The past couple of years has been difficult for just about everyone. Business owners and entrepreneurs have had to adapt and evolve to survive in an ever-changing climate. There’s no telling when or even if things will return to what we once thought was “normal.” Nevertheless, as we enter the New Year, many business owners are putting their resolutions in place to survive and hopefully thrive in 2022.
People will focus on plans for growth and ways to bring more profit for their resolution, but it’s essential to include tech- and IT-related resolutions. Technology might not be an evident approach to growing a business, but it goes a long way toward making your clients and employees feel more secure about everyday interactions. This can inadvertently lead to growth as you improve customer relationships as well.
Here are a few tech-related resolutions that can significantly improve any business.
Use Multiple Layers Of Cyber Security Protection
No security approach covers every hole or flaw cyber security threat are looking to exploit. The best way to protect your defenses is to put in place multiple policies to cover every possible gap. Using various programs and layers will ensure that every component of your cyber security program has a backup to counter any issues.
Your first line of defense should be a firewall. Firewalls help monitor incoming and outgoing traffic and work as a barrier between networks you trust and don’t trust. They essentially shield you from malicious or unnecessary network traffic. Multifactor authentication is an important layer as well. This prevents cyber-attacks that come from weak or compromised passwords. With multifactor authentication, you and your employees may have to receive a text to your cell phones to prove that the correct person is trying to access the network. This will help prevent the use of employee passwords to gain access to sensitive information.
Backup Your Data And Replace Old Equipment
Unfortunately, preventive measures don’t always work. An unexpected disaster could cause your network to go down, or someone could accidentally delete some critical files. Plus, if your data is not backed up, you could lose sensitive information, time, and money. Customers will also be upset if you lose information about them. This could devastate your brand’s reputation and cost you, customers. If you do not have a backup plan or program, you should get one for 2022.
In addition to backup plans, it’s essential to have up-to-date equipment. Using slow and outdated technology can reduce productivity and make your job more difficult. If some of your equipment goes down, think about replacing it with something new rather than repairing it. While it might be more expensive initially, this decision will save you time and money in the long run.
Employee Security Training
To run a cyber security-aware business, you’ll need to train your employees in security awareness and create a culture that ensures information security. Providing your employees with training related to information security can make them more comfortable and confident in their decision-making and overall employment. This rubs off on your clients and makes them feel more comfortable doing business with you. In addition, according to information from the UK Information Commissioner’s Office, human error is to blame for 90% of cyber data breaches. Getting your employees trained in cyber security awareness can help reduce the chance of human error.
As you plan to make your business more successful throughout 2022 and beyond, ensure that your tech and information security practices are updated. There are simply no downsides to improving your technology and cyber security. Adopting these practices can go a long way toward making your employees and customers feel more comfortable and confident in their decisions.
