How many times have you turned on the evening news to hear a story of some company that had been hacked and had the personal information of all their customers stolen? Probably quite a few. That is why small business network security is such an important topic.
Today, the trend is changing. Today, more and more thieves are targeting small and medium size business. They simply have recognized that many of these smaller businesses don’t have the budget and / or the expertise to keep their small business network security up to date.
Hackers realize that many of the smaller companies are very vulnerable and that they, the hackers, simply don’t face much of a challenge getting in or a very high likelihood that they will be caught either.
There are many things to consider when you factor in the cost of one of these “hacker attacks” too. Obviously, if they steal any money that is one expense, but that is just one.
What will happen to your reputation if you are hacked? Will your customers continue to do business with you or will they feel unsafe and go to your competitors? That can be an even bigger cost… lost business.
Since the smaller businesses may not have full time staff, many of these security breaches will go unnoticed for some time which will only increase the amount of damage done.
Here are some other tips that you should keep in mind:
1. Having a good firewall in place is step one to ensuring your network, both at home and at the office. Make sure that the software is up to date and activated on all computers.
2. Develop a comprehensive security policy for your business. Include such things as having proper passwords in place and changing them every 2 to 3 months or so. Also, make sure you inform all your employees on how to stay safe online.
3. Keep all your anti-virus software updated and activated on all computers on your network. Make sure your employees know what emails they should not open… which ones present more risk. Training your employees can go a long way to making sure your business is safe.
Another thing you can do is to hire outside email security providers. They will ensure that the emails are not malicious before they even get to you or your employees.
4. Microsoft will release new updates or patches frequently, take the time to install them. It can sometimes be a hassle but it is an important part of keeping your network safe.
5. And last, but definitely not least, make sure you have coverage for cyber crimes on your insurance policy. Talk to your agent to make sure your business is protected from possibly litigation as the result of being hacked.
Small business network security is not something to take casually. You have so much potential exposure that it is important to protect your business. This protection can go far beyond just a software program or two. Make sure your business is protected.