When you have a small business successfully ticking over, growth is on the horizon. You have had the idea, you have found the finance and you are ready to push your business into new waters. Protecting your business until now has been relatively easy, with little to no complications. However, in the interests of growth you need to consider moving your business further online and this can be a frightening concept. Internet security is high on the agenda of the big businesses, never mind the small ones, but due to technology the world is a smaller place. If you want your business to be a big player instead of a small fish in a big pond, you need to go global and that requires dipping a toe into the internet pool.
The consequences of taking such a risk can be devastating for a business, especially if you haven’t partnered your business with a service like Total Tech Team. Internal security breaches, internet abuse and external attacks are just some of the ways that your business can be at risk online, and you need to have the right support and management of your IT systems to avoid this happening. Growing a business means pushing ahead into the internet space, hiring in new people and expanding your online use. You need to consider your internet security and how you can protect your data from sharks looking to scupper your grand growth plans. So, how can you do this?
1. Closing your online doors to malware is so important. You wouldn’t allow a burglar to come sneaking into your office, so why would you allow that online? You need to apply the harshest firewalls that you can find, protect your IT equipment and make sure that remote users are using secure connections and the right passwords at all time. Malware is malicious in its nature and it can drain your business of data in moments when executed correctly.
2. Writing your IT policies into your business contracts is going to make sure that your employees are aware of the level of business security that you expect. Small businesses are often easier targets for fraud online, as they don’t have the same firewalls or internal employee checks that large businesses have. Always train your employees yearly to spot the things that they need to know about internet scams and turn those passwords on.
3. Social media is growing and it’s not always a good thing. Your company needs to be on the radar, but securely. Training your people to understand how to manage social media when it comes to your company is so important. Be smart about how you allow your staff to socialize online when at work and ensure that they know the pitfalls of using the internet through the office connection. Be strict with the usage and you can avoid bad links.
Your data is your bread and butter, and if you don’t want your business to starve, keep it locked up tight!
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