With many employees forced to work remotely due to the COVID-19 lockdown, businesses are now more vulnerable to attacks from hackers than ever. Employee negligence remains a huge threat to business security. However, the risk can be addressed easily with the right mindset, digital tools, and mandatory protection training.
To protect your business from cybercriminal attacks, consider these common mistakes your members of staff may be making:
1. Using weak passwords
When it comes to protecting your business accounts and customer data, passwords play the most crucial role. Unfortunately, staff members struggle to create strong passwords and yet they forget them often. No wonder they resort to using the same password for different accounts. Weak and reused passwords are easy to hack. The best solution is to train your employees to change passwords frequently, use password managers, and avoid sharing passwords.
2. Sharing encrypted files
Cybercrimes such as hacking, identity theft, phishing, and online scams can easily affect your business if your employees are not very conscious about security when handling documents or data. Encrypting files is the most secure thing to do when storing and sharing files. For instance, using easy-to-use encryption software like Nordlocker helps to add an extra layer of security that protects your computer systems further. If hackers succeed to breach such a system, they will only find undecipherable code.
3. Connecting to unsecured networks
Most businesses use Wi-Fi. Though it makes mobility within the office much easier, Wi-Fi can be the reason your business computers are vulnerable to hacker attacks. To be safe, use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). It is the best tool for secure remote connection as it creates a secure encrypted tunnel, protecting your business’ connection from cybercriminals. Besides, ensuring that software is updated regularly is fundamental.
4. Falling for phishing scams
Hackers use phishing
to trick employees into giving them access to sensitive information on your
business computers. They create fake emails that appear like those of business
owners, managers, or Microsoft representatives. A single click or download is
enough to compromise an entire business system. The only remedy against
phishing is for your employees to learn how to avoid it.
Ensuring that your staff members are trained on how to avoid hacker attacks,
identity theft and online scams is fundamental for the security of your
business data.
