8 Best Practices to Enhance the Digital Security of Your Business

Technology has evolved so much and so are cyber security threats. At present, businesses are vulnerable to various cybersecurity threats, such as hacking, stolen data, ransomware, phishing, and the list goes on.  

According to Statista, 75% of US businesses became the targets of various cyber-attacks. Organizations are losing billions of dollars due to cyber-attacks every year and even a small data breach costs them millions.  

In this age where everything is going digital, it has become a priority for companies to secure their business and ensure the safety of customer data. Let’s have a quick look at the best practices that improve the digital security of businesses.

Brief Overview of Digital Security  

In simple terms, digital security means keeping your assets, identity, and data safe from various cyber threats. Digital security prevents destruction of data, restricts unauthorized access, and ensures protection against cyber-attacks. So, biometric system, two-factor authentication, antivirus software, and password managers all come under digital security.  

Here are a few reasons that highlight the importance of digital security:  

• With digital security controls, identity theft can be prevented as they keep contact info, addresses, social security numbers, and other private data safe.  

• Digital security can safeguard businesses’ sensitive and confidential data like tenders, trade secrets, etc.  

• Encrypting data and communications can ensure customer and employee privacy.  

• Digital security practices can keep the company’s IT systems and networks safe from viruses, malware, phishing attacks, and more.

Top 8 Practices to Enhance Digital Security of a Business  

In order to thrive well, keep their digital assets safe, and not lose a hefty sum of money, businesses must invest in digital security. We have listed some of the best digital security practices below:  

1. Find digital vulnerabilities 

The first thing every business should do is find their digital vulnerabilities as they give easy way to cyber-attacks. From outdated software, misconfigurations, poor network security, weak passwords, and bugs to broken access controls, there are different types of vulnerabilities.   

In order to find security vulnerabilities, businesses should audit all their digital assets (OS and software inventory should be updated). Once auditing is done, businesses should conduct penetration tests, which will help them find security gaps and entry points for various kinds of cyber threats. The final step is to conduct a vulnerability assessment to find, categorize, and prioritize the vulnerabilities.

2. Security awareness training 

Chief cybersecurity officers believe that security awareness training for employees is the best way to enhance digital security of a business. According to research conducted by Verizon, close to 82% of data leaks were the result of employees opening harmful documents, links, etc. That is why educating employees about safe digital practices is relatively important.   

Employees should be taught not to open malicious attachments or respond to unauthorized emails with company credentials. Also, no confidential data should be shared via emails without permission from higher management. 

Companies should encourage employees to put unique passwords to their work emails, set up multi-factor authentication, and use credible password managers if required.

3. SSL certificate 

If you think HTTP is sufficient to keep your website safe from cyber criminals, you are definitely wrong. Install an SSL certificate and get HTTPS to protect your site from hackers. There are many benefits of installing an SSL certificate, such as:  

• Keeps browser connections secure  

• Adds an extra layer of protection against digital threats  

• Ensures safe data transfer between the user and the site  

• Provides secure connection between client and web servers  

• Enhances users’ trust on your company and website

4. Backup and store the data

There are many companies, especially small businesses, that lost data because they failed to back it up which was stolen by hackers. That is why it is recommended to have different backup methods. For instance, you can back up your data on a daily basis to an external drive and choose monthly, quarterly, bi-annually, or yearly back up methods to be on the safe side.  

Another best way to secure your business is to store the backup data on encrypted cloud storage solutions. They are quickly accessible, can be shared easily, and are affordable. After backing up the data, you should check if it is accessible and learn about the different ways to restore it.

5. Secure Wi-Fi networks 

There is a high risk that your business assets might be hacked or stolen if your Wi-Fi network is not secure. In order to secure Wi-Fi networks, companies should use unique, complex passwords and turn on encryption. It is best to disable Wi-Fi Protected Setup, UPnp, and other features that have the capacity to easily dodge firewall protection.  

Companies should turn off remote access and change or hide their SSID, so cyber criminals cannot access it. It is important to ensure that the firmware of the router is updated, and the firewall should always be turned on.  

Businesses should have separate guest work which can be given to visitors when conducting hiring tests, reducing the risk of them accessing the company’s internal network.

6. Manage access control 

Another best digital security practice is managing access controls of employees’ systems. Employees should be given limited access, so that they can use only the resources that are essential for their work. Even if the employee accidentally opened phishing links or attachments, not much damage will be done. This way, businesses can eliminate the risk of hackers accessing sensitive data or digital assets.

7. Delete unused accounts and redundant data 

Here comes one of the most neglected problems: leaving redundant data and unused accounts. It is relatively easy for cyber criminals to gain access to your IT and network systems through unused accounts, which is why companies should remove former employee accounts or any other inactive accounts.

The same goes for redundant data. When duplicate data is stored on open servers and not deleted, hackers can steal it, leading to data breaches. If data is sensitive, such as finance or healthcare related, the privacy of your employees or customers is at risk.

8. Perform security audits regularly 

The last but vital digital security practice is to conduct security audits on a regular basis. When security assessments are performed occasionally on your business IT network and infrastructure, there is a great chance of finding new threats and security vulnerabilities. Based on these findings, proper measures should be taken to reduce the risk of cyber-attacks.

Wrapping Up   

The digital world is increasing, giving rise to even more cybersecurity threats. It can be hard to predict when your business will become a victim of cyber threats, so enhancing digital security is the best way to keep your company safe and secure. Compared to industry giants, small businesses are at a high risk of cyber threats. Thus, it is recommended to follow the above-mentioned practices to ensure better digital security for your business.