The Essential Small Business IT Security Checklist
When it comes to cyber security threats, you can never be too careful. To ensure you’re safe against rising cyber security threats and hacking attempts, we’ve compiled this essential small business IT security checklist.
It covers the essential things you should check when looking at cyber security for your Adelaide business.
Check your physical security
While it’s not strictly part of your IT, your building’s physical security is just as important to consider. A data breach can be as low-tech as an unauthorised person entering your office and stealing a thumb drive they see lying on a desk, or running off with an unsecured tablet or smart device.
To start with the essentials, it’s crucial that your business has the right physical security measures in place. Things like a staff ID tag-in/tag-out system, device tracking, and security cameras.
Secure your wifi
An unsecured wifi connection isn’t a big deal to the average person, although it does mean free browsing. To a hacker, however, an unsecured wifi connection is the open window into your business. So check to make sure that your business’ wifi connection is secured, and be sure to change your wifi passwords regularly.
If your business does offer free guest wifi, ensure it’s a different network to your business’ one.
Choose the right antivirus platform
When looking at cyber security for your Adelaide business, starting with the basics means ensuring you have robust antivirus software installed. There are many good options around, so it really depends on what works for your business.
Whichever you choose, make sure you update it regularly. Antivirus companies are updating their software to protect against the latest cyber security threats.
Set up your firewalls correctly
A firewall is unobtrusive, working in the background of your operating system as a filter to inspect all data and traffic that enters and exits your computer. If it detects any suspicious-looking packets of data, it stops these from entering your network. This also works to block any hacking attempts.
Similarly, a firewall edge solution is a whole-of-network security system, that operates in much the same way. But instead of protecting just one device, it works to keep your entire network secure, and sits in front of your router to filter traffic into and out of your network from the internet.
Ensuring a comprehensive firewall is set up on all your devices, and potentially on your network too, is a strong step towards improving your cyber security posture.
Invest in a VPN
The next step in improving the cyber security for your Adelaide business is to set up a VPN, or Virtual Private Network.
VPNs are exactly what they sound like. It’s a private, secure, encrypted network, that can only be accessed by people with the right access credentials. It effectively acts as a tunnel, keeping all your business data and browsing activity hidden from prying eyes, only visible to other people also on your network.
A VPN can be set up both for business security, and to enable secure remote access for your teams.
Enable two-factor authentication
Two-factor authentication creates an added layer of cyber security for your Adelaide business. It’s easy to set up, too.
When set up, your staff will log into your business systems and be required to receive a notification by either email, text, phone call, authentication app, or to a special USB drive, which contains their additional login code. They’re the only one that receives this code, so as well as creating an added security step, it effectively acts as an alert should anyone else try and access their account.
Monitor all BYO devices
It sounds simple, but does your IT team have a log of all devices that are authorised to access your network? This way you’ll know if any unauthorised devices are gaining access.
Provide comprehensive cyber security training
Delivering regular cyber security protocol training ensures your staff are up to date with the latest cyber security threats. It helps to keep cyber security top of mind, and reminds them about creating strong passwords, and demonstrating safe email practices.
It’s a good reminder that common sense isn’t always common sense.
Update your systems
If your operating systems and software aren’t updated, this means that they’re not patched against the latest cyber threats. This leaves them vulnerable to attack. So make sure you update your important systems and software on a regular basis.
Backup your data
If there’s one absolutely critical thing to remember, it’s that you should regularly back up your business data. This ensures you have the latest information available securely in the case of cyber attack, and you can get back up and running sooner.
We recommend having multiple backups, whether it’s on-site, external back-ups, or cloud data backups.
Ensure your business’ safety against cyber security threats with an IT risk assessment
GPK Solutions provides IT risk assessments to review the cyber security for your Adelaide business. So contact us today and we’ll help you make your business is as secure as possible.
