– By Matt Powell, Editor, Broadband Genie
Online security is something everyone on the internet has to take seriously, but it’s particularly important for businesses. A virus infection or lost device could not only affect income but might have a wider ongoing impact on your organisation’s reputation. That could be devastating on smaller firms.
But staying safe online does not need to be particularly complex or expensive. Here are five ways you can immediately improve online safety for your small business.
Keep software and hardware up to date
Out of date software can make it easy for attackers to gain access to your systems by exploiting known holes, so plug any gaps by making sure applications are bang up to date. This is especially crucial for web browsers and browser plugins like Flash and Java as these are notorious for being easy to exploit.
Don’t neglect firmware updates either. Manufacturers release firmware updates to protect against known threats to computer peripherals, components and other hardware. If nothing else you should be making sure your broadband router is running the latest firmware.
When possible updates should be automatically downloaded and installed. If this isn’t an option there is usually a way to have software alert you when a new version is available.
Protect your systems with security software
Anti-virus software is a basic requirement to protect against malware. Ideally, choose a package which extends protection to web browsers as many viruses are now spread through web sites.
This does not have to cost money as many AV packages have a free version, though do check the license terms as they may not permit commercial use. If you buy a package it may cheaper to use individual licenses for each system or look for a small business option that provides a small bundle of licenses at a reduced rate.
Track and control devices
Now that many companies allow employees to take work equipment home it is very important to have some safeguards against loss of hardware. Losing a laptop or smartphone is not just a potential expense, it can also expose private business data. To minimise the risks use tracking software which can help locate lost hardware or remotely wipe the storage to prevent files falling into the wrong hands.
This is built into Android and Apple mobile hardware and can be added to laptop and desktop computers with software packages like Prey.
Encrypt private data
Losing confidential information relating to a business, particularly if it involves customer data, can wreak havoc on a company’s reputation and open you up to legal action.
To avoid this, get into the habit of encrypting files so that even if someone gains access to your computer or a device is misplaced the data cannot be read.
Free software packages such as AxCrypt, VeraCrypt or the Disk Utility built into Apple Mac OS make it easy to encrypt either individual files or an entire hard disk. Full disk encryption can also be used on smartphones and tablets.
Backup, backup, backup
If the worst happens and your computers or mobile devices are lost, stolen or destroyed you’ll be thankful for a rigorous backup routine so business can continue as normal.
Important data should have multiple safeguards. As well as retaining a backup on an external hard drive or optical disc, keep a copy at an off-site location so that even in the worst case scenario of a fire or flood destroying your office the most valuable files are retrievable. Cloud storage is particularly useful here; services like Crashplan and Backblaze provide unlimited backup space for just a few pounds a month.