These days, we are more connected than we have ever been before. The internet has made it so that we can reach one another in our homes, at work, or on the go with ease. It’s never been easier for businesses to connect with customers wherever they are. However, it’s also never been easier for hackers to exploit your business’s vulnerabilities.
Many small business owners make major mistakes when it comes to cybersecurity. Sunvera Software is proud to help everyone get the technological advice they need to thrive in our ever-connected society. To that end, we’ve created this guide to help you better understand some common cybersecurity mistakes you may be making, as well as how to fix them.
DIY-ing Security
DIY-ing your digital security is one of the biggest mistakes small business owners can make. However, many people do exactly that, even if that’s not how they’d think of what they’re doing. Using your computer unprotected or relying on your consumer-grade antivirus protection is probably not sufficient for a small business – and cybercriminals know this.
That’s precisely why small businesses are such common targets when it comes to cyber-attacks. Criminals know that, though they’ll get a smaller payout, they’re far more likely to succeed. The right ethical professional hacker can test your security system and help you identify and fix vulnerabilities. Otherwise, your business is effectively a sitting duck.
Password Issues
One of the absolute most common cybersecurity mistakes small businesses make is failing to create properly secure password requirements. If left to their own devices, most people will pick extremely insecure passwords, such as “1234” and “password.” These are so easy to guess that they’re practically useless. If you have employees logging in and out of secure applications, make sure those applications offer sufficient password security minimums, so your info is truly protected.
Moreover, make sure your employees know how to watch out for phishing scams designed to steal passwords. These typically work by sending someone a link to a page designed to look just like a common website, such as Facebook or Twitter. However, when they enter their login information, it’s collected by the site to use for future hacks.
If your employees all have unique passwords for every account, this may not be a huge deal for your company. That said, it’s extremely common for people to have the same password for work and personal accounts, meaning your business becomes vulnerable whether that password leaks on or off the clock. Train your workers to recognize these scams to reduce the odds of an issue coming up.
Update Your Technology
Finally, many business owners buy used technology to cut costs. However, processing speed isn’t the only issue with older hardware. Over time, developers may stop releasing security patches that support older tech. As a result, any new vulnerabilities that are discovered will be easy to exploit on your older devices.
Now, this doesn’t mean you necessarily need to buy the latest and greatest in tech to stay secure. However, you should always check to make sure that your hardware and software are still accessing patches. If they’re not, it’s time to upgrade to something newer and safer in order to keep your business properly protected.
Physical Security
With all this talk about cybersecurity, it’s worth reminding ourselves that physical security is just as important. For instance, even leaving your desk unattended could be a big problem. So train your employees to be cautious — and provide them with a necessary feeling of safety by installing a security system that will make it easier for them to focus on their work.
By staying aware of common cybersecurity mistakes and best practices, you can keep your business safe from hackers. We hope this article gives you the information you need to establish strong cybersecurity so that you aren’t putting your dreams at risk.
Sunvera Software develops next-level software applications from start-to-finish. We are a premier software and mobile app development agency specializing in healthcare mobile app development, custom mobile app development, telehealth software, sales dashboards, custom mobile app development services, retail software development, supply-chain software, ecommerce, shopify, web design, iBeacon apps, security solutions and unified access software.
We are proud partners with Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.
Schedule a free 30-minute call with us to discuss your business, or you can give us a call at (949) 284-6300.
