Small businesses are an attractive target to cybercriminals because they manage and store sensitive business and customer financial information, and often believe they don’t have the time or resources to dedicate to securing this information – or that they’re not a big enough target for criminals to worry about.
But don’t forget: many small businesses conduct business with larger enterprises, and can then serve as a back door for entry to larger data sets and proprietary information – making them very attractive targets.
To guard against the hacking of your network, make sure employees know how to keep company information safe. In the bring your own device era (BYOD), it’s more important than ever to make sure team members understand how to operate safely online using company equipment or their own devices.
Here are some top tips from industry experts about ways to protect your business from being hacked.
1. Practice good security hygiene: “The first line of defense might sound obvious: ensure your employees utilize strong passwords,” notes Jim Flynn, Carbonite’s vice president of operations and security. “Cybercriminals tend to target good-intentioned employees.”
2: Protect your data: “When hiring someone to install your POS system, make sure to set up a secure password,” offers Shawn Budde, CEO of 2Checkout. “Also, make sure to use a firewall to limit access to your network.”
3: Mind multilayered security: Today’s advanced and constantly evolving threat landscape requires small businesses to protect sensitive financial and customer information with a multi-layered solution. “SMBs should protect their data during prime buying times such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday with a security suite that goes beyond basic anti-virus, like Norton Small Business or Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition,” plugs Brian Burch, Symantec’s vice president, product, channel & field marketing.
4: Don’t trust email: Phishing scams continue to be on the rise so always check before clicking on links within the body of an email. “Be careful and do not trust any email, even if it is from someone familiar or a company you do business with,” advises Larry Guerin, Total Defense’s executive vice president of consumer sales and marketing. “Talk to the sender directly if you are being requested to perform some type of action from an email.”
5: Don’t leave desktops or laptops unattended in the office with a browser open: “It only takes a few seconds for someone to use an open browser to collect login information and copy passwords, so make sure to shut down the browser or lock your screen if you’re going to be away from your computer, even for just a minute or two,” argues Bill Carey, Siber Systems’ vice president of marketing.
Remember, the risk of cyber-attack spikes during the holiday shopping season when consumers head to stores in droves. Follow these security measures to protect your sensitive corporate and customer information this holiday season.
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