While technology has transformed the way that every business operates, there’s no doubt that it has its pitfalls.
As we’ve seen countless times over the years, security is one of these. Unfortunately, gone are the days that strong passwords can be your savior – you need to have oh-so much more up your sleeve to protect yourself against hackers and other cyber criminals who have dominated the headlines over recent times.
In fact, we’re probably at a stage where one could pen a dissertation on all the steps that the typical SME has to take.
Rather than go through each and every loophole, we have today compiled four of the classic mistakes to ensure that your business has protection against some of the biggest issues.
Mistake #1 – You embrace BYOD
Granted, this may have been a “thing” some years ago but trust us, gone are the days when a Bring Your Own Device policy is worthwhile.
Yes, it might have small cost savings, but the security pitfalls absolutely outweigh these.
Instead, invest in the right IT equipment for your business, which employees can access from a centralised, secure location.
Mistake #2 – You allow shadow IT
The term “shadow IT” refers to employees using unauthorised software and applications, often without the knowledge of the IT department.
While it can be difficult to keep track of, it’s crucial that you do.
The reason being is that it could introduce risks, such as malware and data breaches, which could potentially cripple your business.
The easiest way to combat this is to limit your workers to a pool of software that is only installed by your own IT team. Then, if further access is required, it can be granted by an administrator who understands all of the relevant risks.
Mistake #3 – You don’t update your software
One of the main reasons that companies get hacked is because they’re using outdated software. In some ways, this revolves back to the previous point that we have just discussed.
Criminals are always on the lookout for vulnerabilities and if you’re not using the latest version of your software, there’s a good chance that they’ll find a way in.
What’s more, you should also ensure that your software is patched and up to date.
Mistake #4 – You don’t dispose of data or devices appropriately
When you dispose of data or devices, it’s crucial that you do so in a secure manner.
Failing to do so could result in sensitive information falling into the wrong hands, which could be used to commit fraud or identity theft. While the media might be full of stories of hackers obtaining information remotely, don’t forget that there can be a far less technological method of doing so. In other words, throwing your equipment in the nearest skip isn’t going to cut it.
The best way to dispose of data is to use a professional IT recycling service, which will ensure that your data is irrecoverably destroyed.
