Estée Lauder, Microsoft, Target, Keepnet Labs, MGM Resorts- These are some of the biggest brands that have suffered high-profile security breaches in the last couple of years. If these incidents are any indicators, no business has complete immunity when it comes to cyberattacks and breaches. It is relevant and important for businesses to take cybersecurity on priority, addressing security concerns – one at a time. In this post, we are sharing more on the best small business cybersecurity practices that are worth trying in 2021.
- Protect hardware and software. While thefts and hacks related to hardware have reduced considerably, but there is still a risk of unauthorized access. Software, firmware, and operating systems often work as gateways for hackers and must be protected. Some of the basic steps, such as installing security patches and updates as available and using firewalls for networked devices, can help to a large extent.
- Focus on MFA. Multifactor authentication is a must. Even when a hacker has passwords, they cannot go beyond the first level of authentication. MFA could mean adding security questions, OTPs, and even biometrics. This should be considered not just for employees, but also for customers.
- Create BYOD Policies. BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) is a common practice for businesses, and with the ongoing pandemic crisis, WFH is the new reality. It is high time that businesses have a clear set of policies on how personal devices are used for official work. Also, relying on VPN (Virtual Private Networks) is important for employees who are working remotely.
- Manage access rights better. Access rights management is a task that many companies take for granted. There should be a clear way of ensuring that only right people have access to necessary resources. There are some amazing Identity & Access management tools out there that can help. The management should have complete control on adding, revoking, updating rights.
- Train your employees. No other cybersecurity practice is as important as this one. Employees are on the forefront of ensuring security, and they need to know the concerns and threats they are dealing with. Cybersecurity training must be done regularly and should be a part of the onboarding process.
Concluding thoughts
Cybersecurity is all about having a clear mix of proactive and reactive measures. It is extremely important to have an incident response plan, so that enough can be done for damage control, if a breach ever happens.
