3 Security Measures Your Small Business Should Be Taking
Cybersecurity is hard, complicated and always evolving.
It’s quite common for decision-makers of small businesses to feel overwhelmed with security, thinking they have to do everything in their power to protect their organization and then figure out how to make it work with a tight budget.
Alternatively, they could be concerned with doing enough to protect their organization. No one wants to be the victim of an attack because they didn’t implement enough security.
Whether you have a managed service provider, a small IT team or are managing on your own, here are three essential security measures you should be following.
1.) Secure Your Remote Access
Remote access exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic, but remote access doesn’t just mean using a VPN to reach an on-premises server. It applies to any scenario where employees log in from a location outside the same room as the system they’re accessing, including cloud platforms like Microsoft 365 or collaboration tools like Webex.
Today, multifactor authentication (MFA) is the baseline standard for secure remote access. MFA adds an additional level of security to your accounts to help prevent unauthorized access.
It’s much harder to steal a password and a one-time code from an authenticator app than it is to steal just a password, which is why implementing multifactor authentication is one of the easiest and best ways to enhance your organization’s security posture.
In fact, your account is more than 99.9% less likely to be compromised if you use MFA, according to a Microsoft blog post.
Whether your organization relies on cloud platforms, messaging apps or an on-premises server, every point of access to sensitive information must challenge users to prove their identity.
“Staying current with product lifecycles is a simple but critical way to protect your business from unnecessary risks and ensure your technology remains secure and efficient.”
2.) Managed Detection and Response
Managed Detection and Response (MDR) is a critical service that focuses on detecting, investigating and responding to threats in your IT environment. It’s like having a 24/7 security team that can spot and stop cyberattacks before they cause major damage.
Historically, many small businesses skipped this stage of security, investing primarily in strong protection measures and backups. However, MDR offers a more cost-effective approach by catching threats early, reducing the chances of needing to restore from backups — a process that can be both time consuming and expensive.
Just like a fire, the longer a cyberthreat goes undetected, the more damage it can do. MDR ensures faster detection and response, saving your business from costly downtime and minimizing the potential impact of a breach.
3.) Keep Up with Product Lifecycle
Using unsupported products is one of the biggest risks to your organization’s security. Once products stop receiving updates, they become easy targets for hackers, who often exploit known flaws to gain entry.
In the IT world, we have a saying that says, “If it can’t be patched, it’s time to pitch.”
For example, Cisco is slowly phasing out its ASA firewalls. Once the support date has passed, your organization will be vulnerable to new and emerging threats because it will not receive updates. You’ll need to find a new firewall that is actively supported.
This also applies to software. Microsoft will stop supporting Windows 10 on Oct. 14, 2025, which means your organization should have a plan in place to upgrade all of your computers to Windows 11 before that date.
Staying current with product lifecycles is a simple but critical way to protect your business from unnecessary risks and ensure your technology remains secure and efficient.
Following these three practices is a good start toward keeping your organization’s data secure.
Of course, it’s only just the beginning when it comes to securing your environment. Your MSP or IT staff can help you determine what, if any, more security practices your organization should implement.
Protect Your Organization with an MSP
Are you looking to increase security for your company’s network and data?
Don’t wait until you are the victim of a data breach or cyberattack. Contact us to schedule a consultation to discuss the best options for protecting your organization.
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