Security Guidelines for Online Businesses

Featured article by Stephen Jacobson, Independent Technology Author

If you have an online business, security is an ongoing concern. Your business stores so much information about you and your customers. If it got hacked, all that personal information could end up in the wrong hands, being extremely dangerous for your business’s reputation.

Although it is next to impossible of setting up a foolproof system, there are steps you can take to ensure your online business is as secure as possible. You want your business not to catch the eye of a hacker, rather than being an easy target.

Below are few security guidelines to consider that you can take as a business owner to boost your security, and protect your customers.

Change Your Passwords

If you have never changed your passwords and they are still the default password from when you installed your system, you need to change those right away. Keeping a default password will make your online business an easy target. Chances are, going back to default settings will be the first attempt hackers would make.

If you want to keep your systems secure, consider frequently changing your passwords. Updating your passwords every so often will make it hard for someone to determine what you have selected at that moment.

Install Security Software

You’ll want to have not only virus protection software on your home business computer (that is probably your primary data centre), but you will also want some encryption software as well. Anti-virus software establishes a firewall that prevents corrupted files from hacking into your system.

Also, consider a VPN – Virtual Private Network. This software creates a tunnel between your device and the accessed network. All of your data that moves through this tunnel is encrypted.

There are two significant benefits to having a VPN encrypt your data:

– Added security to your device. The VPN makes it next to impossible for anyone to hack into your data. It provides a substantial amount of protection that will be essential if you have any form of online payments happening.

– Added privacy to your system. Since the tunnel encrypts the data, it blocks any spying eyes from looking into what you are doing. So any personal information you are sending and receiving will once again be barred from anyone trying to look in.

Keep Your System Updated

System updates not only keep your devices running smoothly, but they also provide security updates as well. If you ignore or do not keep up with the regular updates on your system, you security features could have significant vulnerabilities.

Regular updates should also include any anti-virus software you have installed. Old versions of software may not have the latest patches needed to ensure the highest level of security.

Limit Who Has Access to Information

If you have people working for your online business, do they need to see all the information processed into the system? By limiting who has access to sensitive information, you are taking steps to ensuring it does not end up in the wrong hands.

As for customers, keep tabs on accounts that keep forgetting their passwords. If you notice someone is constantly changing their password or is getting locked out, it may not be the account holder accessing the information.

These are only a few of many guidelines you should consider if you have an online business. Protecting the information of your clients and customers should be of high priority. If that is the case, doing everything you can to ensure their protection is a must. By following these types of guidelines, they will get you on the path to being secure as possible.