Nowadays, all businesses conduct their operations (at least in part) in the online world. No matter if you run a small business or a global enterprise, or if digital is only a tiny part of your operation, there is no denying that investing in cybersecurity should be one of your top priorities. After all, there is no telling who might be trying to access your sensitive business data, and it only takes one successful cyber-attack to put your long-term survival in question. For these and many other reasons, you need to invest in cybersecurity and address the biggest risks that might put your company and employees in danger.

It’s important to take all security risks into account and focus on your entire operation in order to keep your company safe on all fronts. This includes elevating mobile security, software security, and addressing the problems of employee training and education, among other crucial steps you can take. With all of that in mind, today we are taking a look at the best cybersecurity practices you can implement to keep your business and your employees safe.

Building a better password policy

Sometimes, some of the biggest security holes in your system can be right in front of you. When was the last time you have ascertained the password strength for all employee accounts, apps, tools, and devices in your business? Once or never are the likeliest answers, but don’t worry, you’re not the only business leader who needs to take company-wide password management more seriously. Many companies allow their employees to create their own passwords, which are oftentimes way too weak to be anything more than a slight nuisance to experienced hackers and scammers.

Now, there are two ways you can handle this issue: you can instate a better password policy, or you can integrate a password management tool and have it take over completely. Both are viable options, but the latter might prove to be a more prudent decision down the road. A password policy will take you time to develop and implement, and you won’t be able to tell if everyone is on board.

On the other hand, simply integrating a password management tool allows you to take the matter out of your employees’ hands, and have it create strong passwords for them. These passwords are all stored in a safe location, and you’ll always know that all devices and accounts are safe from unwanted entry.

Enabling two-factor authentication

Of course, there are many ways even a strong password can betray you. For example, what if a device goes missing from your office or if a password accidentally gets leaked? Someone might try to gain access to one of the computers, smartphones, or IoT devices in your company using an up-to-date password, which is why you need another layer of protection.

One of the most neglected areas of security is the lack of two-factor authentication, which adds a second layer of protection for all accounts and devices in your network. When you enable this feature, either through your in-house IT department or your cloud security system, every device in your company’s network will get some sort of security barrier that the user will have to get through. This can be a security question, a second PIN, a verification code sent to a smartphone, or any other type of security measure.

Leveraging enterprise-level protection

No matter the size of your business, there is no denying that you need to build a comprehensive approach to cybersecurity. Now, you might think that just because you’re running a small business that you don’t need comprehensive cybersecurity, but as we’ve mentioned before, the online world is becoming a more dangerous place for companies of all sizes every year.

That’s why migrating to the cloud would be a good idea to get the best and latest security measures, and why opting for enterprise firewall protection with complete network visibility, layered security, real-time detection, and other features is a wise investment. Be sure to check if your cloud provider offers added security and even enterprise-level protection that you can integrate into your operation to take your cybersecurity to the next level.

Rely on comprehensive cybersecurity education

Of course, you can’t just rely on technology to solve all of your cybersecurity problems, because sometimes the biggest threats can come from your employees simply not knowing how to stay safe online. Keep in mind that your employees can be the weakest links in your cybersecurity system, and that it only takes a single phishing scam to make one of your team members give away sensitive business data.

This is why you should train your employees in IT security, and why you should invest in cybersecurity education for your entire employee collective. Your employees need to know how to handle and store sensitive business data, how to spot potential scams, and how to keep themselves safe at all times in the online world. You can’t expect them to know all this on their own, so be sure to conduct workshops and seminars to educate them on the important cybersecurity practices.

Integrate a web monitoring tool

No matter how well-educated they are on cybersecurity, though, you can’t rely on your employees to keep your company safe against every threat in the online world. Instead, you need to monitor their online behavior and retain full control of your company’s network by integrating a secure web gateway that will allow you to respond to potential threats on a moment’s notice. The right web filtering tool will allow you to restrict access to non-work-related websites, which will further help keep your employees out of harm’s way.

Back up your business data regularly

Last but definitely not least, it is imperative that you back up your company data on a regular basis. If you have an in-house IT team, then make sure that they are conducting regular backups to ensure your business stays online and operational at all times.

On the other hand, if you’re working with a cloud provider, then be sure to check how often your data is backed up on the servers, and what security measures are in place to ensure data availability for your business. This will ensure that you experience zero downtime and that you can resume your operation quickly in the event of a disaster.

Wrapping up

Elevating cybersecurity should take the top spot on your list of priorities for 2020 and the years to come. Make sure to invest in these solutions in order to keep your company and your employees safe against all present and future online threats.