From ransomware to phishing attacks, cyberthreats are becoming more sophisticated every day. Unfortunately, no organization is safe, and small businesses are increasingly getting targeted. With limited resources and often inadequate security measures, they are highly vulnerable to cyberattacks, which can lead to financial losses, reputational damage, and legal repercussions.
The good news is that you can protect your small business from these risks by strengthening your company’s cybersecurity posture.
What is cybersecurity posture?
Cybersecurity posture refers to your organization’s overall readiness and effectiveness in protecting against, identifying, and addressing digital threats. It encompasses the tools you use, the processes you have in place, and your employees' level of awareness regarding cybersecurity risks. Maintaining a robust cybersecurity posture minimizes vulnerabilities and the likelihood of your business falling prey to cyberattacks.
How to build a strong cybersecurity posture
The following steps will help you create an actionable strategy to minimize risks to your business of cyberthreats.
Perform a risk assessment
Perform an audit of your systems, including software, networks, devices, and third-party services, to identify your company’s weak points. Analyze the potential impact of an attack and prioritize areas for improvement.
Conduct a risk assessment every year, or more frequently if your business experiences significant changes such as rapid growth, restructuring, market expansion, or shifts in leadership, to maintain safety.
Set clear cybersecurity policies
It’s important to have well-defined cybersecurity policies to reduce accidental errors and safeguard your organization. Here are key practices to implement:
- Enable multifactor authentication (MFA) for added security.
- Enforce the use of strong, complex passwords.
- Limit use of administrative accounts and use the “principle of least privilege.”
- Implement secure protocols for data storage and sharing.
- To maintain security and compliance, require employees to use only approved software and authorized devices for work.
Train your employees
People are often the weakest link in cybersecurity — not often due to malicious intent, but because of simple, unintentional errors. In fact, human error is the leading cause of data breach incidents.
To mitigate this risk, conduct regular staff cybersecurity training on identifying phishing emails, creating strong passwords, and following security protocols. Building a strong “human firewall” helps foster a workplace culture where cybersecurity awareness is ingrained in daily routines, empowering every employee to play an active role in safeguarding your organization.
Prioritize endpoint security
Every device connected to your network must be secured, as these endpoints can introduce potential security risks. To reduce these risks:
- Implement robust endpoint security tools, such as endpoint detection & response, antivirus software, and firewalls that keep each device protected.
- Ensure that encryption tools such as Bitlocker are enabled to protect data stored on endpoints.
- Use administrator or other privileged accounts only for administrative tasks. Employees should only have “standard” rights on their computer and a separate administrator-level account should be used to install new software or make system-wide changes.
Apply patches promptly
Most software solutions have vulnerabilities that developers address through regular updates. Neglecting to install these updates leaves your systems vulnerable, allowing cybercriminals to exploit software vulnerabilities. A prime example is the Equifax breach, where the company’s failure to update their key software led to the compromise of 143 million records.
To avoid a similar disaster, enable automatic software updates, and set up regular checks to promptly install patches. A managed service provider typically will help deploy tools to automate the process of ensuring that patches are deployed promptly and that failures are monitored for and addressed.
Encrypt sensitive data
Data is the lifeblood of businesses, so safeguarding it must be a top priority. Use encryption, such as Bitlocker, to secure data both at rest and in transit. Encryption makes data unreadable, so only those with the proper decryption key can access it.
It's also vital to securely store sensitive customer, employee, and financial information to protect privacy, maintain trust, and ensure compliance with regulatory guidelines. Access to sensitive data should be limited to only those individuals that need access to it. Beyond preventing potential data breaches, secure data storage highlights your business’s commitment to upholding ethical practices and adhering to legal standards.
Deploy real-time threat detection
Manual monitoring is no longer enough to keep pace with evolving threats. Modern cybersecurity demands tools that can automatically detect and respond to risks before harm is done. Leveraging machine learning, many advanced solutions can identify unusual activity, isolate compromised systems, and neutralize threats in real time — all without the need for human intervention.
Create an incident response plan
Even with robust cyber defenses in place, security incidents can still happen. But with a clear incident response plan, your team can act swiftly and effectively to minimize potential damage.
Your incident response plan should outline the following:
- Roles and responsibilities for managing the situation
- Procedures for identifying and containing the threat
- Steps to eliminate the issue and restore systems to normal
- Communication strategies to keep employees and customers informed
Vet third parties
If you work with third-party vendors, such as software providers or service contractors, check if they adhere to robust cybersecurity standards. Ask how they store your data, who has access to it, and what security protocols they have in place. Remember, a security breach at a third-party vendor can quickly put your business at risk.
Get expert help to strengthen your security
Building and maintaining a strong cybersecurity posture can be difficult, especially for small businesses with limited resources. That’s why it’s best to partner with IT experts like Fidelis. We’ll assess your unique needs and develop a customized cyber defense plan for your business. Schedule a consultation with us to get started.
