As a business owner, you should be doing as much as possible to minimize your computer network’s exposure to hackers. It is essential to get as much protection as possible to stop exposure to hackers. Here are a few common mistakes business owners make that could create that exposure.
- Not updating your antivirus software
Be aware…hackers are always improving their skills and software. This is why antivirus software is updated on a regular basis to keep up with these changes. If you don’t update your software, you will be exposed to the newest hacker software and malware, which may put at risk the confidential information of your clients and your company. In short, even the best antivirus software will eventually it’ll be hacked.
- Untrained IT personnel handling security
Juggling financial resources is always a concern for business owners. Some will try to hire less experienced people to handle the computer and internet security of their business. It might let you save money, but it won’t protect you.
Inexperienced and/or untrained IT people will not know what they need to install and what to look for when checking the systems for hackings. This can put your business at risk. It might be worth it to spend more money to hire trained IT personnel to handle your security for your peace of mind.
- Not using strong enough passwords
Simply stated, easy passwords are easily hacked! Remember, if you can remember it so easily, then it might be just as easy for a hacker to unravel. We need to make sure that we are using strong passwords on our systems, especially on business systems.
There is software available these days to assist you in creating and remembering strong passwords while keeping it secure. One thing is for sure, you don’t want to give easy access to your system to hackers.
- Forgetting to backup on a regular basis
Although we do all we can to minimize a hacker’s attempts to access our computer system, their new techniques may still allow them to break in. If this happens, you will need to reset your system to remove the corrupting virus or malicious software. This isn’t the main problem. Your primary concern is how to retain the data and time lost in the reset. This is why a backup is necessary. Making regular backups on a daily basis (or more often) creates a safety that allows you to restore the majority of lost files if a hacker gains access.
These are all errors that business owners are making when it comes to hackers and the lack of security to their businesses. If you are ensuring that your systems are up to date and that you have strong passwords, the risk of getting hacked is low and you will be able to do normal business without any problems.
