As more companies operate online, cybercriminals find more opportunities to attack businesses and steal data or valuable digital assets. Once a breach or cyber-attack happens, it may cause significant financial losses and reputational damage to a business.
With that in mind, all businesses need to know the importance of cybersecurity. By definition, cybersecurity is about protecting sensitive information and critical systems from digital threats. Also referred to as information technology (IT) security, cybersecurity measures help combat threats against your company’s applications, networks, and systems, regardless of where the attacks originate.
There are other things you need to know about cybersecurity. When running a business, here are the do’s and don’ts of cybersecurity to remember:
- Do Keep Your Software Up-To-Date
Attackers never stop looking for flaws in your software’s code to find an entry point to access your data. For robust software platforms, the battle of fixing flaws is never-ending. Click here for a list of DevOps challenges that most developers and experts face in ensuring secure software development.
Once developers discover gaps or flaws within the software, they’ll provide updates for users, which often include a security patch to fix the gap. With this in mind, you should keep your software up-to-date as soon as they’re available. If you don’t, the software’s vulnerabilities may only provide an entry point to attackers.
- Don’t Download Apps Without Permission From Your IT Security Team
Installing any third-party app or program may cause serious security issues for businesses due to the risk of infection from unauthorized downloads. With sensitive data at stake, it’s crucial for business policies to prohibit downloads of any app unless permission has been requested. This way, you can prevent viruses or malware attacks, protecting your computer and keeping your business safe and secure.
- Do Use Strong Passwords
While using simple passwords is tempting, it’s never a good idea when running a business. Remember that hackers also use advanced technology to develop more sophisticated techniques to penetrate your system or network. If your passwords are easy-to-guess, your business can be at risk of cyber threats.
When creating passwords for your business accounts, ensure they have lowercase and uppercase letters, special characters, and numbers. To make your passwords hard to guess but easy to remember, consider creating an acronym. For instance, you can choose a phrase that’s meaningful to use. Then use that phrase as your guide to creating a password.
If you’re afraid to forget your passwords, don’t hesitate to use a password manager, which allows you to store and manage your passwords effectively. It also helps retrieve and generate complex passwords, keeping them in an encrypted database.
- Don’t Click Any Link
If you often access your emails and deal with links regularly, you should remember that not all links are reliable. It’s because cyber criminals use links to trick users into visiting malicious sites or downloading malware that they use to damage your system and steal data. So, before you click any link, check if it’s from a legit source.
- Do Backup Your Files
Every business must build good habits about backing up its data. When an attack happens, your data backup can save your business and allow it to return to its daily operation as soon as possible. Therefore, if you don’t want to lose more revenue should a breach occurs, business continuity is possible when you back up your files regularly.
- Don’t Think You Need To Do It Alone
While businesses are responsible for protecting their consumers and compliance with cybersecurity regulations, it doesn’t mean you should do it alone. Outsourcing your cybersecurity needs can help keep your business secure effectively.
You can either get a cyber security company or hire a professional with cyber security diploma.
Doing so will also give you an outsider’s perspective, allowing you to develop a robust cybersecurity strategy. As a result, your company can manage or mitigate cyber threats successfully.
- Do Create An Incident Response Plan
In case an attack happens, you have to take action immediately to minimize the impact of the damages to your business. For this reason, creating an incident response plan is crucial to give your team some guidelines on what to do. This way, cyber threats can be contained quickly without causing disruptions to your company’s operations.
- Don’t Rely On Antivirus Programs Only
Although installing antivirus programs on your computers is good, they’re never enough to protect your business. You need layers of security to keep your data secure from cyber threats. For example, your company may benefit from using firewalls aside from antivirus programs.
The role of a firewall is it protects against hackers by shielding your network or computer from unnecessary or malicious network traffic. It can also prevent malicious software from accessing your computer and network via the internet.
Conclusion
Every business requires cybersecurity to prevent various forms of threats online. It’s no longer an option but a necessity that businesses should prioritize. Without it, your company is at risk, which may result in costly damages. While there’s no perfect solution to combat cyber threats, keeping the above cybersecurity do’s and don’ts in mind can make a difference in protecting your business.