Millions of dollars are lost by businesses to cyberattacks each year. While it’s an ever-evolving threat, your business can deal with a data breach to limit losses. Cybersecurity measures can help protect your business to avoid a data breach and recover after such an event or from other issues that cause devastating downtime, like natural disasters, hardware failure, and the element of human error.
You need a fluid and comprehensive strategy that can protect your systems from a cyber breach and includes a network recovery plan to avoid data loss. Here is where you can start.
Limit Exposure to Cybersecurity Threats
Businesses small and large count on the security measures like antivirus programs, email spam filters, VPNs, firewalls, password managers, and more. But these measures are only as good as their updates, so they do require attention from time to time to ensure they can protect against the latest cyber threats.
This also includes making sure everyone employed by your business is aware of how to use these security measures and knows how to maintain them for the most robust security possible. Just one missed opportunity to update can leave the door open for a hacker to take advantage of.
Establish a Disaster Recovery Plan
No matter how good your cybersecurity systems are or how well they are maintained, it’s still only a matter of time before your business suffers from data loss in one form or another. You could have a system failure or someone may accidentally enter the wrong command leading to data being erased. Before events like these occur, develop a plan for data recovery and make sure it’s followed.
A good plan can start with keeping your systems up to date, but it must go further to reduce the risks of data loss. You can incorporate things like:
– The 3-2-1 Rule – Establish 3 copies of your data. Store those copies on 2 different media, and make sure 1 copy is stored off-site. By keeping a copy offline entirely, where others may be stored onsite or in the cloud, you can access your data at all times.
– Develop Daily Procedures and Ensure They Are Followed – Security and backup protocols are put in place for protection but if they are neglected through forgetfulness, distraction, or lack of a sense of urgency about them, then they will do your business no good. Ensure every employee understands and follows procedures at all times.
– Stay Vigilant and Be Aware of the Consequences of Not Doing So – Don’t take your security measures for granted and don’t fall complacent, because not only can you suffer data breaches or losses, but the effects of a situation like that can be felt by your clients and business partners. Your losses could be their losses, leaving you on the hook to make reparations and that could be expensive.
Take your cybersecurity seriously and always be prepared with backups and a network recovery plan. Speak to the professionals at Longhurst Consultants for the latest in cyber protection.
