No matter your industry, every business is at risk when it comes to cybercrime. Read on to learn the top tech items that will keep your business safe and secure.
As the number and frequency of cyberattacks continues to grow, every day your business doesn’t have the proper tech securities in place is another day when your business is at-risk.
Ransomware hackers, for example, are targeting small and midsize enterprises now more than ever. Why? The payout is larger than it is when targeting individual consumers. More importantly, many SMBs don’t have the proper security programs installed that would otherwise prevent or detect such attacks.
This is exactly why businesses like yours must put a larger emphasis on cybersecurity. The following is a list of the top tech items that, once installed, will keep your business safe from cybersecurity threats.
The Top 6 Tech Security Items to Keep Your Business Safe
- Antivirus Software
The role of antivirus software is to detect and remove malicious software, including viruses, from your hardware and networks. It does this by continually monitoring your systems for unusual behavior.
Numerous types of antivirus software are available, and it’s all about finding the program that’s right for your business size, tech specs, and security vulnerabilities. At Outsources IT Solutions Group, Operations Manager Melissa Anderson recommends the program Webroot Secure Anywhere:
“Webroot Secure Anywhere is a wonderful small footprint program that provides protection from viruses and ransomware. Installing a trusted anti-virus program is a must as the first step in preventing data breaches.”
- A Firewall
Your business should have a private network, which only allows authorized users in. Still, this doesn’t prevent hackers and other cybercriminals from attempting to gain access. Fortunately, a firewall can prevent such criminals from achieving access to your private network.
While free firewall software is available on the Internet, most tech experts recommend investing in the more robust, purchased firewall or using the one provided by your employed operating system. No matter what network you regularly work on for business, the firewall should be in place and enabled.
- Encryption Software
Your data is one of the most important commodities your business has, and it’s essential to protect it. That’s why having encryption software is so important.
Encryption software gives you the power to manipulate your data in such a way that a hacker wouldn’t be able to access it. You can also encrypt applications and network packets.
- A Backup Program
Lastly, make sure you have the appropriate software to back up your data. Your data backups should be performed regularly and stored off-network (and in some cases, even off-site). That way, were your systems ever to crash or were a ransomware scenario to go too far, you’d have a complete system backup that you could start from scratch with.
It’s Not All About Software. Employee Training Matters Too.
One other thing tech experts recommend is regular employee training to teach employees the importance of detecting fishy (or should we say “phishy”) emails before they cause problems.
Phishing is a type of social engineering employed by cyber hackers. The goal is to send malware to a business computer through the “Trojan horse” of a seemingly legitimate email.
For instance, one of your employees may get an email from what they think is their financial institution. The message might read, “Click here to view your most recent statement.” But if the recipient clicks the link, it may take them to an error page. In the meantime, this Trojan horse program will be installing malware onto the recipient’s computer in the background.
Phishing scams like these account for the majority of ransomware problems, which in the end, can end up costing businesses hundreds of thousands of dollars or more. The only solution is better employee training so that you can catch these breaches before it’s too late.
Is your business properly outfitted with the necessary security software? Are you offering regular training on how to avoid phishing scams? If not, speak to your managed service provider today to get the ball rolling and secure your business.