Is Your Business Prepared For The Potential Security Threats of 2014?

Your business could face a variety of security threats in 2014 as cyber-attacks become more innovative and sophisticated. As a business owner, you must improve your security to prepare for the potential security threats of 2014:

• BYOD

The BYOD trend is increasingly common in today’s workplace. Businesses of all sizes will face both internal and external security threats. For example, mismanagement of mobile devices, software vulnerabilities, poorly tested deployment, and unreliable business applications are a few of the internal and external security threats to look out for. If you allow BYOD in the workplace, ensure your BYOD policy is well structured and enforced.

• The Cloud

Cloud computing offers many benefits for your business, however, there are a few important things to consider when you’re moving sensitive data to the cloud. First, ensure an adequate level of protection exists for all your data and files. Plus, ensure you meet regulatory requirements for protecting and backing up personally identifiable information (Pill), otherwise you could face steep penalties.

• Cybercrime

Cybercrime is increasing. Cybercriminals are motivated to make money, cause disruptions, and even bring down corporations and governments through online attacks. You should be prepared for potential cybercrime attacks.

• What are your security policies?
• Are they well defined and enforced?
• Do all of your employees understand the most common hacking techniques, including phishing, social engineering, and packet sniffing?

It’s important for your employees to know the answers to these questions.

Discuss the security of your IT assets with an IT provider. Is all your software up to date? Is up-to-date business-class antivirus software installed on your system?  Cryptolocker, a recent and disastrous form of ransomware, proves the importance of having reliable backups of all your critical data.

• Reputational Damage

In a web-connected world, bad news travels incredibly fast. Many business owners don’t realize the potential reputational damage unmonitored social media can cause. It’s important to educate your employees on the proper use of social media. For example, responding negatively or deleting customer concerns on social media can have negative consequences for your business. You should have a policy in place to address them instead.  In addition, your reputation can be affected by data loss. If you fail to secure and backup confidential data, your business continuity is affected and customers may complain on social media.

It’s critical to prepare your business for the potential and increasing security threats listed above. To learn how to safeguard your IT system and ensure your business is protected, give us a call at (613) 828-1384 or send us an email: info@fuellednetworks.com.