BUSINESSNEWS
are all steps SMEs can take to strengthen their cyber security posture .
Good cyber security will benefit every aspect of your business and strengthen your capability to respond and recover more effectively . In case of a breach , you are able to keep disruption to a minimum , recover more swiftly to ensure business continuity and reduce your overall financial , data and reputational loss that could otherwise be crippling to your business . Additionally , by understanding your exposure to risk and putting into place simple control measures demonstrates to customers , staff , stakeholders and suppliers how important the security of their information is .
Here are the top five cyber security tips we give to SMEs :
1 . Strong password policy – To prevent unauthorised access to your device use a strong password for all devices and social media accounts ( e . g . such as a passphrase of three random words ). Change default passwords on all your devices upon initial installation ( especially your Wi-Fi router at home or any IoT devices you may have !) and consider using password managers to store and protect your passwords .
2 . 2FA – Turn on two-factor authentication on all your accounts and devices , to ensure that your data and information is secure .
3 . Software update – Set all your devices and apps to download and install updates automatically to ensure that any crucial fixes are not missed , which will reduce the risk of your devices being infected with malware . 4 . Back up – To safeguard your most important personal data and information , back them up to an external hard drive or cloud-based storage system to avoid any losses .
5 . Install Anti-virus – Install and activate anti-virus software on all your devices , preferably set it to update automatically . This will help you to run a complete scan of your system and check for any malware infections .
To help businesses start their cyber security journey , PDSC have developed a simple online assessment tool which will help test the resilience of the business to the most common types of cyber crime . Based on the National Cyber Security Centre ’ s Small Business Guide , and developed in collaboration with BSI ( the British Standards Institution ), our Digitally Aware scheme recognises those businesses who have made the first step towards better cyber security . Successful applicants receive a certificate and a tailored report with specific recommendations of action in accordance with the latest Government and police guidance based on their assessment .
Currently , only 70 % of organisations who have undertaken the Digitally Aware certification scheme have passed it , demonstrating that a third of these organisations are not equipped with the most basic cyber security measures , leaving them vulnerable to cyber crime and fraud . However , these vulnerabilities are easy and simple to resolve and using the resources from our Digitally Aware platform , designed specifically for SMEs , your business can quickly improve its security posture and reduce its vulnerability to cyber crime .
The most important take away is that cyber security really isn ’ t that daunting or complicated to do and in fact has a positive impact on how SMEs can conduct business securely . So , our message is clear : Good cyber security is good for business .
For more easy and free cyber security tips , please visit our ‘ Advice ’ hub on our website www . policedsc . com .
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