8 Ways To Improve Online Security In Your Company
With a new data breach in the news every month, you need to improve online security in your company. People are beginning to trust companies with their information less, and that is not great for anyone. Today's blog will provide some quick, practical tips to help you increase online security.
1. Update Usernames/Passwords
I know this seems like common sense, but people don't update usernames and passwords often enough.
You should prompt members of your company to change their passwords once every couple months.
Yes, it's annoying, but it also helps your company stay on top of online security.
While you are at it, purge usernames and passwords to your website every blue moon too. That freelancer you worked with six months ago probably doesn't need a ton of access to your site anymore, so you should revoke some access or delete them.
2. Switch To An HTTPS Website
If you want to improve online security in your company, you must switch to an HTTPS website as soon as possible.
Having a secure website will help protect your site immensely, and Google has been taking actions against sites who are still "HTTP" sites for the last year and some change.
I know that getting a security certificate can be a pain, but trust me, confidence in your site will take an uptick, and Google will love your site again.
Check out this post from Google all about why HTTPS matters.
Also, if you'd like more information about what an SSL certificate is and how it impacts your website, I love this guide written by PixelPrivacy that covers the SSL certificate debate in much more detail.
3. Get Security Monitoring For Your Site
The next step to improve online security for your company is to get security monitoring for your site. Security monitoring will make sure that you are alerted if anything out of the ordinary finds its way into the backend of your website.
You may also want to hire someone to maintain your site. Make sure they log in daily to check around, make sure everything is running smoothly, and clean up/update anything that needs it.
Whether you get a person or software to monitor your site, your company webpage will benefit greatly from some extra protection.
4. Add More Admins To Your Site
You should never be the only person with admin access to your website if you want to improve online security in your company.
Whether you have one of your other email addresses added or you have another person on your team added, add a couple of new people to your admin roster.
If you make changes at your company, make sure that you go in to update admin and user status on the backend of your website. You don't want too many cooks in the kitchen, especially if they don't work for you anymore!
5. Use A Password Manager Like LastPass
THESE ARE NOT GOING TO PROTECT YOU AGAINST EVERYTHING.
But, I honestly love using password managers.
I hate remembering passwords and coming up with elaborate passwords for my websites.
LastPass helps me remember all my passwords, and they can come up with hard to crack, complicated passwords with the click of a button.
Password managers like LastPass have had some not so hot news in the past about how they manage the passwords they collect. Overall, though, using LastPass is so much easier than using a piece of paper that you will probably lose.
I love that LastPass has mobile apps and Chrome extensions, so I have to click a few buttons to enter my information across devices.
There are other password manager options out there, but I only have experience with LastPass. Pick the platform that you trust and works for your company though.
6. Don't Try To Handle Malicious Attacks On Your Own
The next thing you want to consider if you're going to improve online security in your company is how you handle malicious attacks. As a business, you have a lot of people depending on your company. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your customers is to hire someone to help you handle malicious attacks.
Don't try to connect with the attackers on your own. This is how malicious attacks turn into more dire situations.
Ask someone in your technology department or hire someone outside your company to help you handle the situation.
7. Alert Customers Of Data Breaches As Quickly As Possible
If you have a data breach, you need to let customers know as quickly as possible.
Knowledge is power and trust.
When you go to your customers about the data breach:
Have information about how the data breach happened.
Create an action plan featuring how you protected their information after the data breach and what you will do in the future to make sure this won't happen again (as much as you can prevent things like this.)
Be understanding if people are frustrated with your company, you breached their data, after all.
Provide support for people who experienced negative effects due to your data breach. People trusted you with your data since you betrayed that trust, you need to make up for it.
Data breaches are becoming more common, but that doesn't mean you should feel comfortable with them. If your company wants to handle data, you must hold yourself to a higher standard!
8. Be Wary Of Attachments And Things That You Add To Your Site
Last, but not least, be wary of any attachments you open or things that you add to your site.
Get anti-virus software for your computer so you can check attachments before you open them.
You should also only add plugins or extras to your site that come from reputable sources. Always look at reviews before you add something to your site!
You Are Ready To Improve Online Security In Your Company
This is a simple guide, but this will help you greatly when your company needs to improve online security.
If your company handles sensitive information, you need to be aware that data breaches and other awful online security issues can happen at any moment.
You have to be prepared and ready for to take next steps if something unfortunate were to happen to your data.
Your Task: Create An Action Plan
You should work closely with your technology department to come up with an action plan. What will you do if your data is breached? Come up with an action plan so that you can jump into action as soon as something like this were to happen. You always want to be proactive instead of reactive, so plan for these things today!