Every business owner should make both online and physical security part of their business plan. As well as overheads and profit, keeping the very integrity of your institution safe should be a high priority. You can achieve this in several ways, regardless of what your company looks like. Whether you’re a corporate office, a market stall, or a building site, good security can always be practiced in a multitude of ways.
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Practice cybersecurity
Nowadays, almost all businesses will need to at least partially exist online. Practicing up-to-date cybersecurity could protect your business from fraud, hackers, and viruses. It’s hard to feel the impending threat of cybercriminals as they ostensibly appear out of the blue. However, they often have the opportunity to breach online systems as a result of weak cybersecurity. Below are a number of ways to improve your approach to preventing cybercriminals’ access to your network:
- Start with the server: It’s a good idea to view this as the hub of all your company’s information. Therefore, you should protect it with a strong fortress of cybersecurity. Installing a firewall is the first course of action you should take. If you don’t believe you have the relevant expertise to do this, you should hire an IT technician to recommend the best firewall provider and safely install it.
- Backup: Make sure your company’s information is being regularly backed-up. If your best cybersecurity efforts fail, you don’t want to suffer a time (or maybe even financial) loss as a result of losing vast chunks of your company data.
- Anti-malware software: It seems so basic, and yet forgetting to download this onto your company devices could be detrimental to your business’ online safety. Even something as small as an email attachment could bring in a virus. Anti-malware software will scan your emails and flag any potentially dangerous attachments to spare you the trouble of removing the virus later.
- Regular password changes: Of course, a strong, complex password is the secret to secure online accounts. However, to keep cyber criminals on their toes, it’s a good idea to change these frequently. Ask your computer engineers to set up a prompt from your network to change your passwords regularly.
Research your business location
If you are planning on moving the location of your business, or are looking for a physical destination, do your research first. If you are planning to set up a big, glossy studio full of expensive equipment, you might be advised not to set up in an area that is prone to break-ins and burglary. Losing your equipment in the first year of trading could be a heartbreaking loss.
Comprehensive physical security
Modern locks, CCTV cameras, and a secure protocol for entering and exiting the building should be part of your security strategy. Having insurance to cover the cost of any losses is an essential back-up, but preventing theft in the first place should be your priority. If we go back a few decades, physical security was the first priority, but now it should be in equal position with your cybersecurity strategy.
I’m an outdoor business: is it possible to be secure?
The answer is of course, yes. For all of your internal business, you should, of course, follow the cybersecurity as mentioned above best practices. However, if your business operates on a building site, there are still ways of keeping it secure. Construction site security, for example, is just as important as covering an office building with a security guard. That’s why you can invest in wireless security alarm systems to keep your outdoor sites safe and secure from theft.
Have a plan
Realistically, what would your business do in the event of a fire? What happens if you suffer an irretrievable data loss? Knowing the answers to these questions will prevent you from buckling under the pressure of the real event, should it happen. It may seem like an unproductive use of your time, but it is important to draft a plan of action for the worst-case scenario.
Also Read
One primary consideration for your overall security strategy should be how you educate your employees. If one of your employees were to breach your security policy, could you realistically place them at the foot of the blame? Keeping everyone up-to-date with your physical and online protocol and how to uphold it is one of the best ways of keeping your company secure both on and offline.