4 Easy & Practical Steps for SME Online Security

Using technology to stay connected to consumers is a great idea. Most business owners are passionate about staying on the cutting edge of technology. But the more technology you have in place, the higher the risk will become of data hacks occurring.

Studies show that over 60 percent of the businesses that experience a cyber-attack will go out of business within six months. Rather than dealing with the fallout that occurs following a data hack, you need to find ways to protect your sensitive information. Read below to find out more about how to protect your small to medium-sized business from hackers and online viruses.

1. Cloud-Based Backups are Essential

Collecting sensitive information is something most businesses do on a daily basis. The only way to ensure this information stays safe and accessible is by investing in a cloud-based backup. With a cloud-based backup, your information will be backed up automatically.

If your network crashes or you are the victim of a ransomware attack, you can repopulate your network with information with the click of a button if a backup is in place. Waiting until disaster strikes to get serious about a cloud-based backup is a bad idea. The last thing you want is to lose all of your client’s data due to a lack of preparation.

2. Don’t Forget to Update The Software on Your Network

Keeping employees productive is only possible when providing them with the best tools on the market. Most businesses use a variety of different software programs to get their work done on a daily basis.

Failing to routinely update this software will generally lead to lots of network vulnerabilities. An experienced hacker can expose the security holes created by a lack of updates.

If you are looking for a way to avoid problems caused by outdated software, then using cloud-based programs is once again a good idea. When investing in cloud-based software, you don’t have to worry about manually updating a program. While this type of software may be a bit more expensive, it is definitely worth the investment.

3. Focus on Keeping Your Business Website Reliable and Secure

The first opportunity you have to make an impression on a consumer is with your website. This is why making sure your website is both appealing and reliable is vital. Failing to update the software or design elements of your website will only lead to headaches in the future.

Investing in website monitoring software is a great way to catch issues before they cause too much damage. Most monitoring programs will provide a website down alert in the event of a crash. Once you receive this alert, you need to consult with your IT team to figure out what has caused this event to occur.

The longer you wait to address the underlying cause of a website crash, the higher the risk becomes of you losing potential sales leads. With the right IT help, getting these problems found and fixed will be easy.

4. Educating Your Employees About Cyber-Security

All of the money you spend on network monitoring and cloud-based backups will be wasted if you don’t take the time to educate your team. Informing your employees about how to navigate cyber-space safely is vital.

Establishing policies regarding things like passwords and the use of personal devices is important, too. If you are unsure about how to convey this information to your team, there’s plenty of guides and specialized companies ready to help you out.

What Are You Waiting For?

Now that you know about the importance of online security, it is time to get to work. Choosing and implementing the right cyber-security tools will be much easier with the help of experienced IT professionals.