5 Proactive Cybersecurity Measures for Businesses & Entrepreneurs

Introduction

The threat of cybercrime is real and growing. In fact, it’s estimated that the average cost of a data breach for companies in the U.S. and Canada rose to $3.86 million in 2018—the highest level ever recorded by Ponemon Institute, an independent research firm specializing in privacy, security and information management issues affecting organizations worldwide. While most people know that cybercriminals are always looking for ways to hack into private computer networks, fewer realize that they often target businesses directly.

Manage Permissions

You should also understand the permissions of your users. As a business owner, you may want to give employees access to certain features or tools. However, if they don’t need that level of access, then it’s important not to give it–and this includes granting them administrative privileges on their devices and networks.

To prevent accidental or malicious use of privileged accounts by others in your organization, set up user groups based on job function and assign them appropriate permissions according to those needs (i.e., if someone needs full control over finances but only basic access for other tasks). You can also use role-based access control (RBAC) so that each user has just enough power over specific resources needed for their job function while keeping others out entirely unless explicitly granted permission by another administrator first!

You may think RBAC sounds complicated but don’t worry–there are tools available today such as Google’s G Suite Admin Console that make managing these sorts of things much simpler than ever before!

Set Strong Passwords

Password management is the most basic, but arguably most important cybersecurity practice. You should use a password manager to create and store all of your passwords and then keep them in a safe place. This will make sure that if one account gets hacked or compromised, the rest of your accounts won’t be affected as well.

You should also change passwords regularly–at least once every six months (or whenever there’s been some kind of breach). You should never use the same password for multiple accounts either; otherwise it makes it easy for hackers to access everything at once!

To create strong, unique passwords:

• Use a combination of letters, numbers and symbols (not just letters!) when creating new passwords – this makes it much harder for someone else to guess what they are if they get their hands on them somehow!
• Don’t use personal information like your name or address in any form whatsoever when creating new passwords – don’t even think about doing this because it’s not worth risking anything happening whatsoever so please don’t do this ever under any circumstances regardless how tempting it might seem right now…

Back Up Your Data Regularly

To ensure that your data is always safe, it’s important to back up your information regularly. You can do this by using a cloud service or an external hard drive (or both). If you’re using a cloud service, make sure that the company has redundant servers in case one goes down. It’s also good practice to keep multiple copies of each file so that if one gets corrupted or deleted accidentally, you still have access to all of your information somewhere else.

For those who choose not to use the cloud for storing their files and prefer keeping them on physical drives instead, there are still ways for companies with limited storage space at their offices–like freelancers who work from home–to ensure they have access when disaster strikes: invest in an external hard drive with large capacity; store multiple copies of each file; use encryption software like BitLocker or VeraCrypt (or both); keep track of all passwords carefully; follow best practices when backing up data onto an external device

Consider Cloud Computing Solutions

Cloud computing is a way to store, manage and access data and applications remotely. It can be used to protect data, reduce costs, and allow for more efficient operations.

Cloud computing solutions offer the following benefits:

• Security – Cloud providers have advanced security measures in place that protect your business from attacks on the cloud environment itself or on individual users’ devices
• Scalability – You can easily scale up or down depending on how much storage you need at any given time without having to purchase additional hardware or software licenses

Use a Firewall and VPN Service

You should be using a firewall and VPN service.

A firewall is a network security system that monitors incoming and outgoing network traffic, allowing only authorized traffic to pass through it. A VPN (virtual private network) creates a secure connection between two networks, allowing users on either side of the connection to communicate with each other as if they were on the same local area network (LAN). Both of these tools can help prevent cyber attacks on your business by keeping unauthorized users from accessing sensitive information or stealing it outright.

Businesses and entrepreneurs can take proactive steps to protect their data and networks.

• Use a firewall. A firewall is a network security system that monitors and controls the incoming and outgoing traffic to your computer. It can block malicious programs, such as viruses or worms, from entering your computer through a network port (the physical connection between two devices).
• Use a VPN (virtual private network). A VPN creates an encrypted connection between you and the internet through another device, usually your home router or office network server. This prevents anyone from monitoring what websites or apps you use online by hiding those activities behind layers of encryption.* Backup your data regularly so that if something happens to it in the future (like being hacked), there’s still a copy somewhere safe outside of your company’s servers.* Set strong passwords for all accounts with access to sensitive information – including usernames and passwords for email accounts as well as social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter – not just ones related specifically towards work responsibilities; this includes making sure these passwords aren’t easy-to-guess combinations like “12345678” which could easily be guessed by someone trying their luck at guessing them! Also make sure everyone knows never ever write down those passwords anywhere near where others could see them either; keep them handwritten somewhere safe where no one else would think twice about checking out what kind

Conclusion

Taking these steps will help you reduce the risk of a cyberattack and ensure your business’s data is secure. You can also take additional measures, such as using encryption software or two-factor authentication, but these five steps are essential for any entrepreneur or business owner looking to protect their information online.