Cybersecurity: something every business has had to consider in recent years. Just when you think that you’ve got all the necessary defenses in place, there is a new type of threat that you need to be aware of and protect against. It’s like it’s never-ending!
As frustrating as it can be, keeping up with the best cybersecurity measures isn’t something you can skip. Without adequate defenses, you could see your company’s data at risk of being stolen, sold, and lost forever. It’s not even worth thinking about.
You might think that your current cybersecurity measures are good enough to protect your business on all fronts, but that might not be the case, and that’s something you can’t risk! Do you need help knowing whether your cybersecurity defenses keep cybercriminals away from your sensitive data? The following seven signs tell you they aren’t as strong as you think.
1: You Don’t Remember the Last Time You Updated Your Password
Many people choose a password and then keep it for a very long time. This isn’t effective for protecting against cybercriminals. Ideally, you need a strong, complex password that gets updated at least every three months. A strong password should include both lowercase and uppercase letters, symbols, and numbers. Your child’s name and birthday don’t make a good password!
2: You Don’t Have a Dedicated IT Team
Having IT experts by your side is one of the best ways to protect against cybercriminals. That’s because IT professionals keep up with the ever-changing methods of hackers, and they can adjust your protective systems to defend against those. Don’t worry – you don’t need to hire an entire in-house IT team if you don’t have the budget to do so; small business IT support is more than good enough. Not only will they assess your current cybersecurity posture, but IT support will also ensure all your business data is safe and help with recovery in the case of a disaster. It’s worth having experts on your side.
3: You Ignore Software System Updates
Hackers love outdated software systems. It’s like finding a home with an unlocked door – it provides easy access to all the sensitive information and data inside. To avoid giving cybercriminals an easy ride, you must update your software systems regularly. These updates are there for a reason! The latest versions are always the safest – these operating systems are always implementing new security features, and updating means you can take advantage of those.
4: Your Employees Have Never Received Cybersecurity Training
You might think that cybersecurity training is a waste of time, but it’s anything but. A cybersecurity training course can strengthen your defense against cybercriminals. After all, the best defense is having a team of employees who know the best ways to protect their data. Even if you think that your employees are pretty tech-smart, a training course is worth doing. You could even hand-pick particular employees to take a more specific cybersecurity training program so that you have more specialized cybersecurity knowledge on your side.
5: You Don’t Have a Cybersecurity Budget
Cybersecurity is worthy of investment. If you don’t have a dedicated budget for it, it clearly indicates that your protective measures are not good enough. It also shows that you underestimate the importance of cybersecurity. Remember – hackers get more and more intelligent every day, so you need to be putting in even more effort as time goes on, and that includes budgeting appropriately for cyber defenses.
6: You Consistently Ignore Data Breach Alerts
Have you received alerts for data breaches but subsequently ignored them? That’s not good enough. If a data breach occurs, you need to act fast – otherwise, the threats could become a reality.
7: You Don’t Monitor the Latest Cybersecurity Threats
You might think your company is well protected because you offered a cybersecurity training course to all employees five years ago. The reality is that cybersecurity threats are constantly evolving – it’s unlikely that a hacker will use only the methods they used five years ago. If you’re not keeping up with the latest threats within the industry, that’s a clear sign your defenses are anything but robust.
