As a small business owner, it is always important to consider data security.
When looking at data you may store virtually, from customer’s private information, to financial records, it’s not difficult to see that a breach would quite possibly result in serious damage to your business.

One of the board members at the National Cyber Security Alliance, along with the Vulnerability Research Team’s Senior Director for cybersecurity provider Sourcefire, were consulted to find out what security measures were key for small businesses.

1. Establish strong passwords

The simplest thing to do in order to strengthen your security, is implementing strong passwords.

A simple tip for creating hard-to-crack passwords, is to use combinations of capital and lower-case letters, numbers & symbols, and to make them 8 to 12 characters long.

It is advised to avoid using your birthdate, or anything personal to you.
Use a checker to see if you have crafted a strong password, change your password at least every 90 days, and never write it down!

Another key aspect is to make sure each user has their own login credentials, never use one username and password for all.

2. Put up a strong firewall

Firewalls are an essential aspect of protecting your network, they protect your network by policing the traffic that comes in and goes out. Firewalls are a standard practice when it comes to network security.

3. Install antivirus protection

Another standard practice is anti-virus & anti-malware software, these are the last line of defence, should you be breached. It is always wise to choose an anti-virus & anti-malware software that you trust, and that’s right for you.

4. Update your programs regularly

Ensuring that your programs are regularly updated is vital in the ongoing endeavour of being fully protected. There’s not much value in installing all this fancy software, if you’re not planning to maintain it.

It’s essential to update regularly as the goalposts are constantly moving, and while no security application is 100% fool-proof, it keeps your system up-to-date with the latest protection available!

5. Secure your laptops

Laptops are at a much higher risk of being lost or stolen, this is an obvious fact due to their portable nature. Because of this, taking extra steps in order to protect your sensitive data is important.

One of the simplest things to do is: encrypt your laptop! What encryption software does is, alter the way information looks on your hard drive, so unless you have the correct password, it can’t be read.

Another simple but very effective way of protecting your laptop, is to not leave your laptop anywhere where it may be an easy target for opportunists. Preventing your laptop falling in to the wrong hands may save you, your business and your clients, a lot of unwanted aggravation.

6. Educate your employees

Prevention is definitely the best approach when it comes to the security of your data. Make sure your employees understand the importance of safety, when it comes to navigating the internet. They should understand the potential security risks they may put upon the company, if they decide to make bad decisions online.