4 Ways To Protect Your Company From Security Threats

Running a business is hard work. In addition to running daily operations and business-related tasks, business owners are also faced with the responsibilities of managing their employees and keeping their data, personal and private information safe. In today’s time of constantly evolving technology there seems to be a constant security threat facing businesses. Businesses have to constantly worry about having information leaked by employees.

It can be overwhelming for business owners to keep an eye on everything, and to ensure that all information remains safe and secure at all times in a world where computer and smartphone hacking is so predominate. However, there are plans and technologies that business owners can utilize to help them keep their businesses running safely, secure, and without a security threat. Here are 4 ways to protect your business from a variety of security threats without having to spend a fortune on hardware and software.

1. Know Your Employees – Sure, you glanced at your employee’s resume and talked to them about their skills and experience before hiring them, but do you really KNOW them? Are they trustworthy? Have they ever been accused of leaking personal company information in the past? These are all scary things that no one likes to think about. However, employees are given a lot of personal information about a company each day. Everything from company procedures to passwords and other confidential information could easily be leaked through an employee, and if an employee has a history of leaking information, there’s a higher chance that they will repeat this activity at your company, therefore, become yet another addition to the already mounting pile of security threats. Before you hire anyone new, conduct a thorough background check to ensure the employee has never posed a threat to company security in the past.

2. Establish and Enforce Company Policies – Does your company have any security policies regarding social media, use of technology, or company secrets? If not, make sure to establish them as soon as possible. A majority of employees will be active on social media and these people can pose as security threats to your business. Make sure company policies clearly state what information is not to be shared online or outside of work.

3. Keep Your Computer Secured – Computers are essential for any 21st century business. However, they can also be a nightmare when it comes to business security. There are many opportunities for hackers to hack into a business computer and steal valuable information. There is also a chance of accidentally downloading a virus onto a computer and the effects of this could be devastating. To avoid problems with computer security and these kinds of security threats, make sure your computer is protected from viruses and malware. Install anti-virus software onto all computers. In addition, make sure that data is frequently backed up and encrypt hard drives to prevent hackers from stealing information. You should also train employees to create highly secured passwords for all accounts and to be cautious of downloading files that may contain malware and viruses, all to prevent any further security threats to expose themselves.

4. Utilize Mobile Security Software – These days, computers are not the only area of concern when it comes to business security. Phones, especially smartphones, are also susceptible to hacking, wire-tapping, and all other kinds of security threats. Plus, there’s the constant fear of the NSA monitoring phone calls. This can make business owners weary of discussing business information through the phone. However, sometimes using the phone for business procedures such as meetings with clients is essential. To ensure that information remains confidential, invest in mobile security software for all phones.

With these 4 tips, your business data and personal information will always be safe and secured! There are of course many more layers you can add to your company’s security in order to further banish the security threats that are lurking both online and offline in today’s technologically driven society. Stay on top of your game and make sure you always take the necessary measures to prevent any vital information from ending up in the wrong hands.