Seven Cyber Security Tips to Keep Your Business Safe

Two-thirds (66%) of small businesses say their business is dependent on the Internet for its day-to-day operations and that they have vital information to protect – 69% handle sensitive information including customer data. (National Cyber Security Alliance/Symantec research)

Where to start?

Cyber security starts with a simple message:  Stop.  Think.  Connect.  That is a national public awareness campaign with the goal of creating awareness regarding cyber threats and making the public safer online.  Download the Department of Homeland Security’s Stop. Think. Connect. brochure below.

7 Tips to keep your business safe

Consider the following seven tips in protecting your business and employees from online attacks, data loss, and other threats.

1. CEO issue – Cyber risk is a corporate risk and must be managed from the top.
2. Access your risks – CEOs need to address cyber risk in existing risk management processes and governance processes and integrate cyber risk management into day-to-day operations.
3. Monitor threats – Understand the online threats to your company's network.  This will enable you to employ practices and behaviors that limit your company's risk.
4. Report cyber-attacks – If your business has been victimized by a cyber-attack notify the appropriate authorities.  There may be losses you can recover and the attackers brought to justice.
5. Implement a cyber security plan – Experts recommend a strategic approach to cyber security, and a computer network assessment will help you establish a plan to mitigate risks.
6. Protect your customers – Lax computer security practices can put your customers at risk, and they trust you to protect the information they give you.  Having a privacy policy, knowing what information you have, keeping only what information you need and deleting the rest, and then protecting what they give you are best practices.
7. Train your employees – Protecting your company online starts with having well-trained employees.  They need to understand their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding sensitive data and protecting company resources.   Talk to your employees about keeping a clean machine, following password policies, not opening suspicious links, backing up their work, being watchful of threats, and speaking up if they see unusual things on their computers.