Small business owners and startup founders are often busy with various management concerns and investments. However, on top of their priority list should be cybersecurity. Today, cybersecurity is more than just about being compliant to regulations and laws. It is more about having both proactive and reactive stance, so as to address different security concerns. In this post, we are discussing all the relevant aspects about the forward approach.
Understanding the basics
For the unversed, proactive security is about taking preventive & precautionary measures, so as to prevent a breach in the first place. On the other hand, reactive cybersecurity is about taking steps to minimize the impact of something like data theft. To give an example, when you install an antimalware software, you are taking a proactive step, but when a malware file has infected a networked device, the action taken to remove the same and prevent further issues is reactive cybersecurity. Both are as important for an organization. Keep in mind that in absence of an incident response plan, your business will suffer considerably, because the IT team is unaware of what action must be taken immediately.
Taking help
Many small businesses now work with professional agencies to manage their cybersecurity needs. This is absolutely a wise step, given that not many founders have a clear idea of compliance and relevant aspects. Also, rules and regulations related to cybersecurity are being updated and changed every now and then, so it’s really hard to keep up. If your company is looking for help with cybersecurity, consider hiring experts, so that the policy draft is strong, addresses your concerns, and is also compliant to the relevant laws.
Training people
Training employees on cybersecurity is equally necessary. You don’t want a team handling your IT resources, when they don’t know how to find a malicious file or read emails with attention. Most malware attacks on small businesses occur through network scanning and phishing, and a bunch of malware files are often downloaded by employees, who are unsuspecting and often don’t know much about the damage that a malware program can cause. To prevent the same, ensure that you spend on cybersecurity awareness training, and make this a part of employee onboarding process and other workshops.
There is no denying that businesses have to be a step ahead to beat hackers in their game. If needed, consider running a bounty program, to get the help of ethical hacking community.
