What Kind of Data Security Measures Should Small Businesses Have?

What Kind of Data Security Measures Should Small Businesses Have?

These days, small business owners have to be extremely mindful of the ways in which the sensitive data for themselves, their employees, and their customers are protected, but the fact of the matter is that many entrepreneurs may not know which methods are the best.

One of the simplest ways to do this is by investing a relatively small amount of money in a comprehensive IT protection program that includes features like anti-virus and firewall software, according to a report from Firmology. Often, these offerings are “all-in-one” programs that do everything companies might need to protect themselves from hacking attacks and other issues that can arise as a result of targeted attempts to compromise their systems.

Obviously, the ways in which these attacks can take place varies, and shopping around, comparing features, cost, and so on to determine exactly which type of offering will work best for each company, the report said. For instance, some might only have need for low-level and unobtrusive protection programs such as the ever-popular BitDefender. For something a little more heavy-duty – perhaps to be used by companies protecting a larger amount of sensitive data – the Kaspersky malware protection program might be best. Others might want to rely upon those designed especially for small businesses, such as G Data, which therefore has a number of features that entrepreneurs might find particularly useful.

More than just installing a program and waiting
Of course, when it comes to protection, anti-virus or firewall software is often better used as a last line of defense, the report said. The risk of having a piece of malware getting through the system is one most businesses can’t afford to take, and thus investing in one of these programs should be supplemented by education efforts. Talking to employees about the ways they can properly detect an attack website or email containing a potentially problematic attachment can go a long way toward increasing a company’s protection.

Many owners might want to also take the time to look for new small business insurance options that can help them to protect their companies financially. Searching around for affordable tech insurance coverage can go a long way to reducing costs in the event of a data breach. These incidents typically carry price tags that can stretch into the tens of thousands of dollars or more, and having the ability to defray those costs can be extremely helpful.