Cybersecurity is a complicated topic, but its end goal is rather simple, don’t be an easy target. Getting there though, well, that may not be so easy. Every day in the news there are more and more reports of cyber attacks and data breaches. Oftentimes these successful attacks happen against large organizations with large security budgets. So how can a small business protect itself when the large organizations can’t? The harsh truth is, no organization can truly protect itself. The good news is, small businesses can take steps that will reduce their risk, even without the big business budgets.
Get off the ground
“Small businesses aren’t targets, we’re too small. We have no data a hacker wants. No one is looking at my small business.” You may even be guilty of saying this yourself. The truth is, cybercriminals do not discriminate when it comes to attacks. They scan for any vulnerable network, which includes your small business. Most cybercriminals will run automated scans across the internet against networks that are connected, meaning any device that is connected. They will also bombard any email with phishing emails, knowing it only takes one click or download.
Don’t be on the ground. Being on the ground means you have no security practices in place and you are an easy target.
Maybe you use a simple password for every account. Your users share passwords. You rarely or never update your devices. Data backups, never heard of it. Antivirus just slows my computer down. You click every link sent in emails, they sent it for a reason.
So when I say get off the ground, you want your small business to not be the fruit that is easy pickings that has already fallen on the ground.
Low hanging fruits
While you may not be on the ground, you’re not much better off. Anyone can just reach up and pluck you off your cybersecurity tree. You at least are aware of cybersecurity and some of the dangers, but without much in place to protect your business. This may mean your passwords are more complex than the ground, but you still share them. You probably reuse them still too, or at least a good portion of them. Or you may update your devices, but not on a schedule. You may also backup your data, but only when you remember and you never check to see if your backups have the data you need. So I say reach for the sunshine!
Reach for the sunshine
Your goal is to be harder to pick than the lower hanging fruits. While many small businesses may not be able to budget for the top of the tree, they can certainly get to the middle and be protected. To reach for the sunshine is to do many of the things we often write about here at Security Bytes! One of my goals is to offer no cost and low cost options that can elevate your security off the ground and out of arm’s reach. Remember, we don’t want to be an easy target.
Some of these options include implementing mutlifactor authentication, which is typically a free service for most user account types. You especially want to consider it for your email accounts, system admin accounts, and financial accounts.
Another option is a password manager. This solution is generally considered low cost as they are usually around $3 per user per month. Password managers allow you to have different passwords for every account. They can also create long and complex passwords for you. Most will even have the ability to safely share a password if you ever need to.
Updating your software and hardware is another critical step to get above the rest. Most software updates are free and can be done automatically to ensure you don’t forget them. For most devices this makes sense, but not for all. You can also update hardware like your modems, routers, printers, and IoT devices like cameras. So don’t forget those.
It is also important to have antivirus software or endpoint protection software on your devices and network. These are generally no cost or low cost, depending on your needs. They still play a critical role as cybercriminals still use malware from years ago that an antivirus program can prevent.
To learn more
These are just a handful of the no cost and low cost options a small business has that can elevate your small business cybersecurity and allow you to rise above the competition. For more information on not being an easy target, check out Small Business, Big Threat!