Crucial Security Mistakes Businesses Make
Business security is one of the most commonly neglected aspects of running an efficient business. In a lot of cases, companies don’t focus on security until something bad happens and, by then, it’s too little too late.
The question of business security has become even more complex in the last couple of decades. Due to the massive influx of IT into all areas of business, we have many more things to worry about since security breaches needn’t be physical to do damage.
Let’s talk about most common mistakes businesses make when it comes to protecting their assets and information in 2018.
Failing to Identify Their Security Priorities
This is one of those things that doesn’t have a “one-size-fits-all” solution. Companies need to take many factors into account. And, of course, the profile of each business, even compared to companies operating within the same market, has different security needs.
Focusing on identifying your primary security demands may not be as easy as it may sound in the first place. If you are unsure how to go about this or if the things you come up with still seem lacking, you might want to consider hiring a professional consultant who has experience working with companies like yours.
Lack of Security System Maintenance
Being lulled into a false sense of security is one of the most common reasons for security breaches. Companies set up their security systems at their inception and never take a second look at them.
Good companies tend to grow, their modus operandi changes as well, and so do their employees and the assets they possess. Why should their security system be any different? A well-organized company will focus on improving all aspects of its existence. Maintaining your security system is crucial since having a system that is full of holes basically means that you don’t have a system. It either works, or it doesn’t – there is no in-between.
Enforcing a BYOD Philosophy
The idea behind BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) is designed to cut initial costs for startups that don’t have a big budget and can’t afford to invest in the equipment they need. Still, this isn’t something you can rely on in the long run, and it wasn’t designed to be used like that either. Startups usually have small teams, and their team size grows over time. While the security threats are quite high even for small organizations that rely on BYOD, they grow exponentially in larger units.
If you rely on the BOD philosophy, as soon as you get your feet on the ground financially, start investing in company equipment that is used only for work and nothing else.
Not Using Encryption (VPN)
These days, online payments are as common as ever. People are used to paying for services and products on various websites and even social media. This means that businesses end up gaining access to their customers’ credit card information. Without some form of encryption, this data may be accessed by hackers who can abuse it or sell it to people who intend to do the same. This has happened to some major companies, and you best believe that it can happen to a smaller one too. In order to prevent that, it is suggestable to use a VPN that is tailored for corporate environments and provides reliable customer support.
Software Security Updates
All software that is used for business purposes and has a good reputation is regularly updated. Due to the nature of IT tools, the security threats and tricks hackers use are continually evolving. Still, good companies will always update their software to keep new threats at bay. If you delay your software updates, you might be keeping a window open for outside forces to go through and mess with your data and systems. In some cases, the updates are delayed indefinitely, and this is a major mistake you must rectify immediately.
Not Having Someone in Charge of Security
Security is a permanent and constant concern. And it’s often impossible to prepare for security attacks targeted at your company. Thus, ideally, every institution should employ a chief of security or a security officer whose duty and responsibility would be to keep the company safe. Without having someone who is responsible for security means that this duty is distributed among a number of people, none of whom will devote their full attention to it.
Not Updating Employees about Security Protocols and Practices
To maintain safety, you need to function as a team. All security systems and measures in the world won’t be enough to keep your company safe if your employees are negligent and irresponsible. Security is something that concerns every single company member, and everyone needs to respect the measures that are being used. Thus, it’s crucial to make sure all employees are aware of what security practices the company applies what updates it introduces.
As it was already stressed – different businesses require different security measures. So, naturally, these mentioned above are just a few of the most common mistakes to look out for. Build upon this knowledge and keep the growth of your business safe from outside threats.
