How to Protect Your Business From Cybercrime
Cybercrime is a reality. It’s important for all business owners to protect their businesses from cyber-security threats. Every day, the shadow of cybercrime looms larger over businesses of all sizes. Despite this, many companies still do not have the basic protection to withstand even a weak attack. In fact, according to recent statistics, 83% of small to medium-sized business have no formal measures against cyber-attacks, with 77% of them believing that they are safe from hackers. Little do they know that they are targeted in nearly half of all recorded cases.
If your business accepts credit card information or any other sensitive data, security should be a top priority. In one recent year alone, business in the UK reported over 1 billion pounds in losses to cybercrime. This is not something that should be taken lightly. This article will discuss some basic tips that will help you shore up your business’ security measures.
- Fortify your weak points
Proper password protocols are a good place to start. You’d be surprised how frequent passwords such as “12345” or “password” are used. Each account should have a different password that follows basic password strength principles such as including symbols, capital letters and numbers and having a large number of total characters. It’s also a good idea to change passwords at least every two months. Linked with a firewall, this basic security step will at least prevent novice hackers from gaining access to your database.
- Have a banking-only computer
There many ways to gain access into a system, including those that exploit human error. One easy way to prevent this is to have a dedicated computer that is used exclusively for financial transactions. This computer cannot be used for social media, web-surfing or email, and as such it prevents any outside attempts at gaining access. You will also make sure never to install any third-party software onto this computer. You can also prevent extensive damages by checking your banking transactions daily.
- Make sure your data is protected
A cyber-attack may also target any data you have stored in your network. Information such as SSN, credit card data, and account names and passwords are all extremely valuable to a hacker. As such, it’s important to use encryption software that protects the data as it is being transferred, and when it is stored in your system. Backing up data is also essential. This can help, for example, if you are the victim of a ransomware attack, which locks you out of a system until you pay a certain amount of money.
- Train your employees
Finally, your employees need to be brought up to speed when it comes to any security measure you implement. Employees can be a big security hole if they do not understand your security protocols, such as proper password management, data storage, and fraud risks inherent in email scams and other activities. With your workforce up to speed, you take away a great deal from a hacker’s arsenal.
For more information on how to protect your business from cybercrime, or to sign up for a merchant account, please call (888) 924-2743 or go to Charge.com.