Cyber Security Practices Every Business Should Follow

You lock your shop every night. You keep the cash drawer safe. But what about the digital doors of your business? Most owners never check them, and hackers know it. 

Here’s the scary part: one wrong click by one employee can be enough to let a stranger in. The even stranger part? 

Most attacks can be stopped with habits so simple you could start today. No big budget, no tech degree. So what exactly are these habits? Let’s walk through the ten that matter most.

Cyber Security Tips for Businesses: 10 Easy Habits That Keep Hackers Out

A single wrong click on a fake email can be enough for hackers to get in. The good news is that most attacks can be stopped with simple habits. You don't need a huge budget or a tech degree. 

You don’t need to do everything at once. Pick one habit, make it routine, then move to the next. Here are ten practices every business should follow.

1.Train your staff first.

Your employees are your first line of defence. Hackers know that it's easier to fool a person than break a system. 

Please ensure that everyone from reception to the manager is aware of how to identify a fake email, suspicious link or strange pop-up. If the email reads: Your account will be blocked, click here now!, this is a scam.

2. Avoid using passwords that are easy to guess.

The same password for all applications is like having one key for your house, office and car. 

When somebody copies it, he gets into everything. Use a password manager for staff so they don't have to remember all of their passwords and have them use passive long passwords.

3. Enable Two Step Verification (MFA)

You are familiar with how your bank will send an OTP before a payment goes through, right? 

That's multi-factor authentication. Even if a password is stolen, it cannot be used without the second step. Use it for email, banking, cloud storage, and vital business accounts.

4. Keep Everything Updated

The policy for the update of available messages is annoying but it's important. Updates are security patches for vulnerabilities that hackers are already exploiting. 

It is like you know that your window lock is broken and you don't get it fixed. Ensure computers, phone, software and anti-virus are kept up to date.

5. Ensure Data Backup and Testing

If your business is hit by ransomware and your files are encrypted, a good backup will save your business. The problem with a bad back-up is that it is no back-up at all. 

Store copies in more than one location (the cloud and an offline drive) and regularly test to ensure restoration is possible.

6. Use firewalls to prevent un-authorised access.

Encryption: scrambles data so that if it is stolen it cannot be read. It is comparable to sending a letter in a locked box rather than an open envelope. 

Use it for customer details, payment information, anything private, when it's saved, and when it's sent.

7. Provide People with Only the Access they Need

Not all rooms require the keys. Your sales intern doesn't require to access payroll. 

Ensure that only certain people have access to this information, maintain a log of who has access and revoke access rights as soon as a person leaves the company.

8. Sign Virtual Training Contracts

There's no denying that a good level of protection can still be compromised. Ask suppliers, software vendors or partners how they protect your data if they are going to use it. Their weakness is your strength.

9. Focus on Your IT Team:

Your IT personnel are the guards that safeguard the building. Hackers are continually coming up with new tricks and your guards also need to be trained on a regular basis. 

Provide them with the latest tools and skills to support them, and give them to run security certifications.

10. Be Prepared for the Setbacks:

Even the best defenses may prove to be insufficient, so prepare. Planning ahead for who to call, what to close and how to inform customers. 

Conduct safe and effective fire drills, as you would any other practice drill; don't let anyone get panicked during a fire. 

A rapid response plan is important as well in India because businesses under the CERT-In norms have to report on a few incidents within six hours of their detection.

Quick Daily Checklist

• Did we update our devices this week?
• Is two-step verification turned on for key accounts?
• Did we test our backup recently?
• Does everyone know who to tell if they see something suspicious?

Want to Make a Career Out of Keeping Businesses Safe?

Every business needs these skills, which means skilled people are in high demand. At GICSEH, you can learn practical cyber security from the basics up. Explore our cyber security course, our ethical hacking course, or the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) training.

Ready to begin? Book your free demo today.