How To Keep Your Business Securesubmitted on 21 May 2018
It’s essential that you protect your business both in ‘real life’ and online. There are many threats that can come at business, resulting in a ruined reputation, lost money, and, when security breaches are particularly bad online, even criminal proceedings. So keeping your business secure is something that all business owners need to take seriously. Here are some ways to do it.
Stop Malware
Malware is short for malicious software that attaches itself to your computer network in order to cause damage – it usually happens without your knowledge, and it certainly happens without your consent. It gets in when your security is lax, just as a burglar can get into a house if the door is left unlocked at night. In order to stop it from happening, you need to keep those doors locked. You can do this by installing a firewall, or turn on the one you already have. It’s not enough to do this alone, but it’s a good start.
Adding anti-spam devices and anti-virus programs will help you, and when these are all combined, you should have a much safer network to use in your business.
Write A Policy
It’s important that everyone who works in your business knows what the policy is about keeping the online information secure so writing that policy down and distributing it will give them what they need. Let them know what can and can’t be done on a work computer (including opening attachments from people they don’t know, or that look suspicious), for example, and let them know what the consequences of not following these rules could be. It may sound harsh, but if something were to infect the computer, it could cause many thousands of pounds worth of damage, so it needs to be said.
Keep Your Network Small
It may be that not everyone working for you needs to have access to your network, or at least not the entirety of it. By restricting access to some parts, you can protect the most sensitive information. You can do this by installing IAM (identity and access management) software to keep everything simple and to ensure you know exactly who is logging on. You can discover more about this here.
Deal With Social Media
Social media is essential for businesses, but it can also be the cause of many problems, including security breaches. Make sure that only one person can access the social media accounts in order to post anything and respond to comments as this will keep everything much easier to control. They will need to know what information is confidential and therefore shouldn’t be posted about, and there should be social media guidelines for them to follow including not mentioning employee names or giving out too much information.
Only ever post information you want other people – including competitors who are likely to be keeping tabs on your social media accounts – to know about. Before posting anything that references an individual, or another company, ask whether you would want that information being posted about you. If in doubt, check with those mentioned before posting anything.
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