While Australians continue to work from home, business leaders must create a long-term approach to their cyber security strategy. Here are 10 cyber security tips for small businesses to protect both your data and employees.
Implement a Security Policy
Organise employee security training so they know to avoid sharing passwords via email or instant messaging, saving passwords to their devices and using their own personal devices while working.
Ensure All Software is Updated
Hackers may have increased ability to find loopholes through outdated software. Proactively updating your software can help to protect against potential spam (phishing) emails requesting your employees to update their software.
Use Password Protection Software
Tools such as Bitwarden and LastPass allow your business management to share passwords directly with team members and ensure they are not being shared casually among the team. Ideally, employees should not know passwords unless there is a specific reason.
Use Two-factor Authentication
Working remotely can make it difficult to keep track of which employees are using each program. Two-factor authentication adds another level of security to the login process, helping to reduce your account getting hacked from multiple employees using the different software.
Two-factor can require multiple passwords or confirming identity through another device to gain access. Ensure that only relevant staff members have access to the software and platforms needed. If you are using a password-sharing platform, you can always give and take away access.
Ensure Autofill is Not Used
Disabling autofill passwords increases your level of security by ensuring browsers don’t save passwords, whether they are used with a password sharing platform or not. It makes it more difficult for hackers to gain login details.
Limit File Uploads
A large volume of file uploads in a short period of time can cause leaks in your online security system via a bug. This can make it easier for hackers to gain access to your files and read the data on your website.
Use an SSL Certificate
An SSL Certificate offers end-to-end encryption and it’s incredibly important. By default, your data is transferred via plain text between your browser and server, making this information easy to read by hackers.
Implement a Spam Filter
A spam filter removes malicious content that could spread viruses and help hackers to mount a cyber attack.
Social Engineering
Social engineering usually involves tricking people into breaking standard security practices. For example, if a hacker is unsuccessful in gaining access to your data, they may gain information through your social media accounts. Hackers can analyse your messaging and use it to gather information to conduct a cyber attack.
Ensure the information you’re sharing doesn’t relate to any passwords, and that you regularly change your passwords, especially on your social channels.
Hire a Cyber Security Specialist
Hire a cyber security specialist to oversee your security campaign, manage your reputation, manage risk and ensure growth. The increase in cyber crime in Australia means that having a game plan is essential to ensure your data and employees stay safe.
Manager your cyber security risk one step further by requesting all employees to install XSurfLog. A free browser extension that protects against phishing, the number one cause for data breaches, using Machine Learning (AI) to defend against it.
