If you are in the process of launching your own business, there are many different factors to think about to ensure that it is a success. All it would take is one cyberattack to seriously damage your new business, even to the point of no return. Many small business owners make the mistake of believing that, since they are running a smaller and lesser-known company, they will not be on the target list for hackers. But the truth is that cybercriminals do not discriminate when it comes to the businesses that they target, and small companies and startups are often at the top of the list. Here are some of the main cybersecurity essentials to consider when starting your business.
IT Support
Chances are that when starting your business, you do not have the budget to hire an in-house team of IT and cybersecurity professionals. Working with an outsourced IT support service is the best way to protect your network and devices from the start and get access to security experts and the best technology. A professional IT support service will help you make sure that your business gets off to the best start when it comes to security, providing regular monitoring, education, disaster planning and recovery services, information about tools like a privileged access manager, and more.
Regular Employee Training
Including cybersecurity training from the start is an important part of preparing your employees. The more your team know about cybersecurity, how to minimize risks and recognize the threats, the better. And since cybercriminals are constantly updating their tactics and coming up with new ways to get around the updated security measures that are in place, it’s important to offer regular and ongoing training to keep employees up to date with new threats and new measures to reduce them.
Anti-Virus Software
One of the most basic security measures that you can take when starting your own business is to ensure that all company devices and any devices that are used by your employees on the business network have a strong, up to date anti-virus software solution installed. Choose a program that is specifically designed for business use and has a lot of strong features for detecting threats and informing you.
Strong Cybersecurity Policies
Finally, putting strong cybersecurity policies in place is a key part of getting your business started on the right foot in terms of cybersecurity. It’s important to provide your employees with guidelines that they can follow from the start for keeping themselves and the business as secure as possible. For example, you might put a strong password policy in place where employees are required to use a password manager. Device security is also another factor to focus on, especially if employees are taking company devices home and outside of the workplace. Consider your policies around the collection and storage of customer data and who is allowed to access it, and for what reasons.
When starting your own business, it has never been more important to take cybersecurity seriously. Getting these basics in place from the start will reduce the threats your business faces.
