October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month and we are dedicated to helping you stay informed with part 3 of our 5 part mini blog series for you to understand how you can Own IT. Secure IT. and Protect IT. for your business.
We discussed the reasons why you might want to pay attention to what you're sharing in Part 2 of our mini blog series and now we want to share how to safely store data and keep hackers out!
With all of the digital devices used personally and in business today there are countless opportunities for hackers to access data. Earlier this month, we shared how to #SecureIT with strong passwords. But, to be truly cyber smart, securing your data is only part of the equation — you also need to #ProtectIT.
With a trusted Managed IT support provider, they can help support your cybersecurity needs by identifying areas of risk and vulnerability within your business, allowing you to put practices in place to stay protected. They give you the benefit developing solutions to protect your company against data breaches and fraud while also monitoring and protecting data in accordance with compliance requirements.
Think of the data you store at your business like a safety deposit vault at your bank. Each customer has a key to their box. Beyond that, is the thick vault door and often, security officers to protect the vault and everything and everyone else in the bank. It would be easy to break into the simple lock box, but very few criminals can get through the vault door and security. Client and staff passwords are like the lock box, while layers of data protection are like the vault door and security officers.
Here are a few key things that every business should do to #ProtectIT:
Build and maintain a strong firewall. Keep your users away from dangerous usage and intrusion by hackers. Your firewall is the first line of defense against cyber threats.
Secure WiFi networks. Restrict who is allowed on your wireless networks. If you allow guests on your network, keep their connection private from your own. If you access guest networks when out and about, consider extra internal security on your devices to protect data.
Keep your tech current. There is nothing that hackers like more than outdated software and systems that they already know how to sneak into. Be sure to frequently update your tech infrastructure and antivirus software.
Backup, backup, backup. Ensure you have a system in place that includes off-site backups of your data both online and offline.
Your path to #ProtectIT starts with an evaluation of what you are presently doing. We can help, give us a call or send us a message to review current efforts.
Have a strong game plan set in place for anything that can come up unexpectedly. It's better for you to be prepared on what to do in case your business does face a cyberattack and you have a plan set up. Cybersecurity is important when it comes to protecting your business. There's no reason to panic in these situations as long as you are equipped with valuable options.
Be on the lookout for part 4 of our 5 part blog series about staying protected with cybersecurity! Take a look at our social channels for more updates!