6 Cybersecurity Tips for Business

Featured article by Phil Collins

Cyber threats are not just a problem for large corporations and governments; they affect everyone.

It’s important to protect your business from cyber attacks, but the fact is that some business leaders don’t know how to do it. This article will help business owners navigate the world of cyber threats.

1. Determine What Kind of Information Needs to be Protected

The information that most often needs to be protected is:

– Information about customers, suppliers, new developments and know-how,

– The content of contracts with partners,

– Cost of products and services,

– Analytical and marketing research, its results and conclusions,

– Data on the company’s financial condition and salaries.

2. Evaluate the Real Cost of Your Information

The information protection system must not cost more than the information itself. In other words, it is not rational to spend ten dollars for every dollar earned by the company. The task of the owner is to study the list of potential attack objects, estimate the risks and possible losses, calculate the cost of covering these risks, and only then make a decision on how to minimize them.

For example, if you open an establishment like bizzocasino.ca, the most valuable data that may be of interest to cybercriminals is personal data and data of monetary transactions. Therefore, they must be under special protection.

3. Take Care of Extra Data Protection at a Remote Location

The year 2021 will be remembered as the year of lightning-fast transition to remote work. It’s easier to hack into a home Internet network or personal laptop. That means it is more dangerous to connect to corporate resources – CRM and ERP systems, mail, file storage, internal messengers. Access to a home Internet channel gives the intruder access to data transmitted via that channel as well.

It is important to follow the basic rules of information security:

– Set a strong password on your home Wi-Fi router. The “123” option will not work.

– Install antivirus on your home computer, or the latest version of your operating system that already includes antivirus.

– Don’t ignore messages urging you to update your antivirus, this program must be up to date.

– When using your e-mail for work, do not open attachments from e-mails from unknown addresses, do not click on links from them: this could be phishing.

– Phishing emails are emails and text messages that look like they come from trusted sources. For example, from banks, Internet service providers, payment systems, and well-known companies. In most cases, they contain two things: a request to update or send some personal data (card number, password) and a veiled threat (“If the card data is not received within a week, your account will be blocked”).

4. Form a Culture of Information Security

For small businesses, the most cost-effective and efficient solution is to educate employees and owners. To prevent cyberattacks and minimize their consequences they teach offline.

Such courses teach how to use antivirus protection software, teach how to create and update passwords correctly, and explain how to work with corporate mail, hard drives, flash drives, and other media.

5. Use Special Cloud Services

For small businesses, cloud-based services like DataFort and McAfee Web Gateway Cloud Service are good. They protect your information from network threats at about the same level as the hardware devices you’d normally use in the office, but without the maintenance costs. In addition to such services, you can subscribe to anti-virus protection or information leakage control system.

6. Issue a Digital Signature

It can be used to register or authorize on Internet sites, and as a key to access password-protected files and databases. A Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) is the most advanced in terms of security. It is a key formed with the help of cryptographic means and recorded to a USB-carrier.

CEP can provide reliable protection of information from unauthorized persons, and the degree of confidentiality is set by the owner himself. Data will be protected even when the key expires.

In Short

– Malicious codes, programs, phishing newsletters, data leaks, website, and program hacks – ways in which cybercriminals steal money and data, and simply ruin your mood, business reputation, relationships with clients and partners.

– The potential threat to information security is employees. Phishing emails opened on a work computer, installation of dubious programs and applications, infected with viruses – the most common mistakes.

– Ignoring information security principles can lead to serious financial and reputational losses.

– If you have a small company and a limited budget, start by training your employees in the basics of information security.

– Learn about popular cyber fraud schemes and follow the guidelines to keep your business intact.