As a startup owner, your main priority is probably the growth of your company. You are dealing with long working hours, payroll, and the many hassles that come with building your own business. Most likely, cyber security is not on top of your mind, but it should be. According to security firm ThreatMetrix, startups are considered to be an especially easy prey for hackers: in 2014, 85% of all data breaches were directed at small businesses and startups. Here are some of the best ways to protect your startup from cyber attacks:
First, make sure all of your business passwords are protected, and don’t share them with other people. Doing so gives anyone and everyone unlimited access to your startup’s documents, which would be very bad for business. Create strong passwords by using lower and upper case letters, numbers, and symbols.
“Also, periodically changing passwords keeps your device safe from intruders who are out there predicting your easy to guess code.”
It’s also a good idea to back up all of your files in order to prevent damage to important information, which can cost proportional loss to your company. Making copies of important data periodically can protect your files from natural calamities, device failures, theft, and loss due to technical glitches.
“Though cyber attacks are often associated with hi-tech infiltrations carried out from an external location, don’t fall into the trap of letting important information walk out the door on a USB stick or compact disc.”
Make sure that your employees are properly educated -- if they don’t comply with IT best practices, they may unintentionally cause safety issues in your organization.
“Because employees provide such an open pathway to your business, it is recommended to conduct training about the importance of information security and the dos and don’ts. Security threats like phishing and social engineering can easily be prevented when everyone is aware and alert.”
Protect your computers and networks by installing a good anti-virus software. Did you know that it’s illegal to use free anti-virus software for business purposes? A free anti-virus software comes with no guarantee and is seldom or never updated to catch latest viruses and malware.
“The price paid for enterprise anti-virus software is far less when measured against the value it delivers. It is updated periodically to prevent your business against the latest threats.”
Always use a secure internet connection. These days, public and free internet access can be found virtually everywhere. However, a device with crucial information like credit card numbers, usernames and passwords, business data, or anything else important should not be used in conjunction with public Wi-Fi.
“Intruders may get access to your device and ultimately all your information once while your device belongs to a public network. A secure connection is set up with a username and password, and only authorized users can enter that system, this way we can easily trace back in case of any discrepancies”
What other cyber security tips do you have for startups? Let us know!
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