While larger organizations and government installations are lucrative targets for cybercriminals, they are difficult to breach. This is why many malicious actors focus on small businesses that might not have robust cybersecurity in place. For small businesses, even making some small changes that challenge would-be hackers is usually enough to thwart cyber threats. It is not always that simple, and so we are going to look at some more involved ways to keep cyber threats at bay.
Use Cloud Security Services and Platforms
Cloud-based services, infrastructure, and applications are usually safer than having your own network or server. This is because these companies need to have a good security reputation to stay in business. Because not all cloud services are built the same, it is important to focus on the services provided by businesses that take cybersecurity seriously. The companies whose services you choose should also have built-in safeguards to protect you from common threats like DDoS and malware attacks.
Use VPNs and Firewalls
VPNs and firewalls are great for preventing unauthorized access to computer networks if they are used the right way. VPNs and firewalls work fine, but they should be used in conjunction with other security measures to be even more effective.
Hire a Cybersecurity Company
No matter how much you may want to, it is not always possible to protect your business from cyber threats yourself. This is often the case if you are a small business owner who needs to focus on growing the business and handling everything that comes with the day-to-day running of the business. Asking for some help in these cases is often the best way to go about things.
Hiring a cybersecurity company helps change your stance from reactive to proactive. A reactive stance is where businesses wait for the threat to appear and then deal with it. This can be devastating because the threat might have done too much damage before you notice it. When you hire a company that provides cybersecurity services, they will proactively monitor your IT infrastructure and detect and deal with cybersecurity in real time because they can do much damage. These companies will also often provide email, website, and mobile to ensure your IT infrastructure is protected.
Do Regular Updates and Upgrades
One of the best ways to improve your cybersecurity is to ensure all your hardware and software are up to date. Software developers and programmers are always looking for security vulnerabilities in software and hardware, and when they do, they release patches. These patches protect you from vulnerabilities you may not even know about before malicious actors learn of them. Leaving your hardware and software unpatched is a recipe for disaster, especially when developers and programmers release fixes and malicious actors know what vulnerabilities exist in different systems.
Cybersecurity often requires proactive action. It is always better to invest in proactive measures that protect your business, its data, and reputation instead of being reactionary and having your business devastated.
