Proactive Cybersecurity: What Small Businesses Can Actually Do To Stay Safe

Taking a reactive approach with your business’ cybersecurity means you’re always trying to catch up to all the breaches and attacks. While no strategy can 100% save from having to take such an approach at one point, it can get pretty hectic if you’re constantly busy trying to handle damage control

With a proactive approach, you can address certain breaches in cybersecurity before they happen, and protect your company’s assets.

Here are the steps you should be taking for a proactive cybersecurity approach:

1. Start with a Risk Assessment
   Before you know how you can improve your cybersecurity practices, you need to know what you’re doing wrong. An IT risk assessment can help you identify your weak points which could lead to a data leak or an attack in the future.

2. Outsource Your Cybersecurity Needs
   If you already have an IT department tasked with ensuring your operations run smoothly, assisting them with the cybersecurity needs can lead to improper management of these practices.

   Cybersecurity threats are diverse, and you need someone who can monitor potential threats in time to take the necessary actions to prevent damages. This can be too high a demand for an internal IT department staff, and it is much more effective if you bring someone from the outside who can closely overlook your company’s cybersecurity needs.

3. Employee Training
   A lot of data breaches occur because of human error. Especially if you have a complex operation that requires several digital tools to navigate, you are increasing your risk of a breach simply because not everyone on your staff knows how to effectively use these tools.

   From setting a strong password to preventing them from accessing sensitive information through their personal devices, employee cybersecurity training can tackle a lot of areas in your digital safety.

4. Get the Right Tools
   If your company relies on digital tools to carry out its operations, it’s very important to make sure you’re using the right ones and keeping them upgraded. An out-of-date software or one that wasn’t designed in the first place with data protection in mind leaves your company vulnerable.

Contact West County Computers

We can help you take a protective approach and protect your business from cybersecurity threats. Contact us online or call West County Computers at 707-360-8652 for a consultation.

To get a sense of your current approach, get a free IT risk assessment here.