Businesses have become increasingly exposed to hacks, leaks, and various other cyber-related problems, making it vital for all company owners to ensure they have proper security.
In this article, I will show you how can protect your business from cyber-attacks.
I will cover these six key points:
- Ensure you have strong passwords
- Check who can access your cloud
- Make sure your email info hasn’t leaked
- Protect your credit card information
- Look into penetration testing and white-hat hackers
- Review client-related security measures
Table of Contents
1. Ensure you have strong passwords
The easier the password, the easier a hacker can figure out how to get into your accounts. According to Better Buys, the length of your password can dramatically change how fast a hacker can find his or her way into your email, online banking, and other important platforms.
For example, a nine-character password will take five days to hack, whereas a 12-character password will take two centuries. Can you think of a hacker that will want to spend his or her life decoding a password, and then passing the vital information to his or her next of kin? Probably not. Plus, you wouldn’t even be around to find out if they cracked it.
The point? Make your passwords long. Use a mixture of numbers, symbols, and uppercase and lowercase letters.
2. Check who can access your cloud
If you use the cloud to store your files, you will want to make sure that only the right people can access your documents and information. For example, if an employee quits they may still have access to the files; you never know what former disgruntled, unhappy employees will do with your information. Do your best to keep track of who has access to which documents.
However, you can easily control who has access to which files. How? By investing in a document management system (DMS). Why do I recommend this? In my opinion, a DMS is the best office software for file protection, and controlling and tracking who can access your documents. If you want to avoid cyber breaches, a DMS can benefit you.
3. Make sure your email info hasn’t leaked
Your company email address not only contains important business details but private information about your clients, too, making it vital to check if your email has been compromised!
How can you find out if someone has accessed your email and leaked valuable information? By visiting this website:Have I Been Pwned.
All you need to do is enter your email, and the website will show you if someone has accessed your details.
If so, remember to change your password, and keep the password-related tips mentioned above in mind.
4. Protect your credit card information
First things first: ensure your business is PCI compliant. Most companies that experience data breaches have a low PCI compliance. It is vital to look into what you need to do as a company to ensure you meet the correct security standards.
What companies need to become PCI compliant? All businesses that deal with card payments in any way or form need to become PCI compliant. Here are some things you need to do:
- Use a secure network—make sure you have a firewall policy
- Do not store card data—if you do, make sure people can only access the data via passwords or through security questions
- Invest in a solid anti-virus system
5. Look into penetration testing
What’s penetration testing (pen test)? Some may call the procedure “ethical hacking.” A pen test authorizes your computer to undergo a cyber attack. What’s the point? To show which areas of your computer may be vulnerable to breaches. A pen test mirrors a real attack, but it’s authorized, so you don’t have to worry about any information leaking.
You can ask a white-hat hacker to complete the pen test for you. He or she can also look into other security measures to make sure your private, important documents are secure. White-hat hackers know what black-hat hackers can do uncover your information. If you want to feel at ease with your cyber security, you will want to consider paying a white-hat hacker.
6. Review client-related security measures
Do you want your clients’ information to leak? Probably not. You will lose business, and it will hurt your reputation. Therefore, it’s essential to ensure that you have a secure system. In the credit card point above, I mention how essential it is to invest in an anti-virus system and to ensure that all card payments require passwords or security questions.
However, it is also vital to protect client-related data from your employees. What happens if they quit? Ensure that only you or someone you trust can access this confidential information.
Remember when I discussed investing in a document management system? A DMS can help you track who can access which files.
What else can you do? Stop avoiding Windows security updates. When you do, you become more susceptible to hacks.
In conclusion
If you want to protect your clients, your reputation, and your surplus of confidential business documents, it is essential to make sure that you have done everything you can to prevent a cyber attack on your system.
Key points to remember:
- Create a secure 12-character password with uppercase and lowercase letters, symbols, and numbers.
- Consider investing in a document management system. It can help you to track who can access which files, while also keeping your information organized and secure.
- Check the website, Have I Been Pwned regularly to see if your email has been compromised.
- Ensure your business is PCI compliant, and if not, follow the appropriate measures to do so.
- Complete a penetration test or ask a white-hat hacker to perform security tests on your computer.
- Stop avoiding Windows security updates!
- Make sure that all card payments require additional protection measures like passwords or security questions.
It is a lot to consider, but in the end, you can feel rest assured that your information is secure!
