Protecting Your Small Business in an Uncertain World: A Guide

It didn’t take a global pandemic to show us that the world is changing – becoming less predictable for entrepreneurs and innovators looking to latch on to the latest trend. Long before the COVID crisis, businesses large and small were suffering from an unprecedented level of cyberattacks.

That rate became more pronounced as the pandemic grew, and even as we attempt to emerge from lockdowns and restrictions, the cyber threat for all businesses remains high. That’s why protecting your small business in this newly uncertain world is so important. Read on to learn the key steps you should take to make your business security more robust.

Passwords and Training

Astonishingly, a huge number of hacks and security breaches aren’t actually anything to do with complex hackers and their incredible coding skills – often, it’s a simple slip-up from an employee that grants them access. Whether your workers have soft, easy-to-guess passwords or they’re simply too relaxed with their digital security, it’s their lack of training and preparedness that can undermine all the security protocols you’ve set up.

At a minimum, then, you need to urge your workers to address their own personal digital security flaws. Request that they reset their passwords to make them uncrackable or difficult to guess. Make sure they know how phishing works and how to spot malicious links. This training will help you avoid unpleasant breaches that were completely avoidable.

Secure Your Network

Your small business network is established by the devices and individuals who work for you. Since the pandemic has seen a steep rise in BYOD (bring your own device) working culture, these networks now have offshoots into your workers’ personal devices, which are likely less well protected than your work laptops, computers, and smartphones.

That means that your overall network is more vulnerable and exposed. Weak links in a network are the easiest to breach and are sought out by cybercriminals. But there’s a solution to this issue: investing in smart network security that gives you control, visibility, and security over your entire network. Look to small business network security by Allot as an example of how this form of cybersecurity works and why it’s crucial in our changing world of business.

Preventative Thinking

The key to understanding our uncertain world of cyberattacks is to realize that they are far less costly to avoid than they are to deal with. Whether you’re struck by a ransomware attack that demands a high ransom in return for your priceless data or you experience a PR disaster when your customers’ details are leaked, mitigating a cyberattack can be incredibly costly for any firm.

Given the changing nature of threats and the sheer frequency of hacks, breaches, infections, and ransomware extortions today, it’s important to set aside a considerable budget for your cybersecurity protection. Think about the different layers of security – network, device, files, and data – that you need to purchase, and shop around for the best-in-class security software to give your firm the best chance of preventing a cyberattack against your business.

Mitigate the concerns of a changing and uncertain world by protecting your business’s digital infrastructure with these three key tips.