to guard the master key.

Know how to spot malware

According to a 2016 report of the Huffington Post, about 51% of all small businesses don’t budget a single dollar for cybersecurity. This means that both employers and employees have no solid knowledge of hacking, let alone its tell-tale signs.

To prevent this, you can partner with a managed IT service that will provide training for your employees. Here, your organization will learn how to spot malware before it becomes a big problem.

This is very critical because about 60% of cyberattacked small businesses go out of business in just six months.

Limit access to your system

Do all your employees have access to company systems? If so, it’s time to limit who gets to handle documents and information about your business. You should set passwords and assign trusted employees to have exclusive access to specific information.

It’s also important to block malicious sites that could bring malware into your PCs. This is also a great way to boost productivity since your employees won’t waste their time browsing non-work related pages.

Always update your security software 

Last but not least, make sure that your security software is always up to date. These security applications refresh their list of malware. If you don’t update yours, the software may fail to detect the threats on your system.

Schedule the updates for your firewall, antivirus, and other security layers. Your IT department should spearhead this task with full cooperation from your employees. If the task proves to be time-consuming, your IT provider can do it for you.