If you ever get discouraged and think no one is paying attention to your small business, take note: Cybercriminals are! While not the kind of attention you want, it’s something you cannot afford to ignore. In fact, letting your guard down is precisely what those cyberfiends are counting on, knowing that smaller businesses typically don’t have the resources for the same robust protection that large companies can afford. Even so, there are affordable measures and practical steps you can take to protect your site.
While your website has your attention, it may be time to refresh its look and performance. Like security, those services won’t break the bank – at least not when you use a website design company like Easy-Click Web Design that caters to small businesses. Make this the time that you tend to your website’s critical functions and needs.
Start with the people problems
Your website’s best protection begins with your employees. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recommends that small business staff members receive regular security training so that they are up to date on the latest threats and security protocols. Require security measures like strong passwords and two-step authentication for your site, and be firm about enforcing your basic security requirements, including imposing penalties if they don’t follow them. Passwords should not be shared or displayed in public view in the office under any circumstances.
One of your largest threats comes from email phishing. Cybercriminals are getting increasingly clever in finding ways to convince unsuspecting recipients that their emails are legitimate, purportedly coming from reputable companies, such as your vendors, customers, and suppliers, or even friends and family. It’s important that your employees never click on links that come from outside your organization. Your employee security awareness training will also help your employees look for telltale signs of phishing.
Basic technology measures
Every small business should be protected by
basic website security measures such as a firewall, malware scanning and removal software, and virus protection. It’s a common misperception that your website host provides your site with adequate protection; they secure the server and while important, it’s not enough to protect your site from malicious actors.
Once you have your website up and your security software enabled, however, you can’t just sit back and relax. You need to be alert for any security updates, like “patches” your website security provider issues. This updates your security software so that it protects you against the latest threats, as cybercriminals are continually devising new ways to try to penetrate websites. Even website plugins that you have installed, such as those your website builder may have used to embed videos, need to be updated.
If this all seems overwhelming, remember that’s what experts are for! Considering what you have to lose in the event of a website security breach, investing in a developer who can help protect your site and your business is a worthy investment. You don’t need to hire one full-time; look online for a freelancer with good reviews and competitive rates. For example, you can hire a WordPress developer on a project basis for far less than a full-time WordPress developer salary. In addition to customer reviews and cost, check each freelancer’s typical delivery time to complete jobs similar to your request.
Think big when it comes to security
When cybercriminals knock on the door of your small business website, make sure your “unwelcome mat” is out! Your attention to your website security is going to pay off and demonstrate to them that small business owners who think big in terms of security are no longer easy marks for their criminal activity. They have no scruples when it comes to attacking hard-working small businesses, and you can’t afford to make it easy for them with lax website security measures. And remember, whether it’s for a graphics refresh or a complete overall, a professional website design from Easy-Click Web Design will also have your small business “thinking big!”
