The days of cyber attackers solely gunning for the massive international corporations and other large organizations are long gone. Nowadays, every type of institution is at risk, whether it’s a small business owned by a sole entrepreneur, a regional business, or a monolithic corporation with locations around the world. It has never been more important to secure your network. IT support in Los Angeles can help in your quest to preserve your data’s integrity. However, you can also take some steps on your own to preserve your network’s security.
Educate Your Staff
Your entire network can be taken down by a single employee misstep. If someone clicks the wrong file, opens the wrong e-mail or downloads the wrong attachment, your organization might have an uphill battle that lasts days or even longer. Viruses and excessive network downtime can be avoided with employee education. Teach your team about cyber-attack prevention methods. Employees who know what they should and shouldn’t click won’t be as susceptible to making an incredibly costly mistake.
Rethink BYOD
A bring your own device (BYOD) policy removes your control over content. Though you can limit the access to specific sites on devices owned by your company, the same isn’t true for employees’ personal devices. If employees use their own electronic devices for work purposes, it could make it much easier for hackers to gain access to your company’s sensitive information. Limit the extent that such devices can be used and you’ll reduce the odds of a nasty hack. Also, make sure that each team member’s mobile device has the latest anti-virus software. A reliable IT support team in Los Angeles can help with data monitoring efforts for an extra layer of protection.
Password Quality Matters
Hackers can try a variety of password/username combinations with little effort. If one of your team members has a simple password, he’s leaving the door open for cyber thieves. Make sure each employee’s password has letters, numbers, a special character, at least one capitalized letter and is a minimum of five characters in length. Passwords should be changed at least once every six months.
The Cloud is Your Friend
Though the cloud has its imperfections, it serves as an excellent source for data backup. A second copy of your data stored on the cloud will prove quite helpful if your company’s computers/servers are compromised. Furthermore, advancements in encryption have made the cloud’s security quite formidable over the past few years and months. It’s no longer as vulnerable as it once was.
Encrypt Your Data
Encryption technology is becoming much more user-friendly as time progresses. It’s no longer overly technical and extremely challenging to implement. Encrypt your data and you won’t have to worry nearly as much about cyber hackers.
Lean on the Pros to Safeguard Your Network
If you own or manage a small to medium size business, your network can still be targeted by wrongdoers. In fact, attacks on small enterprises are on the upswing as hackers view these organizations as easy targets. Ally with the best IT services in Los Angeles to secure your business network, reduce downtime and thwart digital attacks of every variety. Contact us at Advanced Networks we’ll help you steer clear of cyber criminals, keep your network up, and enjoy a steady flow of business without interruption.
