Cyber theft is becoming a bigger threat than it already was only a few years ago. This is because more people are taking their businesses online and it’s clear to cyber criminals that they have more targets. It’s therefore crucial to take measures to secure your enterprise against cyber theft and enjoy improved security.
1. Train Your Staff
The most important thing that you can do is to make sure that you are on the same page as your staff in matters of security. This will make it easier to present a united front against potential dangers and your team will be less likely to have any weak points. With this in mind, it’s a good investment to train your staff on the best practices as far as security goes. When everyone knows what’s at stake and how to stay safe, you can be confident that even when they are not under any monitoring, there will be a low likelihood of trouble. According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, businesses lose around 5% of revenue every year to fraud. This is an amount that you can use to further your business, so it will hurt to lose it.
2. Back Up Your Data
After you secure your data, don’t forget to back it up. This will ensure that you have a safe and reliable point to start from in case the unexpected happens. Pay for cloud storage that you can encrypt and make sure to only entrust it to your most reliable and safe employees. This will minimize the risk of something going wrong that will see you spending time and money to restructure your business.
3. Install Robust Antivirus and Anti-Malware Software
If you don’t already have good cyber security software, it’s important to invest in it now. This will help you maintain confidence in the fact that your business is secured at all times. Don’t forget to get secure and reliable internet options, in which case you will find that wired network connections are more stable and reliable than Wi-Fi connections in general. These may be minor and affordable fixes, but it’s unbelievable how much they can do for you.
4. Seek the Help of a Professional
To make sure that you don’t make any potentially costly rookie mistakes when securing your internet, it’s worth your while to enlist the help of a professional. This will help you to get it right the first time, and the savings you make in terms of this make it well worth the money that you spend on hiring a professional. Make sure that they are qualified before engaging them by checking if they have any references that you can reach.
5. Know the Right Steps to Take If You Are Targeted
Finally, while you lower your chances of becoming a victim by taking the steps outlined above, you may still end up being targeted. It’s with this in mind that you should know what to do in case you become the victim of a cyber crime. Some steps to take include contacting any companies you’re affiliated with, such as banks, that you believe may have been compromised. You should also place alerts for fraud and get your credit reports to check for any discrepancies.
If there are any instances of identity theft, report these to the Federal Trade Commission. This will be taken seriously since even the United States Department of Defense has addressed cyber security in their memorandum on understanding Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification. They stated that CMMC will always be a priority for them and it safeguards the enterprise against losses from cyber theft which cost the country $100 billion every single year. These also cost the world $600 billion, an equivalent of 1% of global GDP.
Use these methods to safeguard against cyber theft and you may have an easier time saving money and growing your business.
