W EEKLY EDITION JULY 20, 2016
Are You Keeping Up with Your Business Cybersecurity Needs?
By Bridget W Pollack , Guest Blogger f or the US Small Business Administration (SBA)
The increased connectivity provided by the internet has vastly
changed the way we do business. But while most of the effects are
for the better – ease of information exchange, ecommerce
capabilities and custom er service come to mind – there are still
negative aspects small business owners should know about.
Cybercrime is one of the biggest threats businesses of all sizes face.
More than 75 percent of data breaches target small and medium -
sized businesses which can cause major havoc for your business
operations. Sixty percent of small businesses affected by cybercrime
will close within six months of the breach, according to a study by
McAfee . Here are a few tips for protecting your business from
cybercrime.
1. Protect Your Business
First and foremost: Create and maintain a secure network for your business operations. A password may seem second
nature for log - on, but do you have a firewall? Only twenty percent of small businesses have network security encryption .
Contact your internet service provider to check on your security options, and find out where your network protection may
be falling short.
Next, talk with your employees about keeping your business safe. They should create strong passwords for work - relat ed
accounts, and avoid completing personal tasks on company computers to reduce vulnerability.
Resist the urge to provide your wi - fi password to customers or visitors; if you wish to offer wi - fi to visitors, create a second
network for guest use. Finally, encourage your staff to backup data regularly, either to a cloud service, to a backup hard
drive or both. Consider scheduling a regular backup day each week to get employees in the habit.
2. Protect Your Customers
Once you've taken steps to protect your b usiness from cybercrime, it's time to extend that protection to your customers.
For the most part, your attention to cybersecurity to protect your business will flow over to your customers as well. But
even the most web - savvy customers may need reassurance . Be sure to communicate your online safety policies and
measures to your customers especially if you're offering ecommerce services. Be open with customers who may have
questions about the security of their orders or personal information, and welcome disc ussion.
3. Don't Let Your Small Business Get Complacent
One of the toughest parts of avoiding cybercrime is keeping up with the changing landscape of how we do business
online. By keeping up with business news, you'll help yourself stay aware of potential threats to your cybersecurity
system.
Not sure if you're doing enough — or the right things — to protect your small business?
Get in touch with a SCORE mentor who can help you review your practices.
This article was published by the Small Business Admi nistration July 7, 2016
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