3 Ways Companies Can Increase Their Cybersecurity Efforts

It is not secret that cybercrime is on the rise. Since the COVID-19 pandemic made everyone’s lives more online, cybercriminals have taken advantage of that to not just hack large corporations, but also every day users. These users include small business owners, who may actually be the most vulnerable to cybersecurity threats. These types of businesses rarely recover from cybersecurity attacks, as losing customer data can cause them to lose their customer base. Their reputations will also suffer immensely, making it virtually impossible for a small business to recover. In order to avoid this scenario, small business owners should invest in a number of cybersecurity solutions to make sure that their business does not suffer at the hands of a cyberattack.

1. Use safe storage

One of the easiest ways your business can be hacked is through what is known as a ransomware attack. In a ransomware attack, cybercriminals will steal your customer’s data and sensitive financial information, and then offer to sell it back to you for a steep price. Oftentimes, they will leak it regardless of whether you pay them or not. To avoid this, you should make sure that all documents, especially those pertaining to business deals and financial forms, are stored in a secure storage solution. While you may think that Dropbox or Google Drive is enough, it really isn’t. Instead, you should consider a virtual deal room that can help you store documents in a way that can’t be hacked and ransomed off to the highest bidder.

2. Use encrypted messaging and email

Message encryption is becoming an increasingly common thing for small businesses to adopt. Instead of texting, small business owners are using platforms like Signal to text, and are also using encrypted email software to prevent their emails from getting hacked. Many email hosts already offer encryption as an optional add-on, and most small businesses should consider forking over the extra cash to secure their customer’s data, as well as their own financial data. Any messages or emails being encrypted prevents companies from having their communication looked through by hackers, which can lead to them figuring out passwords for financial accounts.

3. Educate employees on cybersecurity

For better or worse, the cybersecurity efforts that your company makes ultimately hinge on how seriously your employees take it. To impact them on the seriousness of cybersecurity, you should make efforts to educate your employees about what they can do to mitigate the risks of cybercrime. Doing so will help to make your employees feel knowledgeable when it comes to keeping your information safe. You’ll want to educate them on how to use tools like deal rooms and encryption software, and also to not respond to things like phishing attacks via email. This will make them aware of what they can need to do and it might also translate to their personal lives as well. You’ll also want to emphasize how important it is that they do not share any sort of sensitive information outside your organization.

In summary

As cybersecurity becomes a bigger and bigger concern, it is more important than ever for companies to up their cybersecurity game. This is especially applies to smaller businesses, who may not have made the efforts in the past to invest in cybersecurity. Implementing tools such as deal rooms, password managers, and encrypted messaging and email will save a lot of headache when it comes to dealing with the potential fallout of a cybersecurity attack.