How Can You Tell If Your Business Network is Unsecure

on March 12, 2019 at 7:12 pm

A business’s network is vital to its operations. This is why so many companies go to BCM One and get managed technology solutions that allow them to streamline their network. But how do you know if your network is secure or not? According to a 2016 study by Symantec, 43% of all cyber attacks are carried out against small businesses. This is more than double what a similar study showed just five years earlier. All business owners need to be aware of this trend so that they can get assistance from cybersecurity professionals like Scarlett Cybersecurity and an action plan can be put in place. The more prepared you can be when it comes to cyber attacks, the less likely it will be that a catastrophic event will take place.

New Learning for Staff

One of the threats to security in any business can be the staff themselves. This is not to say that staff is willingly or knowingly doing something to threaten security, but rather they are possibly doing things that they simply don’t know are putting the network at risk. Mostly every business is using virtual data rooms to maintain secure their files and documents from third parties, we recommend to look and compare the virtual data room reviews in 2019. Staff members could leave accounts open on shared computers, fail to update their passwords on a regular basis or unknowingly download a dangerous file. Putting time into training staff on how to be more safe, secure and aware with the network will pay off big time in the long run. When some of these internal mistakes can be avoided, that allows you to spend more time focusing on other security threats. You should also have some clear policies in place for how staff should be using the network. Having regular updates and reviews of these policies is a good practice. A final piece for staff could be educating them about how to spot a scam. This can obviously help stop threats before they even start. Some businesses can handle this work in house but may need some expert help. Working with a company like ThrottleNet can help you put together a comprehensive security package.

Use the Latest Versions of Software

Another simple step that you can take is to ensure that the software programs used by your business are up to date. Content management systems, financial software, inventory tracking software or any number of programs can become a security risk if they are not updated on a regular basis. The problem with older versions of software programs is that they become more susceptible to being hacked because cyber criminals learn what their weaknesses are. There may also come a point where hardware needs to be updated because the newest versions of the different software programs might not be compatible anymore. Use an updated and encrypted contract management software to keep your customer database safe. Using secure software for your contracts is highly important if you work in an establishment that relies on your contracts to keep your business going. Always research the best software to use and see how it could impact your workflow and how it would work with your business structure, Axxerion’s contract lifecycle management software could be the right one for your company at keeping your contracts safe.

Audit Your System

Working with an IT consultant can help with putting some additional training and security measures in place, but it can also help with doing an audit of the entire network. One of the best ways to find out where a network is weak is to have someone try to hack into it. Rather than waiting for a criminal to make this attempt, it is a good idea to be proactive and have an IT firm carry out an attempt instead. This will immediately expose any weaknesses within the system, and this will allow you to make the necessary changes needed to make the network more secure.

Understanding the security threats in your entire business network (that is, various functions such as finance, HR, etc.) could also be done when the work is streamlined for the entire company as a whole. For example, using epmo (Enterprise PMO) could prove helpful in bringing together the wide range of activities in the enterprise, which then makes it easier for a cyber threat to not only be detected but to also work on the elimination of the same.

The internet allows your business to reach a much larger audience and bring in more business. The internet can be used as a great tool for communication and marketing as well. In order to continue using the internet as a great business tool, it is vital to have a comprehensive cybersecurity program in place. Training employees, monitoring software and auditing your network are just three of the many simple steps that can be taken to have a higher level of security.