6 Important Cyber ​​Security Tips for Small Businesses

You will most likely think twice before entering your credit card information online to buy something, watch out for malicious links in emails, and keep your PC up-to-date against viruses, spyware, and hackers.

However, how much do you think about the security of your small business data and the protection of customer information?

Hopefully a lot, according to Microsoft:

• An attacker resides within a network for an average of 146 days before being detected.

• The average cost of a data breach for a company is $ 3.8 million

• The total cost of cybercrime to the global community in 2016 was $ 500 billion

• 63 percent of attacks are the result of compromised usernames and passwords.

As these threats continue to get more sophisticated, the law must too. ]

In Canada, many government departments such as the Department of Justice, RCMP, Public Safety Canada and Global Affairs Canada work together with international, federal and provincial law enforcement agencies against cybercrime.

That’s great, but you want to stop any potential attacks before your customers’ data is breached.

And, if you are thinking that your site is too small to attract hackers, think again. Sometimes the intention of a cybercriminal is not to collect sensitive content, but rather to transmit spam emails from their server.

Let’s use the example of a membership site for these small business cybersecurity tips.

A membership website has specific resources available to members who generally pay a one-time or recurring fee to get content such as videos, e-books, articles, or tutorials.

Because people enter sensitive information like email addresses, passwords, and payment information to access my content, we need to be vigilant about how we keep them safe from online threats. (A secure site is also more likely to gain trust, which in turn can increase revenue.)

To help safeguard the security of your customers’ data, I suggest that you:

1. Choose a trusted web host. Don’t just go for the cheapest! I compiled a list of web hosting providers that I recommend; You can see it here.

2. Install an SSL certificate on your site. This means having HTTPS vs. HTTP in the URL. This is your web address prefix, and SSL provides additional security and makes it difficult for hackers to access.

You can often add this service to your web hosting package for free or for a small cost. An added bonus: a secure site can actually rank higher on Google.

3. As soon as you see a new software update, install it. Many membership sites are built on WordPress, allowing you to simply click the ‘Update Now’ button. This helps prevent cybercriminals from taking advantage of security flaws in previous versions.

Similarly, look for add-ons to help manage online security.

Four. Enforce complex passwords. Require or even require users to create passwords with a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, symbols, and numbers. This will discourage people from using ‘12345’ as a password.

You can also install a plugin on your WordPress site that just gives someone several attempts to log in before they crash.

5. Approve comments manually. Spammers love neglected comments! They can post links there that a) can drive traffic back to your site and b) can trick Google (even briefly) into thinking your site has valuable content.

6. Clean up information that is no longer relevant. Former members, people who have canceled, those who have completed your course … delete user information and payment information as often as you can.

By following these small business cybersecurity tips, you can minimize the risk of your website being attacked by scammers or cybercriminals.

Don’t skimp when it comes to protecting customer information, and you can create a safe space for loyal fans who feel comfortable handing over their personal and payment information.

Of course, there are many more components to maintaining a secure website.