There’s a shortage of cybersecurity employees – to the tune of 3.4 million workers. 

It can be hard enough attracting the right talent, but when there’s a shortage of knowledgeable workers, it can be downright impossible, especially for smaller businesses. If you’re a small business owner, you may not have a dedicated IT team, let alone a cybersecurity expert on staff.

But small business cybersecurity is just as important as IT security at major corporations.

For small businesses, there are two ways they can immediately beef up their cybersecurity: identifying security risks and limiting access to sensitive devices and information.

Identify Risks

How secure is your business? You can’t protect your business if you don’t know what the weak points of your business are. 

That’s why you should conduct penetration testing. Penetration testing is a process of identifying the vulnerabilities in an organization’s security, by trying to break crack their network security. Penetration testing is hacking, but it’s authorized hacking. 

Think of penetration testing as a fire drill for cybersecurity. It’s a way to practice what to do in the event of an actual security breach, minus real-world damage. At the very least, it will allow you to see what your baseline security is currently like. From there, you can be proactive and tighten up security where it’s needed most. 

Penetration testing is a collaborative effort. Both the defensive team and the authorized team of hackers are working together to ensure a successful test.

Limit Employee Access

The best course of action is always prevention. Aim to limit employee access to sensitive information. Employees should only be given access to the data they need to do their jobs. Make sure they are not allowed to install unauthorized software or apps on any of their devices – including any mobile devices. 

This extends to modifying your antivirus software. Make sure your commercial antivirus is always up to date. Don’t let employees manage it on their own, because they either will put off installing updates, or install “antivirus” software of their own – often from a sketchy website.

Don’t just limit what employees can do on their devices, limit their access to devices. Laptops and mobile are easy targets for would-be thieves. If you have a physical location, limit access to the building as well as the room(s) where your computers are stored.

Limiting employee access should also extend to credit cards. Obviously, not everyone should have access to your business’ credit cards, and those with access should be trained in how to use them responsibly. Look for banks that take security seriously.

Good Small Business Cybersecurity Will Keep You in Business

There’s no way around it: good small business cybersecurity is essential if you want to stay profitable and operational. Cutting shortcuts is a recipe for disaster. 

But if you’re like most small businesses, costs will always be an issue. 

Fortunately, there’s a solution: INS. 

At INS we offer flat-rate, pay-as-you-go managed services, all with no-term contracts. We can also help your organization with network security and penetration testing.

Contact us to find out how we can help you with your IT security.