Cybercrime is very top of mind at the moment and it is a challenge for businesses to keep safe, no matter how big or small, but here are some top tips to consider:
- Ensure you are using the most up to date versions of software and keep it up to date, as these contain vital security updates
- Most accounting software and online banking tools encourage the use of two factor authentication to confirm your identity, so set these up if you haven’t already
- Protect your smartphone: keep it password protected and the software up to date, if it was to get lost or stolen think could you track, lock or wipe your phone remotely to prevent anyone accessing your data?
- Back up your key company data either on an external drive or a cloud-based storage system
- Use strong passwords, don’t share them with your team and change them regularly; try using three random words to create your password; don’t use the same password or a version of it for everything!
- Beware of phishing – these are emails or texts from someone posing to be from a legitimate organisation such as HMRC or a bank. They usually contain links and messages containing an action you need to take as a matter of urgency such as “update your details within the next 24 hours”
- Share documents via secure document sharing sites rather than email. In Elevate we encourage the use of our online portal which you would be invited to set up when you join us, this is a great way to upload confidential information securely rather than using email, if you need help setting this up or using it please let us know.
For more information on how you can protect your business follow the small business guide and other very helpful information available on the National Cyber Security Centre https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/small-business-guide
