If it is one area in which most small businesses are woefully weak, it is the area of cyber security. The major challenge is that most small business owners believe that they are just too small and insignificant for a hacker to bother with. Unfortunately, the opposite is true. Hackers love you because they know that your protections are nearly non-existent and that they can steal everything you have in a matter of minutes. There are times when you need to be less concerned with your SEO and more concerned with having an intact business.
- Recent research by Experian has revealed that more than 60% of all small businesses that have suffered a systems security breach are down for at least six months. The breach has so damaged their systems, to say nothing of their reputations, that they need many months to actually get up and running again. Can you afford to be not doing business for a few months?
- Security and SEO experts warn that you must take the mindset that an attack will be imminent at some point and that you must prepare to defend yourself. The easiest way for hackers to breach you is through your mobile operations. Your apps must be secured. They are a virtual highway right into your computer network systems to say nothing of being able to tap into a customer’s mobile device at the same time.
- Any other companies you work with, especially vendors, distributors, and suppliers, need to have secure systems themselves. It is an easy play for hackers to work their way to you through a third party’s systems. How secure are their data systems and confidential information?
- Cyber security must be a priority for your business. Unfortunately, when the economy goes south, most companies, especially small businesses, sacrifice their SEO efforts as well as their IT departments such as they are. You can be attacked at any time and then where would you be? Also, you must get out and get your company a tailored cyber security insurance policy. Cyber security has quickly become a top priority in small business risk management.
- You must update your software regularly which will help minimize the threat. Also, you must create new passwords every week if you must. This constant movement of passwords will add an additional layer of safety. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, you must make cyber security a part of your company culture. Employees need to be aware of it and they need to be doing those things that will ensure the safety of company systems.
– Written by Kevin Sawyer
SearchPro Systems
2024