10 things you should do right now to protect your small business network

It’s vital to take cyber threats seriously even if you’re running a relatively small business concern

Supported Features By Rob Clymo published 27 September 2024

Cyber threats are often mistakenly perceived as only being consequential to large corporations, but big businesses and those that are much smaller are all equally at risk. In fact, small businesses are considered to be more under threat than larger organisations, some of which is down to their size, but it’s more likely to be a lack of available resources for ensuring they’re adequately protected. Here are 10 things you can do about this scenario if you feel your small business falls into that category…

Raise awareness with employees

First things first. It’s vital to ensure that all of your employees are brought up to speed about cyber threats, what to look out for and how to take preventative measures. This might seem like an obvious first stop, but it’s surprising how any workers aren’t aware of company policies on cybersecurity. If educating employees about the threat from hackers hasn’t been top of your list, then it should be very soon.

Do a cybersecurity evaluation

Next up, spend some time carrying out an evaluation of your business and its current stance on cybersecurity. Now that most small businesses use a variety of software applications and many store data in the cloud, there are lots of potential areas of weakness. This is especially so if your business doesn’t already have an effective cybersecurity programme in place. Draw up a strategic plan to revisit this evaluation process as threats evolve.

Choose antivirus software

Every business needs to have a dependable antivirus package set up and running effectively to ensure ongoing protection. Be prepared to spend money on something as substantial as your business can afford. It might seem like unwanted expenditure, but if hackers gain access to your company and its data, via viruses, spyware or phishing attacks to name but three, the cost could be even heavier in the long run. Be sure to have an antivirus package that also stays up to date dynamically. That way your business will be able to combat the latest threats.

Keep software up to date

Small businesses that have dedicated IT departments have the benefit of staff who make sure the software and systems running within the company are kept up to date. However, if you’re a small business and don’t have such a thing as an IT department, it’s vital to ensure that someone stays on top of keeping software and systems relevant. Out of date software is very prone to infiltration from hackers and other cybercriminals, so spend time ensuring that you have the latest version of any program and that any security patches have been installed.

Carry out data backups

Prevention is always better than cure, but it’s also crucial to ensure that all of your small business data is backed up on a regular basis. Failure to keep backups of files and other information relating to your business activities could be disastrous if your company is unlucky enough to be the victim of a targeted attack by hackers. What’s more, any business that has been prudent enough to carry out regular data backups is less at risk from ransomware attacks.

Set up encryption

Spend time ensuring that your data is encrypted too, especially if your company is in the business of processing orders via credit cards, or there are everyday dealings with bank accounts. There are many different options open to businesses who want to make better use of encryption techniques. Usefully, there are many off-the-shelf software programs and systems that allow small business owners to handle encryption without the need for dedicated expertise or a specialised IT department.

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