Cyber Security has always been a matter of concern since the very beginning of the digital era. However, with time, the ways and lifestyles of the masses are also changing very fast. For example, most people prefer online shopping over conventional markets, online transactions over cash transactions, digital data and records over stacks of paper slips for the same, etc. So, a shift from conventional ways to digital is the need of the hour.
In recent years, a massive spike has been seen in cyber attacks. Especially in 2019-2021, when the covid-19 pandemic hit the masses globally. According to some expert and cyber security research analyses, most businesses and customers have been vulnerable. If you are not taking adequate measures to safeguard yourself from hackers and attackers, you are on the way to make yourself an easy target for the bad guys. There is a saying that,” Prevention is always better than cure.”
So it is always better to stay ahead and exercise suitable precautions to enhance cyber security regardless of the size and scale of business. Otherwise, you might fall victim to these attacks. And eventually, it makes you lag in competition, so why take risks?
What is Cyber Security?
Cyber security is the protection of computer systems, network and electronic information systems from unauthorized access and disclosure, damage and theft to software – hardware and electronic data, as well as misdirection and disruption of the services provided.
Ways to improve your cybersecurity
- A strong password is the guard
A strong password is like a strong guard at your gate, which safeguards your home from unauthorized entry, theft and threats from intruders. And so do the password. Always use a strong password and keep it safe and confidential. A strong password should be 8 – 16 characters long and should be a combination of numbers, characters and upper and lowercase letters. It is always wise to keep changing your password at regular intervals. Never set your name, DOB and other details as your passwords. It is so because these are easy to guess and break. With the advancements in technology, numerous biometric authentication methods are available, which can also be used as a reliable security measure.
- Say yes to system and security updates
Always say yes to system and software updates without a second thought. The software and service providers release software updates, including the latest critical viruses and malware definitions, security patches, bug fixes, and other security updates, which eventually leads to advancements in your security measures.
- Use HTTPS for your business
HTTPS ( Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) is the advanced and extended version of HTTP ( Hypertext Transfer Protocol ). It is used to secure communication and information packets over the internet by encrypting the information and data packets with TLS (Transport Layer Security), formerly known as SSL (Secure Socket Layer). In addition to this, an HTTPS website is more trustworthy and secure for conducting online financial transactions because encryption prevents the theft and protection of card details and other critical user data information which attackers may steal and misuse.
EV SSL Certificate or Extended Validation SSL Certificate is the robust, highest validated, safe and secure certification. It proves and certifies the legal entity of the owner by following a rigorous process of verification of the business to issue the SSL certificates to the owner. It generates a value of trust among the customers, which eventually makes you lead in your aspirations and competition. And this is the reason why the leading businesses that have been in existence for more than three years and website owners prefer to use this.
- Keep a backup of your Data
Every business has a database of its customers, transaction and order details, legal and proprietary documents etc. Therefore, keeping a backup of your business data is a smart option. However, sometimes attacks are malevolent enough to the extent that they can damage, manipulate and delete your data. Eventually, data loss can be a big loss to a business in numerous ways.
So, it is always a wise option to keep a backup of your data. Then, if there is a data loss somehow, it can be restored from the backup, and you lose nothing.
- Train and upskill your employees
Good employees are the biggest assets and backbone of a business. So good training and upskilling should be among your priorities. A good and well-skilled employee can make you earn millions, whereas an unskilled and naïve employee can make you lose millions. So proper skill and training should be provided to all the employees regularly. In addition, make them aware of the basic security measures that should be followed, basic password management tools and mechanisms, phishing attacks, firewalls, virus attacks, not to click on suspicious links, and other security measures.
Train them to act in case of security breaches; they should always know what to do and whom to contact if they observe suspicious and fraudulent activities on their system and other business hardware and software components. Always remember money spent on training and upskilling of your employees is an investment, not a loss. Eventually, it’s your employees who are responsible for running and make you lead in your endeavors. So, why compromise?
Cyber security has been an important part of every business, regardless of size and scale. Above mentioned ways may seem to be very basic from the perspective of security experts, but at the same time, these are the initial and starting steps in your journey of cyber security. In addition to this, one should always consult with a cyber security expert to implement the required and sophisticated security measures and techniques. So far, I have mentioned the best security measures that one should take to safeguard their business. If you find something more, your value additions would be welcomed.