Cyber security is a pressing concern for all companies. Web attacks are becoming more common, and they target businesses of all sizes. Computer security systems can prevent a lot of this from happening. However, many business security breaches come at the hands of employees.
Studies have shown that employees account for 60% of business cyber attacks. In some cases, disgruntled staff may give away valuable info to rival companies. But sometimes loyal workers can compromise your security by simple human error. Here’s how you can stop employees from causing damage to your business.
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Encourage Strong Passwords
Many businesses use email and content management systems where all employees have their own accounts. That way, everyone can access their work and receive important business communications easily. The problem is one weak password can cause a lot of damage.
A dedicated hacker can break into an account with a weak password in a matter of minutes. If one gets access to one of your staff’s email accounts, they may be privy to sensitive information. They may even be able to deface your company website.
Make sure all employees create strong passwords. The longer the better, and a mix of uppercase letters, numbers, and lowercase letters make for the best ones. Your workers should also know never to give their passwords out to anyone else.
Give Them Adequate Training
In a lot of cases, employees breach your cyber security because they don’t know better. Many people aren’t in the know when it comes to computer safety. Additionally, many web attacks targeted at businesses are advanced and designed to catch people off guard.
The best approach to take is to educate your staff. Your employees might benefit from security awareness training. When people know what to look out for, they’re much less likely to be tricked by a cyber attack.
It’s worth giving all your workers training when it comes to cyber security. One employee who doesn’t know what to be aware of can end up causing a lot of damage accidentally.
Limit Access
A good way to prevent employees from giving out valuable data is to limit what they have access to. When it comes to files workers don’t need to access, make sure they aren’t able to see them at all.
A network administrator or I.T. expert can help you with this. Make sure employee accounts on your system only have access to what they need.
You might also want to limit access from outside devices. Some companies use remote-access software for people to access business files from home. While this can be helpful, it can also be dangerous.
Put Rules In Place
It’s worth putting forward specific rules and protocols for maximum security. Something as simple as telling employees to remember to log off when they aren’t using their computer can help.
You might also want to ensure employees don’t save anything sensitive on a USB drive or phone. These can easily be lost, and you might not want outside sources to see certain information. You could also instruct employees to use encrypted messaging programs for greater safety.
It’s worth including confidentiality agreements in employee contracts. It can prevent cases of employees giving out sensitive business information.
