As per Nationwide Security Alarms Every business should consider the importance of its security.
Often, small businesses do not include this in the immediate ‘to-do list’
because they might believe they aren’t targets, since they are
only a small operation. This type of thinking is dangerous,
and should be avoided.
Something to keep in mind is that there are mass attacks out
there targeted to infect systems in order to get credit card numbers, and these
types of attacks can be disastrous for small businesses. In
addition, larger companies are already ramping-up their security so
smaller businesses are becoming more attractive as targets – easier to crack
open. Security threats are also not limited to attacks from the outside, but
can come from within your own company.
So
what can you do to limit the possibility of security Threats?
Be Alert
Businesses
should always be alert and vigilant. The most important times when people need
to be very conscious about their surroundings would be during opening and
closing hours. It’s very important for employers to pay extra attention to both
employees and those outside the company during these key times because
many people will try to take advantage of any distraction.
Provide Proper Lighting
When
it comes to the area where the business is located, bright lighting should be
installed on all the doors and parking lots to improve security for both the
business and its employees. Make sure that your business is clearly visible
from the street so that any police or security people will be able to see into
the store or area clearly. Remember that burglars often target offices and
businesses located in areas not view able from the street.
Get Help from a Security Company
It
also pays to have good security installed in your premises. Getting a proper
alarm system is really quite affordable and it could pay for itself the first
time it is triggered. Since there are a lot of companies ready to provide
security you can get competitive quotes from them and choose one that you can
afford and be comfortable with. Make sure to shop around first to find the
right one for your business.
Take Care of Your Data and Limit Access
The
information that you get from your customers as well as the information
you have for your business should be well protected. Don’t wait for a breach in
security to secure all of your information. A mistake like that can mean
spending a lot of time and money to make up for it. It’s best to always take
precautions to avoid leakage of sensitive data.
- Make sure that you limit the
computer access your employees have to only websites and actions that are
needed in order to perform the job. You do not want them to access
external websites or networks where there might be a threat lurking that
is just waiting for an opening to get into your network.
- Each of your employees should
also be given their own usernames to use when logging on to the computer.
Also, remind them that passwords should never be shared and that they are
responsible for any activity that happens when their username logged into
the system.
- Another option you can explore is to set aside one computer for keeping all of your financial records and transactions. Then limit this computer to only being able to browse your banks website and only open applications related to any record keeping. It’s also smart to only give access to this computer to one or two parties so accountability can be firmly established.
Always Use Firewalls
The
use of firewalls is to contain communication to within a specified network and
to disallow communication with other networks not related to the business.
Firewalls should be activated for all computers in your business. This really
will increase the security levels of your company to limit any unauthorized
access coming from outside your network.
Have Emergency Plans in Place
Make
sure that you already have documents outlining steps to follow in case of an
emergency. It’s best to always be prepared for eventualities such as fire,
theft, floods and the like. And even if it does sound cheesy, having
drills performed regularly will pay-off, and is sometimes required by
fire prevention or insurance agencies.
Evacuation
plans should always be displayed in an area where employees will see them often
and can familiarize themselves with them. Important telephone numbers should be
included in the same document, including telephone numbers for the police and
emergency services.
One
area that you should also explore as a business is E911 Having this feature as
part of your telephone plan means that as long as someone dials 911, the police
and emergency services will be dispatched to your location immediately. There’s
no need for anyone to speak with the 911 operator, having E911 means your
address is already in their database and is readily accessible.
Conduct Audits
Audits
of all the information and data that your employees store in their computers or
in their profiles should be done regularly to reduce security risks. Apart from
the soft copies of the files, make sure to also do audits on the hard copies kept
in their drawers.
Make
it a rule that all paper documents containing client or business information
should be shredded on a regular basis once it is no longer needed. Setting up a
regular schedule for shredding is a must. Make sure to cascade it to your
employees so everyone will get used to setting aside documents to shred. This
protects not only you from liability, but it also protects your customer’s
personal information.
The
real key tips security for small business simply being vigilant. Placing
precautionary measures for eventualities might seem too much at the start, but
having things happen because you haven’t prepared for it is much worse.
Remember that the time and the resources you will have to allot if you suffer
from any type of security attack will infinitely be more expensive compared to
taking precautions in the first place.
If
you find security fiord small business o be daunting, it’s always good to
consult a professional. This might seem like an added expense, but proper
security is a vital part of your business and should not be taken lightly.
