As information technology (IT) continues to evolve, small businesses across the globe are enjoying greater levels of connectivity and productivity than ever before. At the same time, IT comes with its own set of vulnerabilities that, when left unaddressed, can cause major headaches at best and cripple your business at worst. Let’s take a look at some of the most common IT threats your Orange County business might face, and what to do about them.
Data Loss
As advanced as our tech is today, no one has yet figured out how to make hardware that won’t wear out. When it comes to hard drives and servers that store your critical data, failure is not a matter of if but of when. All hard drives fail at some point. Without proper safeguards in place, your small business could easily lose irreplaceable data, severely hindering your ability to do business.
Preventing the threat: We recommend a two-fold approach to guarding against data loss: redundancy and replacement. First—back up your data regularly (redundancy) in at least two places, with one preferably offsite (redundancy). Second—replace hard drives and servers every couple of years, even if they seem to be working fine. Don’t give them the chance to fail.
Security Breaches
Many small business owners are loose with cybersecurity because they believe they are too small to be a target. In reality, hackers love small businesses for just that reason—they’re easy to infiltrate. Security breaches can result in all sorts of problems for your company, from crashing your computers to clearing out your bank accounts to compromising your clients’ personal and financial information.
Preventing the threat: Make sure your network is behind a robust firewall, with data encryption and strong password protections in place. Install antivirus programs and security apps on all computers, especially on mobile devices (as these are often used remotely on unsecured networks). Keep your software up to date as developers usually include security patches in these updates.
The Human Threat
Believe it or not, your greatest IT vulnerability isn’t the technology—it’s the human beings in your organization that use it. Human error is responsible for the vast majority of IT issues, ranging from misusing equipment to leaving workstations unprotected to clicking on suspicious attachments on phishing emails. And don’t rule out the possibility of insider attacks; even in small businesses, bad actors and disgruntled employees may infiltrate your ranks and cause intentional damage.
Preventing the threat: Always make sure your teammates are well-trained in cybersecurity protocols and use of the software. Make sure they lock their workstations and mobile devices with password protection. When possible, keep ownership of all computers and devices rather than letting employees bring their own, and keep those devices secure. Conduct background checks for employees. Limit access to secure areas of your network and sensitive data only to employees who need access to do their jobs.
NetServ can help you put appropriate safeguards in place against the most common IT threats to your small business. To learn more, call us today at 1-877-NetServ.