Newest trends in IT security in 2020 for small businesses in UK
When it comes to managing your small business, you need to be aware of the best IT practices. Many small businesses have to manage their own IT support — but if you’re not aware of current trends and potential security threats, you could be putting your business at risk.
Here are six trends and threats you’ll want to keep an eye on in 2020. Consider how the following might impact your business.
AI to improve operations
More and more businesses are starting to utilize various artificial intelligence (AI) to help with routine business operations. Whether it is making phone calls or running analytics, small businesses now have access to technology that makes running their business more smoothly.
For example, chatbots on websites are becoming increasingly common. If customers have a question, the chatbot can quickly answer it instead of the customer having to wait for an email response.
AI continues to grow and become readily available to small business owners. AI can help with basic business operations, allowing employees to have time to work on other operations.
Face recognition software
Face recognition software has continued to improve. Computers, phones, and tablets that are using this technology will only allow a user to log in if the device recognizes the person’s face.
This adds a layer of protection to your business devices. Small businesses are starting to find various ways to utilize face recognition software in their company.
Face recognition software is also utilized for surveillance purposes. Some software has advanced to the point where it can scan surveillance footage to match faces to pre-existing images. If your business is burglarized, it might be easier to figure out who did it.
Remote IT support
Small businesses that have employees that work from home or away from the office are having to learn how to handle remote IT support. Previously, remote employees would have to bring their computer to the office to get support.
Remote IT support gives you the ability to wirelessly connect to an employee’s computer, even if they aren’t in the office. You can troubleshoot and find a solution.
Some small businesses are also choosing to outsource their remote IT support. This allows an outside team to access computers remotely and resolve any concerns. This is beneficial to companies that lack IT knowledge.
Outsourcing professionals
As mentioned above, many small businesses have to provide their own IT support, even if nobody in the company has a background in IT.
Managing your own IT is fine, except when you run into a problem that you can’t fix on your own. Depending on the size of your business, you might not have the funds to hire a full-time IT support person.
This is why many small businesses are starting to outsource their IT support. Instead of having a full-time employee manage IT, they hire an outside professional, such as Infinity Group, an IT support services provider in London.
Protection against MSP hacks
MSP stands for managed service providers. Many businesses use MSPs to protect their business from attacks. However, hackers are now targeting MSPs themselves instead.
Once tapped into an MSP, hackers can easily access business networks directly. If you’re using an MSP for security purposes, make sure to contact your provider to see what security measures they have in place to prevent hacks. Most providers are starting to put more effort into security.
Of course, some hackers are still targeting small business websites. Always remain vigilant of hacking threats and keep your website and business information as secure as possible.
Use of cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin are becoming increasingly popular, leaving some small business owners wondering if they should use cryptocurrency as a form of transaction.
Cryptocurrency can be more secure than other forms of digital transactions because cryptography helps secure the transaction. Cryptocurrency is hard to counterfeit or double-spend.
If considering cryptocurrency, keep your audience in mind. Currently, it is mainly Millennials and Gen Z that are using cryptocurrency. If your business isn’t targeted towards that demographic, it might not be worth the investment. Despite the rise in cryptocurrency, debit cards and credit cards are still commonly used as a form of payment.
Final thoughts
If you’re trying to stay on top of your IT security in 2020, make sure to do your research! Keeping up with current trends and any potential threats are some of the best ways you can protect your business. If possible, you should also consider having a remote IT professional available to help with larger IT concerns.
