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By Andrew Drue

Cybersecurity is not just a concern for large corporations or government agencies. Small businesses are also vulnerable to cyberattacks, which can result in data breaches, ransomware, identity theft, fraud, and reputational damage. In fact, according to a report by Verizon, 43% of cyberattacks target small businesses. Moreover, the average cost of a data breach for a small business is $200,000, which can be devastating for their survival.

So, how can small businesses protect themselves from cyber threats, especially with limited budget and resources? Here are some cybersecurity best practices that can help you secure your business and data.
 

Conduct a cybersecurity risk assessment

The first step to improving your cybersecurity is to identify and assess your current risks and vulnerabilities. A cybersecurity risk assessment is a process of evaluating your IT systems, networks, devices, data, and processes, and determining the likelihood and impact of potential cyberattacks. A risk assessment can help you prioritize your cybersecurity needs, allocate your budget, and implement appropriate controls and measures.

You can conduct a risk assessment yourself, or hire a professional service to do it for you. There are also some free or low-cost tools and frameworks that can guide you through the process, such as the Cybersecurity Framework by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), or the Cyber Resilience Review by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Implement cybersecurity compliances

Depending on the nature and size of your business, you may need to comply with certain cybersecurity standards and regulations. For example, if you handle sensitive personal information, such as credit card numbers, health records, or social security numbers, you may need to follow the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), or the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), respectively.

Complying with these standards and regulations can help you improve your cybersecurity posture, as well as avoid fines and penalties for non-compliance. You can use online tools and checklists to assess your compliance level, or consult with a qualified auditor or consultant to verify your compliance status.

Train your employees

One of the most common and effective ways that cybercriminals can breach your business is through your employees. Phishing, social engineering, malware, and password cracking are some of the techniques that hackers use to trick or exploit your employees into compromising your systems or data. Therefore, it is essential to train your employees on cybersecurity awareness and best practices.

You can use online courses, webinars, videos, quizzes, and simulations to educate your employees on how to recognize and prevent cyberattacks, how to use strong and unique passwords, how to secure their devices and networks, how to backup and encrypt their data, and how to report and respond to incidents. You can also create and enforce a clear and comprehensive cybersecurity policy that outlines your expectations and responsibilities for your employees.

Update and patch your software

Another common and effective way that cybercriminals can breach your business is through exploiting vulnerabilities in your software. Outdated or unpatched software can contain bugs or flaws that hackers can exploit to gain access to your systems or data. Therefore, it is essential to update and patch your software regularly and promptly.

You should update and patch not only your operating systems, but also your applications, browsers, plugins, antivirus, firewalls, and any other software that you use. You can use automatic updates or reminders to ensure that you don’t miss any critical updates or patches. You can also use vulnerability scanners or tools to detect and fix any vulnerabilities in your software.

Use multi-factor authentication

One of the simplest and most effective ways to enhance your cybersecurity is to use multi-factor authentication (MFA). MFA is a method of verifying your identity by requiring more than one factor, such as something you know (e.g., password), something you have (e.g., phone), or something you are (e.g., fingerprint). MFA can prevent unauthorized access to your accounts, systems, or data, even if your password is compromised.

You should use MFA for any online service or application that offers it, especially for your email, cloud, banking, and social media accounts. You can use various methods of MFA, such as SMS codes, email codes, authenticator apps, biometrics, or hardware tokens. You can also use password managers or tools to generate and store strong and unique passwords for your accounts.

Backup and encrypt your data

One of the worst consequences of a cyberattack is losing your data, which can result in operational disruption, financial loss, legal liability, and reputational damage. Therefore, it is essential to backup and encrypt your data regularly and securely. Backup is a process of creating and storing copies of your data in a separate location, such as an external hard drive, a cloud service, or a tape. Encryption is a process of transforming your data into an unreadable format, using a secret key or password, that can only be decrypted by authorized parties.

You should backup and encrypt your data at least once a week, or more frequently depending on the importance and sensitivity of your data. You should also test your backups periodically to ensure that they are working and recoverable. You can use various tools and services to backup and encrypt your data, such as Windows Backup, Mac Time Machine, Google Drive, Dropbox, BitLocker, FileVault, or VeraCrypt.

Use a VPN

One of the risks of using the internet is exposing your online activity and data to third parties, such as your internet service provider (ISP), hackers, or government agencies. This can compromise your privacy, security, and freedom. Therefore, it is advisable to use a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN is a service that creates a secure and encrypted connection between your device and a remote server, which acts as a proxy for your online traffic. A VPN can protect your online activity and data from being monitored, intercepted, or censored.

You should use a VPN whenever you use the internet, especially when you use public or unsecured Wi-Fi networks, such as at airports, hotels, or cafes. You can use various VPN services or apps, such as NordVPN, ExpressVPN, or TunnelBear, to connect to a VPN server of your choice.

Monitor and audit your cybersecurity

The last but not least cybersecurity best practice for small businesses is to monitor and audit your cybersecurity regularly and continuously. Monitoring is a process of collecting and analyzing data and logs from your IT systems, networks, devices, and applications, to detect and alert any suspicious or malicious activity or behavior. Auditing is a process of reviewing and evaluating your cybersecurity policies, procedures, controls, and measures, to ensure that they are effective and compliant.

You can use various tools and services to monitor and audit your cybersecurity, such as security information and event management (SIEM), intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS), firewall, antivirus, or web application firewall (WAF). You can also hire a professional service or consultant to perform a cybersecurity audit or penetration test for your business.

Conclusion

Cybersecurity is not a luxury, but a necessity for small businesses. By following these cybersecurity best practices, you can protect your business and data from cyber threats, and gain a competitive edge in the digital market. Remember, cybersecurity is not a one-time event, but an ongoing process that requires your constant attention and improvement. Stay safe and secure online!

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