How to Protect Digital Business from Hackers

Harold Kilpatrick, Chief Marketing Officer at PR Consultancy

We live in a world where anyone can start a digital business using nothing but a laptop and internet connection. This level of accessibility has paved the way for millions of people to achieve financial freedom and live the life of their dreams. But, at what cost?

Undoubtedly, the internet has given us opportunities that we never thought possible. However, there is a certain level of risk involved with running a digital business or using digital resources to manage businesses in general.

The added risk of security threats is getting more common these days. Running a business online includes storing and accessing sensitive information daily. This information is exposed to security threats and potential attacks 24 hours every day.

To make matters even worse, the security risks affecting digital businesses can come from outside and inside. In other words, human error or disloyal employees are often the cause of such attacks, which can end up costing thousands of dollars to reverse.

Here are 5 ways to protect digital businesses from hackers and ensure that your data is as safe as it can be online.

#1 Communicate with your team

Let’s address the elephant in the room first – yes, your employees could be the reason your company's data is at risk. With that in mind, you should communicate with your team regularly to ensure that they know the potential security risks involved with accessing sensitive data online.

Consider setting up a training system to ensure your employees are familiar with the procedures when it comes to preventing or dealing with security attacks. Most importantly, educate your team on the best security practices that should be implemented daily to reduce the risk.

#2 Keep your login data up to date

You’ve probably heard this a million times – you should never use the same password twice. While that is true, there’s more to maintaining password security than ensuring you’re using different passwords for every platform and software connected to the internet. For instance, you should update your passwords regularly, at least once a year or preferably every 6 months.

Consider using a password management tool to make it easier to access your accounts safely without memorizing a dozen different passwords. Another thing you can do to strengthen your security gateways is to set up multi-factor authentication to make it more difficult for hackers to breach your account.

#3 Use a VPN

One of the best ways to secure your data online is to use a VPN. VPN meaning is quite simple to understand: it is a virtual private network that encrypts all your incoming and outgoing data on the internet. A VPN will undoubtedly add more security to your digital business.

The way a VPN works is simple – it sends your traffic to a remote, encrypted router, thus changing your virtual location and making you appear anonymous on the web. There are plenty of other benefits to using a VPN, although security is the most important one.

#4 Control Employee Access

Although you are educating your employees on maintaining security within your network best, there will always be room for human error. One way to minimize this is to control employee access by restricting individuals' access to areas of the network that are not crucial for their work.

For instance, not every employee needs access to all the sensitive data, drives, and folders. By simply restricting this access and making sure only trusted individuals get to use the most sensitive files, you will significantly reduce the risk of a security breach caused by human error.

#5 Keep your systems up to date

Last but not least, you’d be surprised how something as simple as updating software can make a big difference in security. Keeping your systems updated will make it more difficult for hackers to carry out their malicious agenda.

Namely, each new software update brings security fixes that make your security system more efficient. Not updating your devices and software regularly means you’re leaving room for error.

Start Protecting your Digital Business Today

Being proactive regarding security measures is the best way to keep your digital business safe these days. Don’t wait for a data breach to happen. Start working on improving your security system to prevent a disaster altogether.

You’d be surprised how big of a difference daily safety measures can make when staying off the hackers’ radar. Speaking of staying off the radar, don’t forget to set up a VPN to ensure your data is encrypted online.