On a weekly basis, you hear more news stories about how hackers and scammers broke into a business’s network and stole its customers’ and employees’ information. You worry about this threat, and you know it is not a matter of if, but when these cyber criminals turn their attention to your network.
Fortunately, you can fortify your company’s cyber dealings and keep criminals from ever touching your sensitive information. To get started, follow the tips listed below.
Regulate the Websites Employees and Customers Can Visit on Your Network
Most businesses run into network security problems because people use their networks to access unsafe websites. Limit the websites your employees and customers can access by restricting social media, shopping websites, adult websites, and sites that have a known reputation for shady dealings. No one should access anything other than reputable web pages while they use your network.
Have Everyone Update Their Passwords to Make Them More Secure
As revealed by recent hacks, most people use simple passwords like “12345678.” Make sure everyone who uses your network has a more complicated password than that. Every password should include eight characters with a combination of upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols. Additionally, these passwords should not include anything predictable like birthdays and pet names.
Install Heavy-Duty Anti-Virus Software and Keep It Up-to-Date
Sometimes even reputable sites have gaps in their cyber armor. Guard against these gaps by fortifying your network with anti-virus software. This software must go on every device your company uses. You must also update it monthly, if not daily. Virus codes and strategies change that quickly.
Give Your Network a Firewall
Anti-virus software does not protect your company from hackers. You will need a firewall to accomplish that task. Firewalls control your network’s incoming and outgoing traffic and picks up hackers’ patterns. Your firewall then stops any suspicious activity and keeps your company’s information safe.
Schedule Security Awareness Training
One stray click on an advertisement, one false keystroke, or one unsafe mobile connection could spell disaster for your network. Schedule security awareness training once a quarter so your employees know how to avoid cyber safety threats. You can do this training yourself, or you can hire experts from places like Global Learning Systems to do it. With an expert, your employees will receive a more thorough explanation as to why their diligence matters.
The safety tips above represent only the first steps toward better cyber security. A network’s safety requirements evolve constantly, so make sure you keep up with the trends. Then you can feel confident that you’ve fortified your employees’ and customers’ information against any threat.
