Staying secure in an unsecure world can be tough! That’s why we put together a list of the top 5 ways to keep your small business and your data safe.
#1 – Backup Your Data
We have all heard it a thousand times, “BACKUP YOUR DATA.” But what are the risks of not having an adequate backup? 60% of small companies go out of business after a disaster, cyber attack, or human error where data is destroyed, lost or stolen. Data recovery is often expensive Often costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. In addition to being expensive, it is also very time-consuming resulting in more money lost. This means having backups of your data is a MUST. This way if
Well, what are the “Do’s” and “Don’t’s” of data backup?
DONT view services like Dropbox as a backup solution. While services like this have their place and can prove to be very useful, it is NOT a backup solution. Why? Dropbox is a file synchronization service… that means if your files are affected by ransomware – guess what? The ransomware is synchronized to all of your synced files across multiple devices.
DO make proper backups of all your data. You may have heard about the 3-2-1 Backup Rule. what is that? You need to have 3 copies of your data. A working copy, a backup copy, and a 2nd backup copy. The “Local” and “1st backup” are stored locally, and the “2nd Backup” is stored off-site. The “off-site” location maybe something like another office/home, a safety deposit box, or a secure cloud service.
#2 – Update ALL of Your Software
This is another big one. You need to make sure ALL of your software updated regularly. This includes those pesky Windows updates, but also all of the software on each computer. Why is that? Most software vulnerabilities are found over time. That means someone trying to get your data or hold your data ransom can exploit these vulnerabilities. Small software updates don’t always give you exciting new features, but they may be patching these vulnerabilities, making your computer safer. When a software stops getting updated (Like Windows 7), it’s time to stop using it.
#3 – Have a Centralized Anti Virus
Having the RIGHT antivirus is important. Malware comes in all shapes and sizes. It consists of code designed to cause extensive damage to data and systems to gain unauthorized access to your information. Just because you have Noton, or Mcafee installed does not mean that you are protected.
It is important that all users have an up to date and properly configured antivirus. ONE user with an antivirus that is not up-to-date puts your entire business as the risk of being infected by a virus. Users’ adherence to antivirus updates varies widely. Centralized Antivirus Management provides a single source for antivirus version control. This provides consistent security, continuous monitoring, rapid response related to threats, regular updates, and cost-effective pricing that is often LESS than individual licenses.
#4 – Control Which Users Have Admin Rights
The purpose of an Administrator account is to control the content of the computer. An admin account allows a user to: Create, change, and delete accounts, change settings that affect all of the computer’s users, change security-related settings, install and remove apps, access system files, and files in other users’ account profiles. Often almost all users on a business network have Admin rights on their computers and they may not even know it. The risk of this is that it allows ANYONE to install software, or make changes that could be potentially harmful to the company. Knowing who has access to Admin accounts on your network is important to keep your company safe and secure, and should be limited to VERY FEW users.
#5 – Use Secure Logins
123456, password, password123, 111111, qwerty, admin… These are 6 of the most common passwords. If someone is trying to hack into your accounts and you have one of these passwords, or something similar, you are at risk! Yes, simple passwords are easy to remember, but they are also just as easy to guess. Another common issue is using the same password over and over again for multiple websites and logins. If a hacker or someone with ill intent hacks one of your accounts they will start trying that same password on other accounts. Data breaches happen every day and some of these breaches are massive companies like Facebook. When these breaches or leaks happen, often Usernames and passwords are among the data. So if someone gets your info from one leak they may try that data on other sites … causing even more harm.
So what can you do? use a password manager. A password manager allows you to have a randomized password for every account you have. as a bonus, most of these managers will log in for you making it even easier to get into your account. Another tool that you should utilize is TFA (or Two Factor Authentication). TFA often uses an email address, or a phone number to send a code to you when you attempt to login. when used properly, only you can access your accounts.