Cyber security can sound like something that only large companies need to worry about. But for small businesses, a compromised email account, lost files or a successful phishing attack can cause a lot of disruption.
The good news? You don’t need to become a cyber security expert to make your business safer.
Set aside 30 minutes this week and work through these simple checks.
🔐 1. Check your passwords
Are you using the same password across multiple accounts?
If one account is compromised, reused passwords can potentially give someone access to others too. Make sure important business accounts have strong, unique passwords.
If you have lots of passwords to manage, consider using a reputable password manager rather than keeping them in a spreadsheet or notebook.
📱 2. Turn on two-factor authentication
Two-factor authentication (2FA), sometimes called multi-factor authentication (MFA), adds another layer of protection when logging in.
Check your email, cloud storage, banking, social media and other important business accounts. If 2FA is available, turn it on.
It only takes a few minutes and can make it much harder for someone to access an account using a stolen password.
💾 3. Check your backups
If your computer suddenly stopped working tomorrow, could you recover your important business files?
Think about your customer records, financial information, contracts, documents and other essential data.
Make sure important files are backed up regularly and, crucially, check that your backups actually work. A backup you can’t restore when you need it isn’t much help.
👥 4. Review who has access
When was the last time you checked who can access your business systems?
Review your email accounts, shared folders, cloud software and other platforms. Remove accounts belonging to people who have left the business and check whether current employees still need all the permissions they have.
It’s easy for access to build up over time without anyone noticing.
🔄 5. Update your software
Those update notifications might be annoying, but they’re important.
Operating systems, apps, browsers and security software regularly receive updates that can fix security weaknesses. Don’t leave important updates sitting there indefinitely.
Turn on automatic updates where appropriate and make updating devices part of your normal business routine.
🎣 6. Look at your phishing awareness
Could you and your team spot a suspicious email?
Phishing messages can look surprisingly convincing. Be cautious about unexpected attachments, unusual payment requests, urgent messages or links asking you to log in.
If something doesn’t feel right, stop and check before clicking. And make sure everyone who handles business email knows the same rule.
🚨 7. Know what you’d do if something went wrong
Finally, don’t just think about prevention. Think about your response.
If someone gained access to your email account, your files disappeared or you discovered a suspicious payment, would you know who to contact and what to do first?
Write down a simple plan, including important contacts, how to report an incident and where your backups are stored.
30 minutes well spent
You don’t have to tackle every cyber security issue in your business at once. Small improvements can make a meaningful difference, and the most important thing is to start somewhere.
So, grab a coffee, set a 30-minute timer and work through the list.
How many can you tick off today?
A little time spent protecting your business now could save you a much bigger headache later.
make it happen..
T: 01903 910546 or E: makeithappen@mbsmih.com