Helping SMBs take definite steps to face security threats

It’s not always easy for a business to survive in a cutthroat market, especially one that is going through an economic downturn. Therefore, when already hard on cash, and striving to maintain revenues and profits, the last thing that a business wants to worry about is security issues. It is therefore imperative that one safeguards their business to prevent any security attacks.

There are numerous security vulnerabilities that can threaten a business and which can have a devastating effect, and even cripple an organization, if they are allowed to take over. Implementing security solutions to protect your business against security threats should be as common an issue as locking the door when you leave the building for the day, but for many it isn’t. Physically securing your office helps to keep thieves at bay, but there are other thieves out there who pose a threat to your network, regardless of whether your front door is locked or not.

Anti-spam, anti-virus, endpoint security, email security, web monitoring – there are plenty of options available to ensure that your business is protected and less prone to threats and attacks. The more security you invest in, the lesser the risk of losing your data or your network being exposed to viruses. It’s like the difference between either having a simple password that’s easy to guess e.g. ‘password’ and which will allow someone to access all your files, or choosing a password that’s alpha-numerical and lengthy e.g. Pt89o6u17za which requires a lot more time and resources  to crack. The more effort you put into security, the more you benefit.

Unfortunately the benefits are not always evident to businesses that – having never suffered a security breach – are unaware of the risks and escalated costs that are involved should such an event happen. By then though, it’s too late, and although security measures can be put into place to prevent an attack from happening again, the initial damage is done. The old adage ‘prevention is better than cure’ rings true in this case.

Often it’s the financial aspect that deters companies from implementing security software. The initial cost can be overwhelming especially for a small or medium-sized business but there are affordable solutions out there that are targeted toward the SMB market. Introducing security solutions onto your company network will ensure safety for your business but also for your employees. Also, once there are certain security measures in place, it’s advisable to implement a security awareness program where employees are made aware of the threats and risks posed by their online activities. If people know that their actions could lead to a loss of work then they would be less inclined to perform such actions, even more so if they know that there is software that can track their activities. An internet security policy should be drawn up and enforced in every business and all employees should be held accountable for their online activities when they affect business.

In our white paper, ‘Security Threats: A Guide for Small and Medium Businesses‘, we cover the security threats that could affect businesses, from phishing attacks to unprotected server rooms and discuss how to adequately prepare in order to prevent a security attack. All businesses need to be aware of the potential virtual threats that are out there and need to take the necessary measures to prevent these threats from attacking their business and causing damage that could cripple the organization.