Online Security Guidelines for Business Safety

Just like people, companies need to safeguard against online attacks, but the stakes are much higher. Corporate strategies vary, depending on the activity, but one thing is certain – they can’t pretend online threats are unimportant.

One common mistake companies make is to assume they hold nothing of value. There is always something valuable to take, no matter the line of business, even if it's just time. Companies that have no online presence are still exposed, but there's always a solution to protect such businesses.

A few simple guidelines make the difference between a successful business and a compromised one. And never assume that security is too expensive. A data breach or ransomware attack costs a lot more than any protective measure.

Back up everything. The first, and most important, measure any business should take is to back up everything. A backup is an invaluable tool in case of a ransomware attack, especially if the storage is not connected to the computers and networks they are backing up.

Keep all software and hardware up to date. Intrusions into networks and computer systems usually occur when the attack uses an existing vulnerability or exploit. Updating the software and hardware makes such intrusions much more difficult to achieve.

Adopt a security protection solution. Companies have different needs. Some require only basic protection, depending on what they are guarding. While enterprises typically have a dedicated security operations center, small businesses must take proactive steps to ensure cyber resilience and investigate the market for the right online protection solution.

Disable macro scripts. Opening macro scripts from emails is dangerous because macros can be used to download and run malware, even if the person just wants to see a spreadsheet. The recommendation is to use a dedicated Office viewer that can't run macros, or open files in a secure environment like a virtual machine.

Use software restriction policies and application whitelisting when possible. Companies need to control what software runs in their networks and systems. Unless they have a modern protection solution that can deal with a host of potential problems, restricting the use of unknown apps is the best course of action.

Train employees to know what to expect. Managing the human factor is an integral part of keeping a business safe. Patching software and hardware is all well and good, but a "human" patch is also needed. People have to be made aware of potential problems and how to deal with them, not to mention teaching the right protocols in case a problem escalates.

A company’s online security should not be taken lightly, and implementing just a few of these measures makes all the difference. Why spend a business’s profits on dealing with the aftermath, when unwanted events can be prevented entirely?