As a small to medium sized business, maybe your office manager is your part time IT guy, or perhaps Carol from Marketing knows a few tech tricks up her sleeve. As a small business, maybe you don’t have the funds to hire a IT professional or company. As a medium sized business, if you don’t have an in house IT personnel or outside hired company in place, it could be time to think about making the move before disaster hits. Bottom line, there are some basic IT 101 rules that you should know, and spread the word throughout the office:

  1. Password Security
    Do not use Password as your password. With cybercrime on the rise, it is more important than ever to set safe passwords for the systems and software carrying your data. Have two factor authentication setup to log into your systems.
  2. Backups
    Always backup your data and have it somewhere easily accessible in case of unplanned downtime or hacking occurs. It’s best to have backups dating back a few months. You can hire a company to do this or purchase software, but make sure they are getting done regularly. The most common time frame is once a week.
  3. Security Software
    Purchase an anti-virus software that provides system scans, and internet and email protection. According to Tom’s Guide, you will want something with a high malware detection rate, and a light system load so it doesn’t slow down your computer.
  4. Updates
    Always perform operating system and other software updates. It’s best to wait a couple days after a big software update. This allows you to hear feedback from the general public or other private users about their update experience. But never wait longer than that. Running outdated software can leave your computer, and system, open for hackers.
  5. Trusted Networks
    Avoid using public or unsecured wifi unless you are on a VPN or have security software installed. While on these networks, cybercriminals are able to tap into your communication transfers and gather your information. They can see every website you’ve visited, log in information and more.

References:

http://www.eweek.com/small-business/smbs-what-your-it-contractor-should-be-telling-you?page=2

https://us.norton.com/internetsecurity-privacy-risks-of-public-wi-fi.html

https://ist.mit.edu/security/tips

https://www.tomsguide.com/us/antivirus-software-buying-guide,review-3586.html