David Friedland
Now more than ever, any startup business should know that cybersecurity threats are a big danger. Big companies have lost millions of dollars due to hackers, and unfortunately, startup companies don’t get any slack.
In fact, it’s much easier for cybercriminals to hack into startups since their cybersecurity is generally weaker. Since the financial damages aren’t as big as those of big companies, they also get away with it easier.
Why is it Important To Focus on Security While Creating A New Business?
Startup companies need to understand that their online security can make or break them at any given point. If customers see that your website isn’t secure, they won’t risk sending in their details to place orders, for example.
New businesses also need to invest in cybersecurity, as even one data breach might be enough for the business to fail. Losing valuable data can easily put you out of business at a quick pace.
How to Do It?
New companies have to invest in their online security by using specialized software and following common cybersecurity practices. Here are some of them:
Hire a Professional
There’s a lot to handle in a startup. In today’s world, cybersecurity can not be treated as a side issue and should have a dedicated team or team member creating processes and staying on top of the latest threats and trends. Hiring a Director of Security or similar position will give the very real threat that cybersecurity poses the attention and dedication your startup deserves.
Strong Passwords
All startups should use strong passwords that include numbers and symbols. To avoid forgetting them, you can install a password manager with its own security tools. Two-factor identification is also ideal for keeping your data secure.
Use Antivirus
New companies shouldn’t cut slack when it comes to antiviruses. These tools specialize in detecting malware that can steal, modify, or delete your information. They can prevent this and alert you of any potential weaknesses in your security.
Backup Files
Startups should backup their files as a safety plan if something goes wrong. By backing up your data, hackers won’t use ransomware against you. Ransomware is a virus that can encrypt your files and folders, holding them hostage until you pay a certain sum to the cybercriminal. Even if you pay, there is no guarantee you will get your data back.
Use a VPN
With a VPN, startup companies can encrypt their online data and virtually become anonymous on the web. Their employees can work safely, even from home or with public WiFis. More than this, a VPN allows you to change your geo-location.
With this feature, employees who travel or work for you from different countries can access geo-restricted content from anywhere. Apart from this, you can use other geo locations to perform research on the marketplace and grow your business even further.
The fastest VPN providers will grant you various geo-location servers readily available. This won’t affect your internet speed, and it will allow you to work safely from anywhere, with good speed as well.
Train Your Employees
Startup companies should train their employees in common cybersecurity practices. Employees must be aware of common scams, how viruses work, what they can do, and what to do in case of infestation.
Otherwise, employees who aren’t aware of such things can create gateways to your data and worsen the situation.
What to Lookout For
Many online threats follow the same recipe simply because they repeatedly work due to the public’s unawareness. Here are some things to look out for:
Phishing
Hackers can impersonate people with higher authority in your company and give orders to regular employees. You can avoid this by making your employees learn your company policy or applying other safety measures.
Suspicious Links
Another favorite tactic of cybercriminals comes in the form of links. Employees should be aware that it takes only one person in their friend list or a teammate to get infected by clicking on a suspicious link.
Once this occurs, the virus will take control of the user’s chat boxes and send the same link to others. The virus will slowly infest all your network and, depending on its programming, can severely affect your company.
Pirating
Suspicious links aren’t the only thing to look for. Just one employee has to pirate a movie, for example, to get dangerous malware that can enter your database. Your employees should avoid pirating on the internet altogether or downloading suspicious apps.
Outdated Firmware/Software
A good cybersecurity practice is to keep everything updated. Any app that falls behind with updates can become a potential backdoor to hackers.
