If you’re running a startup, then you have lots of elements to consider, but one you certainly shouldn’t be neglecting is security.
Whether your business is big or small doesn’t matter; you’re always vulnerable to attack, and you need to protect yourself. Here are five tips to help keep your startup safe.
Have a Plan
One of the best places to start when looking at your security is by performing an audit.
Find out what are the biggest risks your business faces and where your weaknesses lie. Once you’ve got this information, it’s much easier to create a plan for how you’re going to keep your startup secure.
Every business’s plan is going to look slightly different, but the more complete your audit is, the better you will be able to protect yourself.
Invest in the Right Software
Cybercriminals are very sophisticated and are adept at what they do, but you can avoid becoming a victim by installing the right security software.
It might take you a bit of investment, but it can save you huge amount of money in the long run if you get the right level of security. Software such as a Sonicwall virtual firewall can make all the difference when it comes to keeping criminals out of your business, so it’s worthwhile going the extra mile and getting the right protection.
Train Your Employees
You can invest in all the best software, but if your employees are making basic security errors, then you’re still going to have weaknesses.
This is why it’s extremely important to make sure that your employees understand their responsibilities when it comes to security and are at least taking care of the basics. To do this, you’ve got to be investing in training and making sure security is a big part of your business culture.
Your employees need to be onboard when it comes to security, so make sure they’re up to speed and well prepared.
Security Isn’t Just for the Office
With more and more people working from home, it’s important to remember that you need to take security seriously, even when you’re not in the office.
You might have brilliant security at your offices, but when someone takes their work home, they can potentially open you up to threats. This is another area where training is important,
and having employees keep their work and personal devices separate, and the use of VPNs, are good ways of limiting the risks.
Strong Passwords
You hear this everywhere you go, but strong passwords make a huge difference.
Make sure your staff and customers have to use strong passwords that include letters, numbers, and symbols, and that they’re changing those passwords frequently.
It’s a bit of an inconvenience to everybody, but it’s well worth it if it keeps your business safe. When it comes to it, people would rather have to remember a difficult password than have all of their data stolen, so make sure you’re enforcing strong passwords.