Why cyber security strategy needs to be a priority in 2021

Last year seen accelerated digital transformation of businesses, in particular retail, education and healthcare. With the rapid unplanned shift to digital channels and changes in consumer and business behaviour, a cyber criminal’s playground has just expanded.

Example types of 2020 cyber-attacks include:

1. Phishing: remote working staff have been even more susceptible to phishing attacks, according to Ireland’s National Cyber Security Centre. With cyber criminals quickly capitalising on the human fear element surrounding Covid-19 and singling out business services that are currently under stress;
2. Ransomware: attacks became more common. UK’s National Cyber Security Centre reported handling three times as many ransomware incidents from 2019. With attackers threatening to do more than just lockdown systems, but embarrass victims by disclosing sensitive details if they don’t make payment;

Here are some ideas on how to implement a small business cyber security plan.

1. Assess potential risks
2. Educate employees
3. Develop cyber security policies
4. Back up important data
5. Keep systems and software up-to-date
6. Protect your Wi-Fi network
7. Use antivirus software
8. Enlist professional help
   
   1. Assess potential risks

Every business will have different cyber vulnerabilities. That’s why it’s key that you take the time to evaluate where your business’s cyber-weaknesses are. Otherwise, it won’t be clear how to best protect your small business from hackers, and you may wind up wasting time, money, and energy on building up a cyber security business plan that doesn’t fit your needs. Some questions you should ask:

• What sensitive data do you keep?
• Where do you store your data?
• Who can access that data?

2. Educate employees

Your employees have access to your network, and so they need to be trained on how to protect your business against cyber threats. There’s no way around it. They may be nice people and do great work, but if they end up being responsible for your network being breached whether intentionally or not, your business will feel the hurt.

Train your employees to recognize suspicious emails, to use strong passwords on all of their work-related devices, to not log in to the business network from unsecured locations, and so on. If properly prepared, your employees can act as your first line of defence against cyber attacks.

3. Develop cyber security policies

The exact policies you put into place can vary, but generally, you’ll want to:

• Limit access and use of business devices to authorised individuals only
• Establish unique user accounts for each of your employees
• Require the use of strong passwords
• Have employees lock their computers
• Grant administrative access only when absolutely necessary

4. Back up important data

On a normal basis, your business’s important data should be backed up to an external location (or to the cloud, as it’s called). That includes financial data, HR files, spreadsheets & databases, designs, plans, blueprints, and so on. If done on a regular schedule, backing up your files can prove to be extremely useful when if you find yourself recovering from a data breach.

5. Keep systems and software up-to-date

This may seem pretty basic, but instead of clicking ‘dismiss’ on that software update like you’ve been doing for the past few months, take the time to let your system update. Those updates might seem like an inconvenience in terms of time, but they serve to patch those holes that hackers can potentially slip through to get into your network.

The five minutes you spend letting your software update itself will seem like nothing when compared to the days or weeks it can take to recover from a cyber security breach.

6. Protect your Wi-Fi network

If left unprotected, your Wi-Fi network can act as a doorway that gives hackers direct access to your business’s data. Considering how easy it is to secure your Wi-Fi network, and the potential damage that can result from leaving it unsecured, there’s truly no reason your wireless internet shouldn’t already be protected. Make sure that your Wi-Fi is password-protected, encrypted, and undiscoverable to third parties.

7. Use antivirus software

Software is something of an arms race. Hackers try to develop better ways to infiltrate networks, and the ‘good guys’ try to builder stronger walls of defence to keep networks safe.

While they may not be flawless, antivirus software can be a huge help in keeping your small business cyber security plan strong. The best antivirus software will not only detect threats, but actively eliminate them and keep all of your devices unharmed.

8. Enlist professional help

If you’re not the most tech-savvy person, there’s no need to worry. There are plenty of cyber security consultants whose services you can incorporate into your small business IT security plan. The IT company that you have in place will give you good guidance.