It may seem like you have a strong password on your company email address and that you take precautions to keep your anti-virus software up to date, but these steps alone may not be enough to prevent a harmful loss of information. Threats exist to business continuity both online and off, and if even one facet of a security web isn't up to par the whole system could be at risk. Creating a sound financial plan shouldn't stop with buying a subscription to an online firewall vendor. Businesses need to be proactive to stay ahead of the curve.
Offline data protection
Having a third-party or other backup of information somewhere inaccessible to Internet sources is probably one of the best plans out there. Seeing as even disconnected PCs are still susceptible to certain virulent viruses like Flame, reports Forbes, it's essential to come up with a storage solution that doesn't incorporate digitized files or cloud folders. Malware like this is getting smarter all the time in order to maximize the amount of damage it can inflict and profit it can earn its creator, so businesses need to be sure their information is archived and managed somewhere away from online access.
Online precautions
Most people are more aware with threats to online banking and mobile banking platforms that try to access account information and steal directly from companies. Whether it's liquid assets or other records, these files should be protected with savvy safety steps as well as secure password. Updating these credentials should occur regularly and passwords shouldn't repeat between websites, the Washington Post recommended. It also said in an article that careful sharing and linking should be practiced on every device used for business purposes, even if only occasionally, as inviting a virus into the workplace could result in a data disaster.
Client solutions
Knowing your vendors is important for inventory and other supplies in-store, so staying in contact with the companies facilitating internet and security usage should also be a priority. Not only should you get familiar with who offers your services to you in order to verify emails and requests for information, you should also pay attention to verification certificates in-browser. These will usually show up in the address bar next to the URL.
Some browsers will immediately identify questionable links and block users from viewing them. If you ever see one of these messages, avoid the site completely, and if you think an account may be at risk, contact the vendor for support.