10 Solutions for Better Cyber Security of Small Businesses

In today’s online world, if you aren’t making use of a number of different cyber security solutions, you’re leaving yourself vulnerable to attack. Don’t make the mistake that you’re not important enough or large enough to come under attack from a hacker, either.

Even the smallest business may be targeted by a cyber-attack. Sometimes these attackers even seek out small businesses with little to no security just to have fun destroying their servers and data. If you’re a small business, here are ten cyber security solutions you need to consider implementing today.

1. Symantec

Symantec’s small business option provides the same level of security that many larger enterprises make use of, only at a much more affordable rate. These cyber security packages are designed to keep your data secure and your equipment protected from cyber assaults.

Implementing Symantec’s small business package provides you with antivirus and antispyware programs, a strong firewall, and programs that automatically back up data, provide quick disaster recovery options, keep your connections private, and much more.

2. Random.org

One area that is often a security weakness that isn’t something you can fix with some additional software is weak passwords. If your employees don’t use strong, difficult to guess passwords to access their accounts, hackers can gain access to your entire network fairly easily.

Even if you give your employees guidelines to use, some may still select weak passwords that can easily be broken. Random.org takes care of that problem. It randomly creates a strong password for each employee, giving them no excuse not to have their accounts protected.

3. Comodo

Comodo is a top of the line security tool that is available for free. It allows you to remotely monitor and manage computers, patch programs remotely, and more.

Comodo also offers several other programs that provide solutions to isolating machines infected with malware and blocking malware from accessing your network. Some options are free, while some upgrades must be paid for.

4. Snort

Snort is designed to watch over your network when you can’t be there to do so. This intrusion prevention and detection software monitors the entire network in real-time.

As soon as a user or program tries to access something they shouldn’t, that user or program is flagged. Too many unauthorized attempts will lead to the user being blocked or the program being quarantined until you can review it and decide if it should be given an exception or not.

5. ESET

ESET is a security system that can be expanded to cover more than just your desktops and laptops. It can cover your servers, networks, mobile devices, and even your USB drives. It also covers Mac and Windows systems, Android and iPhones, and a variety of different email and file servers.

You can even create custom solutions for your network. Simply select your company’s size, the type of product you have, and your industry to begin customizing your package. You can add remote management, endpoint security, encryption, mobile security, file security, two-factor authentication, and much more.

6. Lookout Mobile Security

If many of your employees use mobile devices or their smartphones for work, you need Lookout Mobile Security. It’s designed specifically for these products and helps to cut down on the number of data leakages, malware, and other risks.

These risks often come with apps and devices that have been jailbroken or otherwise tampered with. The program also lets you add apps and mobile software to a white list, view what devices are using your network, and investigate any security breaches.

7. StaySafeOnline.org

If you know that you have security issues but aren’t sure where to start addressing them, look at StaySafeOnline.org. This website includes a number of different resources that will help you assess your overall risks, create a plan for handling your cyber-security, and prepare training materials for your employees.

The website is a part of the National Cyber Security Alliance and contains new information related to cyber-security as it becomes available. It’s a great place to start preparing your business’s cyber-defenses.

8. CloudFlare

CloudFlare offers another set of free tools that help prevent your website from coming under attack from things such as denial of service or SQL injections. These types of attacks can lead to your website going offline or losing data, so it’s vital you protect against them.

CloudFlare detects and blocks attacks automatically, then creates a detailed report so you know what’s happened. It also tracks visitors and assesses their IP address, reputation, and a number of other factors. It can use these factors to block those that may cause you harm.

9. CSID

CSID is a protection service designed to keep a business from falling victim to identity theft. While you have heard of individuals having their identities stolen, you may not realize it can happen to your business, too.

CSID, however, is a full-service identity protection solution designed to battle many different fraudulent activities and scams designed to steal your business identity or authority. The program also provides advanced authentication tools to help protect the transmission and storage of sensitive data.

10. HTTPS Everywhere

This final tool is designed to protect your network from virus-filled websites and scripts that try to come into your network through the internet. It is a browser extension that can be used in Chrome, Firefox, Android, and Opera to encrypt all of your communications.

While many believe that HTTPS, or Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, is enough to protection all online communications, few people realize that only a select number of pages are coded in HTTPS.

Conclusion

Many websites, in fact, mix HTTP and HTTPS pages, and that can lead to gaps in their security. HTTPS Everywhere adds additional protection as you browse, protecting you from these security gaps so you are secure no matter what webpage you’re on.

While these ten tools may not provide full coverage of your network, they can address many issues you may have. As a small business, the fact that many are free or are budget-friendly is a major plus.

Featured photo credit: Small Business via picjumbo.com

The post 10 Solutions for Better Cyber Security of Small Businesses appeared first on Lifehack.