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While cyber criminals are wreaking havoc for large corporations, small businesses would be foolish to consider themselves immune from the threats of cyber-crime.
The threats for larger businesses are evidently more pressing due to the fact that they are likely to hold more data and on a much larger scale.
Nearly one million small businesses have fell victim to cyber-attacks in the last year, which comes as no surprise given the fact that they possess customer data and other assets considering valuable to cyber-crime nasties.
One of the main problems for SMEs when it comes to cyber security is a lack of funding to facilitate sophisticated security defence systems, often leaving start-ups wide open to the threats of cyber-crime. So, what steps can SMEs take to protect themselves as the threat of cyber-attacks grows more prevalent?
Use access control efficiently
Protecting data needs to be a top priority for all SMEs and limiting admin access to systems is just one of the ways that this can be achieved well. As a small business owner, you will need to be sure that you are only allowing access to your systems to carefully selected individuals as this will limit the amount of damage that a hacker is able to do. Sensitive data, such payslips should also be kept away from anyone that doesn’t need the information to do their job effectively.
Invest in training
Unfortunately, many mistakes that lead to cyber-attacks are a direct result of human error so it’s important that you recognise the value of training up your staff early on about how to protect themselves and your business from cyber-attacks. Keep your employees in the know about password management as well as how to safely use both the web and email. Carry out refresher sessions every couple of months to keep the information at the forefront of everyone’s mind.
Know about the warning signs
It’s much better for businesses to be able to spot the signs of a cyber-attack before it happens than deal with it once the damage has been done, so knowing the signs is important.
Hackers operate in a sophisticated way and are constantly evolving their techniques to catch businesses out. To stay one step ahead, keep on top of It-related upgrades and regulations and encourage your team to do the same.