Did you know, the average cost of a data breach reached a whopping $4.35 million globally in 2022? And this is only expected to increase with time. In fact, reports suggest that businesses around the world will lose over $10.5 trillion in 2025 due to cyber-attacks and data breaches!
Thus, if you don’t take swift action to strengthen the cyber security of your business today, it will cost you financially and hit your reputation.
But how can you improve your business’s online security and safeguard your and your customer’s data? Here are the top 15 cyber security tips to help you get started!
1. Use strong and unique passwords
The passwords of your business’s devices and accounts are your main primary defense mechanism for protecting your business’s data. Ensure to have strong passwords that have a combination of numbers, uppercase, and lowercase letters, and special characters.
Further, make sure to not use the same password for every device or account. Avoid storing passwords in your browser or sharing them with your entire team.
2. Update your software regularly
Make sure that all your applications, operating system, and other business software are up-to-date with the latest security patches and have no vulnerabilities.
3. Use multifactor authentication
Leveraging multifactor authentication ensures that a hacker or cybercriminal cannot break into your company’s device and steal sensitive information. Thus, always deploy a robust multifactor authentication for all your business devices and accounts.
4. Backup your data
Regular backups are essential to protect your business’s sensitive data and help you bounce back and restore it quickly in case of a cyber breach.
Along with this, consider investing in cyber insurance for your business. This will provide an extra layer of protection to your business in case you face a cyber-attack or data breach. Click here to learn more about cyber insurance for businesses in Australia.
5. Deploy a high-quality firewall
Using a robust firewall will help you monitor and control your network traffic. You can control who enters your business’s network and remove suspicious individuals from accessing it.
6. Have a solid incident response plan in place
You can never predict when a cyber-attack will take place. Having a foolproof and highly detailed incident response plan helps you and your employees handle cyber security breaches quickly and effectively.
7. Have a mobile phone policy for your company
Ask your employees to use strong passwords on all their mobile devices that contain business data. Advise them to avoid using public Wi-Fi networks, clicking on suspicious links, or downloading unnecessary files.
8. Limit access to sensitive data
Grant access to sensitive company and customer-related data to authorised employees only when absolutely necessary. Remove or limit their access after the work is done.
9. Invest in a good antivirus software
Make sure to install reputed and advanced antivirus software and keep it updated at all times. It will help you protect your systems from a variety of cyber threats.
10. Encrypt all the important business data
All sensitive business-related data should always be encrypted. Doing this is necessary to protect it in transit as well as when it is resting on your devices.
11. Train your employees
Provide top-notch cyber security training and tools to your employees. This will help them identify cyber threats like phishing, suspicious links, etc., and take swift action immediately.
12. Deploy secure payment processing
Secure your payment processing systems and ensure they adhere to the latest industry standards.
13. Avoid leaving your devices unattended
Always lock the screens of all the devices you are not using. Shut down and lock all the company computers that are no longer being used. Further, encrypt the data in your hard drive and other storage devices.
14. Always use a secure Wi-Fi connection
Businesses have to transmit a large amount of data every day. This data is only as secure as the Wi-Fi network through which it is being transmitted.
So, ensure to keep your network fully encrypted and secure. Always use a VPN in case you have to use a public Wi-Fi network.
15. Conduct cyber security audits regularly
Conducting regular security audits will help you determine if your online security practices are working or not. It will also help identify vulnerabilities and security gaps and rectify them immediately.
Final Words
As cyber security threats become more prevalent and sophisticated, implementing the above-mentioned online security tips can help you keep your business safe from harm.
Make sure to go through these tips once again and then take all the necessary proactive measures to protect your business’s online security.
