How to Protect Your Company Against Online Threats

As the number of online threats shows no sign of going down, it's essential to know how to protect ourselves from them. It's no secret that home users aren't the only ones affected by this problem. Companies face the same issue. It doesn't even matter if they're small, medium or big businesses. Hackers have never and won't ever discriminate when they want to wreak havoc. From the minute a computer, tablet or smartphone is infected with malware, sensitive data can and will be damaged. More often than not, the owner of any of these gadgets has to pay a ransom. That is, if they want to see their important data back where it belongs.

Having a counterattack plan for your business is of great importance. Only so can you be certain that nothing valuable will get lost should a cyber-attack happen. Contrary to popular belief, small companies are more likely to get targeted by hackers than medium or big ones. Why? Simple: they think nothing will ever happen to them since they're not as popular as larger businesses. That is why they seldom, if ever, invest in IT security. This is the worst thing you, as a manager, can do. Relying on strong security software is the difference between success and failure. You don't want to shut the doors down on your business, now, do you? If you continue to not invest in excellent IT security, that's exactly what will happen.Cyber-attacks have, in the past couple of years, done damage to a large number of home users and companies. By the looks of it, hackers won't stop doing harmful things too soon.

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Luckily for device owners, there are lots of methods which work very well against malware creators. Today we'll tell you how to protect your company against online threats!

Use a VPN: A Virtual Private Network, or VPN in short, should be among your first three options in the fight against cyber attacks. VPNs are known for hiding IP addresses and traffic, as well as encrypting a connection. Before you choose a Virtual Private Network, though, think of your company's needs. You could, for instance, require faster connection speeds or zero traffic logs. In each of these cases, a different VPN would be needed. Choose well and you'll no longer have to worry about online threats.

Encrypt data: We previously mentioned "encrypting a connection" via VPNs. Hackers all around the world love to look around for company-held data lying around unprotected. This can range from social security numbers belonging to employees to their home address and so much more. To avoid all that, businesses must enable their devices' full-disk encryption tools if they aren't already turned on. These tools keep crucial information very well-protected against malware attacks. As soon as they're enabled, an employee should also do this: set their PC to log out automatically after 5-10 minutes of not being used.

Educate your employees on the benefits of IT security: Security needs to be a part of every business's culture. No matter if you work in a small, medium or large company, you must take every necessary precaution to ensure the safety of both you and your business. Hackers generally steal data with the unwilling help of employees. Apps and email servers are two of the ways malware can affect a device. If, for example, you notice something suspicious about one of your emails, tell your IT department about it.It's strongly recommended that you send your employees emails frequently, detailing types of cyber-attacks and how to keep them from happening. Better yet: prevent the people who work for you from using your business's Wi-Fi to open their personal emails.

Secure your computer's hardware: Computer systems aren't the only routes used by a hacker to do damage. Server room doors must be kept locked and closed at all times. The majority of desktops and laptops use Kensington lock ports. These exist so that your work device is tied up to your desk. To make things even more secure, use cloud computing software.

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Install an efficient security solution: Protecting your company from online dangers can also be done via strong security software. Malicious threats won't be gone if you, as a business, only use your PC's firewall. Security solutions are more than recommended for companies. The market is very well stocked with these tools, so you don't have to worry about choosing one that fits your needs. You can find a list of the best ones here.Many businesses have been targeted by cyber-attacks throughout the years. This has caused a lot of them to shut down. If you don't want that to happen to your own company, read our tips on how to protect it against online threats!