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Easy ways to protect your business from hackers


Johannesburg, 19 Nov 2020
Pixabay
Pixabay

With the recent advancements in cyber security techniques and tools, you could be forgiven for thinking companies are better protected against hackers now. That is not the case. Data breaches have increased significantly over the past couple of years, and experts believe digitalisation is partly to blame for the trend. Any business can fall victim to a data breach, meaning you have to take proactive measures to ensure all obvious hacker channels are sealed and your data is safe and available at all times. Read on for five easy ways to achieve that.

1. Invest in a VPN

Even if you are operating on a budget, the least you should do to secure your company, employee and customer data is to invest in a virtual private network (VPN). VPNs secure your online communications by encrypting the data you send and hiding your identity. A VPN is especially important if some of your employees work remotely, or you have a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) strategy. For the best VPN, consider visiting review sites such as www.invpn.com, which introduce you to popular VPNs and offer side-by-side VPN comparisons for easier decision-making. The best virtual private network should offer solid security, complete privacy, numerous server locations, mobile versions, no-log policy, and router support.

2. Install anti-virus software

While major operating systems nowadays offer built-in anti-virus software, you can still get third-party software if you feel the default version is not robust enough. Ensure each of the network-owned devices has the latest version of the software and that you perform regular scans for good measure.

3. Train your employees

There is really no point in laying down a strong and potentially costly cyber security plan if your employees don’t know how to utilise it. Hackers are known to use human weakness to access company networks when they can’t find vulnerabilities in the system. Make a point of introducing your employees to cyber security, the ramifications of data breaches, and their role in ensuring the safety of company data.

4. Run the latest software versions

Software providers release updates to introduce new features and patch up vulnerabilities in previous versions. Even if your current software works just right, it might sport weaknesses that hackers can use as freeways into your network. By running the latest software versions, you significantly trim the prospect of attacks and ensure your business utilises the software’s latest and most useful features.

5. Develop a password strategy

Many cyber attacks on businesses can be attributed to the use of overly simple passwords on devices and systems. If some members of your team don’t know the first thing about cyber security, there is a good chance they won’t know how to set up passwords that can’t be easily guessed. A strong password should not just be long; it should be made up of a mixture of letters, numbers and special characters. If possible, it should not be the name of anything related to the business or device user.

End note

The perfect cyber security strategy doesn’t exist, but there are things you can do to minimise the risk of being on the receiving end of a cyber attack. Hopefully, the above tips come in handy as you look to protect your business from hackers.

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