Many small businesses are now choosing to set up a home office and work from home. While this often saves time and money, if proper security measures are not put in place, it can open up the business to certain security risks.
Security is a concern for businesses of all sizes, with small businesses a prime target to hackers and data leaks. Addressing security should be something that every business should have on their radar. By investing time and money to ensure that your business is safe, you will not only build trust in your clients, improve your reputation but also have peace of mind knowing your business is secure.
Here are 4 office security solutions that all small businesses should have.
1. Secure Your Physical Office Space.
Most people see virtual security as the only threat to their business, although, in reality, physical security is just as important. Offices often contain expensive equipment, physical files and documents containing sensitive client information. If lost, damaged or stolen, it can have massive consequences. By not keeping your data secure you run the risk of damaging your businesses productivity, as well as its reputation.
Installing a smart security system can help to protect your home office from a multitude of threats, including, burglary, intrusion, property theft, and vandalism, as well as natural threats such as a house fire or flood.
You will find a home alarm system from Vivint, protects your business from external threats, giving you and your clients peace of mind.
2. Keep Work Devices and Personal Devices Separate.
Treat the equipment that you use for work as separate to those that you use for personal use, this includes keeping it away from family members. The programs and websites that you might search in your spare time, may open you up to certain risks. Think of your laptop and mobile devices as work only assets, it will make it far easier to control access to sensitive data and monitor where any security breaches might occur.
3. Invest in Quality Cybersecurity.
Cybersecurity is no joke. When you have any type of web-based infrastructure you are at risk for a cyber attack. Ensuring that you have the proper measures in place to protect your businesses information and your client’s information is vital. While we usually only hear about the attacks on big multinational corporations, small businesses are also targeted by hackers, sometimes they are even more at risk as they do not have the complex infrastructure that larger corporations can afford. Making sure that you have the proper software, secure passwords, a secure network, VPN access and anti-viral software, will ensure that you are safe from hacker and data breaches.
4. Always Have a Backup.
While these days most things are backed up on the cloud, having multiple backup options will save you a headache if something goes wrong such as connectivity or server failure. Not to mention, there is also the threat of ransomware, if a hacker puts a virus on your computer that encrypts your data, it can become useless. Having a backup will ensure that you can pick up where you left off without losing too much time and money. Consider also having physical hardware back up and keep this safely in a separate location. This will put you in a better position in case something goes wrong.
While these 4 measures will certainly help you to improve the security of your business, it is also important to educate yourself and any of your employees. Knowing what the risks are and how to best protect your data will help you to minimise risks. Keeping your business running safely and securely.
