As technology evolves, so do hackers. It’s an unfortunate truth, but the number of cybercrime and hackers targeting businesses have skyrocketed. Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) are right to be worried. According to a recent report by the UK’s Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), SMEs are more likely to be targeted by cybercriminals than their large corporate counterparts.

While that’s a bummer, the good news is that you can take solid steps to protect your SME from cybercrime. Take a look at the four preventive actions to stop hackers from accessing your business data.

1. Update, update, and update

In an article from The Guardian, it is stated that “the problem with cybercrime is businesses are often using yesterday’s tools to fight tomorrow’s threats.” To overcome this issue, make sure all your company computers, laptops, and connected devices are up-to-date, particularly your antivirus protection. Similarly, every piece of software or application should be updated with the latest patch, which guards against the most recent vulnerabilities.

2. Limit access

Create an additional layer of security by giving your employees and coworkers only the information they need, not complete access to company data and documents. In no way does this compromise the culture of trust in a company, but simply the fact that the fewer people with access to sensitive data, the smaller the chances of falling victim to hacking attacks.

3. Pay attention to your data storage

Where do you store all your documents and data? If you use cloud-based service providers, make sure they are credible. On the other hand, keep your servers regularly patched and updated. More importantly, consider implementing safeguards against distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks.

A DDoS attack consists of hundreds to thousands of connections being made to your systems at the same time, causing them to become overwhelmed and unusable. If that happens, it can lead to a significant loss as your website may be forced offline.

4. Encrypt sensitive data

Your sensitive data has to be protected with strong passwords. Be as complex as possible. Include letters, numbers, and symbols. Even then there are still more you can do to protect sensitive data. Encrypt sensitive data, whether on laptops, tablets, or smartphones. Encryption will ensure that no one can see the data except its intended recipient, making it very hard for hackers to access them.

The above are simple steps to protect your SME from cybercrimes. Keep your antivirus constantly updates and add additional layers of security such as encryption. Cybersecurity is every company member’s responsibility, not just the IT department.

Read more on other elements that build solid SMEs and companies, such as productivity, networking, and improving business health.

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