Hackers aren’t shy about targeting small businesses. They already know many of these businesses are vulnerable to cyber crimes. It’s not overly difficult for smart hackers to break into the credit-card accounts or bank accounts of small businesses. Many have no difficulty accessing employee facts such as their Social Security numbers. Fortunately, small business owners do have a tool to use against cyber criminals: common sense. Entrepreneur Magazine recently ran a feature story providing tips for small business owners who want to protect their companies from hackers. Here are a few suggestions from the story.
Encryption Matters
Make certain the full-disk encryption tools on your company’s computers are switched on. When they are, these tools encrypt every file or program stored on your computers’ drives. This is important mainly because hackers would rather go after easy targets. If they notice that your company’s key data are encrypted, they may move on in search of easier targets. On Macintosh computers, the encryption tool is labeled FileVault. On Windows-based machines, the tool is known as BitLocker.
Lockdown
Most computers have a Kensington lock port, a small metal loop that users can run a cable through to lock them to their desks. If you’d like to truly protect your business, require that your employees take this protection measure. It may sound silly, but the Entrepreneur story said that businesses are often hacked after burglars break in and steal laptops and other devices. A cable strapping a laptop to a desk won’t stop all thieves. Nonetheless it might scare away those who want to strike especially quickly.
Wi-Fi Protection
Often the simplest way for cyber criminals to gain access to your company accounts is thru your business’ Wi-Fi network. That’s why Entrepreneur Magazine suggests that you do away with Wi-Fi completely and instead install a wired network. If you can’t do that, as a minimum protect your Wi-Fi accounts with passwords which are difficult to compromise. A good bet? Long passwords made up of a combination of letters, numbers and symbols.