The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly changed people’s lives worldwide and more companies have shifted their operations to a remote setting. Most employees have adjusted to this, so much so that many workers’ productivity increased or remained the same when they work from home. But with the positive comes the negative, as cyber attackers seem to be working extra hard to find weaknesses in the systems and networks used by small and medium-sized businesses. For this reason, companies need to get reliable online brand protection to ensure operational success.
If you want to avoid troubles like social media impersonation and other cybersecurity threats, here is a checklist for you to follow:
1. Always Enable Dual-Layered Protection and Passkeys
Remember that your passwords play a huge role in keeping your digital accounts secure. If you are not careful with them, cybercriminals can easily access your accounts. This is especially evident since password-cracking is one of the skills that cybercriminals consider basic.
For this reason, you must choose strong passwords that are not predictable and always set up two-factor authentication as this helps ensure that your account won’t be breached.
2. Always Check for the Security of the Sites You Visit
With the millions of data getting exchanged every second, it’s not surprising that many of them become susceptible to malicious exploitation by cybercriminals. Most of the time, what viruses do is intercept data and divert traffic to a different website where they have malware and viruses in the form of push notifications and ads. Eventually, the bugs slow down the pages’ loading speed in a website and affect user experience.
What you can do to avoid these harmful viruses is by being vigilant when you visit websites. Stick to ones that are secure and have some anti-phishing measures in place. As much as possible, avoid browsing the Internet through public Wi-Fi connections or open-source software. Needless to say, anti-viruses and anti-malware should also be installed in the company’s systems.
On the other hand, sticking to proven trustworthy VPNs for browsing will be the best option for small businesses. There are VPNs with strict layers of encryption and highly-protected servers in today’s market that ensure security and speed.
3. Implement Regular Security Checks
It is wise to do regular security checks of the network’s security and strength to ensure that your business’s integrity is not compromised. It should be done at least quarterly, so you can detect any security lapses and find an effective solution.
4. Ensure All Your Employees and Customers Are Aware of Cybersecurity Importance
When your employees are aware of the possible threats that they could encounter while doing their tasks, they can be more careful to avoid them. They’ll also understand the importance of maintaining cybersecurity at the highest possible level. You can do this by conducting workshops and publishing content both on your company website and your employee’s handbook. Also, make sure to remind everyone to check the safety of the attachments they get in their emails before clicking them!
The number of threats to cybersecurity keeps rising as the pandemic continues and more companies bring their businesses online. There are still many businesses that are vulnerable to such threats. You want to make sure that you are not one of them, so follow the tips given above and maintain good cyber “hygiene.” This is the only way to ensure that your company remains safe and your team productive while they do remote work!
FraudWatch International can provide you with a brand protection that can protect you and your customers from phishing, malware, and identity theft. Get in touch with us today to find out how our services can help your business!