{"id":490,"date":"2015-08-27T21:50:11","date_gmt":"2015-08-27T21:50:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.headwaycapital.com\/blog\/?p=490"},"modified":"2020-10-05T15:12:27","modified_gmt":"2020-10-05T20:12:27","slug":"better-cybersecurity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.headwaycapital.com\/blog\/better-cybersecurity\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Steps to Better Cybersecurity for Your Business"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Internet is a powerful tool for small businesses, letting you instantly connect with partners and customers around the globe. But having your company connected can also be a big risk \u2014 scammers, hackers and other criminals can take advantage of lax security to steal information about your business and customers. Below, we\u2019ve compiled seven tips that will help you keep your data secure.<\/p>\n

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1. Strong Passwords<\/h4>\n

It doesn\u2019t matter what other steps you take to secure your data \u2014 if your company\u2019s passwords aren\u2019t strong, it becomes easy to access your digital infrastructure.1<\/sup> Make sure that your company requires strong passwords to access your network \u2014 mandate minimum lengths and require mixture of numbers, symbols and letters, for instance \u2014\u00a0and make sure that they are changed regularly.<\/p>\n

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2. Back Up Data<\/h4>\n

Whether through an attack or a simple power outage, it\u2019s possible to lose vast amounts of important data instantly. Make sure you have redundant backups for all your most important information. That might mean anything from backing up your data on hard drives that aren\u2019t connected to the Internet, to hiring a cloud company to keep your information on their servers. And keep in mind that hard drives fail and cloud companies can be compromised, too!<\/p>\n

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3. In-House Security<\/h4>\n

This might seem separate from cybersecurity, but an unauthorized visitor can accomplish plenty of mischief without even employing much technical knowhow. An open laptop that isn\u2019t password-locked can be used to access secure files. In fact, an unattended laptop can just be snatched, letting the thief access its contents at their leisure. Make sure you only let authorized personnel into your workplace, and make sure that employees regularly lock their computers when they leave their desks.<\/p>\n

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4. Wi-Fi Security<\/h4>\n

Having an unsecured Wi-Fi network is the electronic equivalent to leaving your front door wide open. It\u2019s a good idea to keep your company\u2019s Wi-Fi invisible and password-protected.1<\/sup> This might make it slightly less convenient when people want to connect, but it will keep your data more secure!<\/p>\n

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5. Firewalls and More<\/h4>\n

Firewalls limit who can access your network from outside. A good firewall makes it harder for people to get data that should be secure. Remember that it will make it harder for your employees to access your network from outside, too! A virtual private network, or VPN, can make it possible for workers to log in remotely.2<\/sup><\/p>\n

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6. Mobile Security<\/h4>\n

If you or your employees use their smartphones for work, you\u2019ve got a whole lot of potential weak points in your security. Phones are vulnerable when they use public networks and can be just as easily lost or stolen than computers. Make sure all phones that are used for work are encrypted, and have a policy in place to report lost devices.3<\/sup><\/p>\n

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7. Security Plan<\/h4>\n

Don\u2019t let your security plan be put together piecemeal. A detailed plan will not only make your small business increasingly trustworthy to consumers, it also makes it easier for everyone in your organization to be on the same page. If you want a formal cybersecurity plan, the FCC has a free planning tool<\/a> that can help you design a customized plan for your specific business needs.<\/p>\n

References<\/p>\n

1<\/sup>FFC.gov. Cybersecurity for small business<\/em>. (n.d.). Retrieved August 24, 2015 from https:\/\/www.fcc.gov\/cyberforsmallbiz<\/p>\n

2<\/sup>Geier, E. (2013, March 19). How (and why) to set up a VPN today<\/em>. Retrieved August 24, 2015 from http:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/article\/2030763\/how-and-why-to-set-up-a-vpn-today.html<\/p>\n

3<\/sup>Rybaltowski, M. (2014, April 15). How to find the best cyber security insurance for your firm<\/em>. Retrieved August 24, 2015 from http:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/2015\/06\/26\/us-advisers-insurance-cybersecurity-idUSKBN0P61V520150626<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Internet is a powerful tool for small businesses, letting you instantly connect with partners and customers around the globe. …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":491,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[613],"tags":[43,44,145],"class_list":["post-490","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology-and-tools","tag-cyber-security","tag-cybersecurity","tag-security"],"yoast_head":"\n7 Steps to Better Cybersecurity for Your Business - Headway Capital Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"We\u2019ve compiled seven tips that will help you keep your data secure with cybersecurity software!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.headwaycapital.com\/blog\/better-cybersecurity\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"7 Steps to Better Cybersecurity for Your Business - 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