Most consumers fail to realize just how much of their information is floating around online. When a consumer visits a website, the domain owner usually collects information regarding where they are located, how much time they spend on the website, and what pages they visit. If you are a business owner, you probably collect lots of sensitive information from your customers as well. This information is excellent to have when you’re working on your strategy or analyzing your target audience.
However, adequately protecting this information is imperative. This is why hiring professionals, like Emagined Security, to perform penetration tests on your network is a good idea. These tests provide you with information about any vulnerabilities in your network. Finding and fixing cyber-security problems is crucial if you want to avoid falling victim to a data breach.
Are you trying to increase the level of cyber-security your business has? If so, check out the list of cyber-security blunders below and address any of the mistakes that apply to you.
Thinking Reactive Instead of Proactive
A cyberattack occurs every 39 seconds. These attacks generally target the sensitive information contained on the servers a business has. If hackers can get their hands on this information, they can steal the identity of one or many of your customers. One of the main mistakes inexperienced business owners make is preparing for life after a hack instead of finding ways to prevent them altogether. Taking a proactive approach when it comes to cyber-security can help you keep hackers at bay.
This proactive approach needs to include things like powerful firewalls, virus scan software, and email security solutions. Figuring out what you need to protect your network will be easy if you consult with IT professionals. Once these IT professionals perform an audit of your network, they can give you a detailed breakdown of what you need to fix vulnerabilities. Trying to develop a proactive cyber-security strategy without this professional help will be nearly impossible.
Ignoring the Need For Password Management
The first line of defense for most business networks is passwords. While having passwords is a great way to keep hackers out of your network, you need to update them routinely. Hackers use a variety of phishing scams designed to help them gather the information needed to figure out a user’s password.
The best way to keep these hackers on their toes is by frequently changing the passwords on your network. Talking with members of your team about the importance of changing passwords and making them complex is essential.
Developing a password management policy is the best way to avoid misunderstandings with your team. You also need to think about using advanced security measures like two-factor authentication. This type of authentication is especially important if you have a number of people working remotely. The longer you wait to change the passwords on your network, the harder it will be to keep hackers away from your network’s sensitive information.
Backing Up Your Data is Crucial
Losing all of the data on your network is a scary thought. However, you may be surprised to learn just how many business owners ignore the need for a data backup solution. If your servers are destroyed by an act of nature, or you fall victim to a ransomware attack, you need a way to restore the information lost.
The only way to accomplish this task is by investing in a cloud-based data backup solution. By storing your information on the cloud, you can make it easily accessible. Moving most of your computing solutions to a cloud-based server can also help you embrace the power of remote workers.
Before choosing a cloud-based backup solution, take some time to find out more about the company providing these tools. Ideally, you want to select a company with a proven track record and affordable prices. While going from onsite servers to cloud servers will be an adjustment, it is the best way to take your business into the 21st century.
Failure to Update Your Software Can Be Dangerous
Are you using a number of outdated software programs on your business network? If you answered yes, now is the time to make a change. Software that is not routinely updated generally develops security holes that hackers can use to infiltrate your network.
If you want to avoid updating software manually, then using cloud-based programs is a good idea. A cloud-based software program will update automatically, which means you don’t have to worry about security problems occurring. With the help of IT professionals, you can find and implement new cloud-based solutions for your business.
Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late
If you are making one or more of the mistakes mentioned in this article, it is time to take action. Fixing these mistakes is essential if you want to avoid having the sensitive information on your network compromised.
