Business Security: Best Practices & Resources to Protect Your Business

Business security isn’t usually something you have in mind when you’re launching your project.

You’re itching to get started and jump right into the “meat” of the biz.

But, security does need to be on your list if you see yourself operating for some time.

A flaw in your security could lead to a ton of troubles which will set you back.

If the security of your list (like their credit cards) is compromised then you can see yourself looking at a PR disaster.

Likewise, you should be ready in the event of a natural disaster not just for the business but for the people involved.

The following is going to give you an overview of a few of the main areas to aim a focus when handling your business security – take the time to do it because it’s well worth it.

Develop a Business Security Policy

The best security is one which each individual of the business has the education of what risks are involved with accessing the Web (and the physical anomalies).

There are numeral resources for security policies which you can use and adapt to your business.

But, I’ll give you a very basic rundown of the ones which will handle most problems:

Only allow access to files and equipment to those that have permission
Develop a habit of not accessing websites and files that aren’t necessary for the business
Never trust someone at the first interaction – research who they are and if they are legitimate
Set schedules for regular updates to programs and systems to close potential attack points

Your business security policy should also include a recovery plan in the event you are attacked or lose large chunks of data.

This includes a process whereas you not only set in motion a plan to deal with a security breach (such as alerting customers and changing account information). But, also reassessing your security policy so that it may adapt (and have documented notes) of how to deal with an event if it were to happen again.

Keep Up-to-Date with Antivirus

Antivirus and active monitoring will help you avoid a lot of the costly mistakes when it comes to security flaws in your business.

These programs are by far the easiest to maintain if you’re not lazy and keep clicking the ‘remind me later’ option in the program. All you need to do is let them update when they’re ready and you’ll stay protected from a majority of the common business security issues you’ll face when accessing the Web or using files which could contain malicious code.

There are many options for antivirus and most lean toward the paid versions but I’m going to keep these real simple so that there’s no resistance to you having them running (due to costs):

Microsoft Security Essentials or Avast Antivirus (free edition)
Ad-Aware
Malwarebytes

Besides these free options, I would also recommend that you look into the available plugins for your website (if running a CMS) for the popular site security downloads.

See other free options, here and this post if you’re running WordPress.

Conduct Regular Backups

Nothing is worse than losing data and not having backups.

There really is no reason not to have regular backups at your business especially since services and equipment are inexpensive and easy to set up.

There are a few different ways you may want to conduct these backups:

A complete hard drive (and server) backup once a week
A partial backup (for new files) every few days (2 – 3)
A “core” backup of all data once a week with daily backups for readily used files

If you can afford regular backups then it’s your best option but even having just a weekly one will save you a massive set back compared to having none.

Special Note: These backups should be off-site of your business in the event of a breach or damage from a natural disaster.

A few ways to go about this include:

Using external hard drives that you use to clone the main hard drive (see tutorial)
Using an online backup service (there are many to choose from)
Using personal online cloud storage (there are a few of these, as well)

I would recommend developing a habit of doing regular backups using one of the bigger services for the full backups.

This should also include using personal cloud storage for the day-to-day type items that aren’t as important as, say, notes and the like.

Think about the Real-World Events

You’ll never know when real-world anomalies may strike.

These include (but not limited to):

Burglary
Flooding
Sink Holes
Hurricanes & Tornadoes
Fires
Earthquakes

The list goes on and on and it’s something you can’t truly handle but there are certainly ways to dissuade and/or cope with these events.

In terms of the man-made “business disasters”, like burglary, it would be recommended that you install some kind of business security system which includes multiple cameras (with multiple vantage points), online monitoring, and alerts. If you lump fire into the category, due to human error, then a proper set of fire alarms, extinguishers, and sprinklers (which are regularly examined and checked) will help with these events.

For natural disasters, like Earthquakes and others, it’s important to develop a safety plan for your business to protect the employees (and yourself). You should also place a value on doing regular, off-site backups (as mentioned) in the event your location is completely destroyed. And, as a business owner, you should stay proactive and ensure the safety of all involved by closing shop during big events and keeping in check with everyone while it happens.