The Ultimate Cybersecurity Checklist for Small Businesses

 

A cybersecurity assessment checklist is essential for small businesses looking to secure their digital infrastructure. As companies rely more on digital tools and online services to operate, the importance of cybersecurity has become paramount. The consequences of a data breach or cyber-attack can be devastating, resulting in lost revenue, damaged reputation, and even legal action.

According to a National Cyber Security Alliance study, 60% of small businesses that suffer a cyber-attack go out of business within six months. Small businesses are particularly vulnerable to the devastating costs of a cyber-attack. The data breach cost for companies has reached an all-time high, with an average of $4.35 million in 2022.

To ensure that your business is adequately protected, use a comprehensive cybersecurity assessment checklist such as the one provided by National Technology Management (NTM) from the outset. Discover strategies for safeguarding your business against cybersecurity threats, and explore how NTM’s managed IT services can help your small business thrive.

Employee Training

Employee training is a critical aspect of a small business’s cybersecurity strategy. The human element is often the weakest link in any organization’s security posture, and it’s crucial to ensure that employees are educated on best practices to minimize risk. This can be achieved by:

Educating Employees on Cybersecurity Awareness

One of the most effective ways to improve cybersecurity in a small business is to raise awareness among employees about the risks of cyber threats. NTM’s security awareness program provides comprehensive training on identifying and responding to potential threats, including phishing attacks, malware, and social engineering. Educating employees about these risks can better equip them to recognize and prevent potential security breaches.

Implementing Policies and Procedures for Data Handling

Small businesses must have clear policies and procedures for handling sensitive data. This includes guidelines for accessing, storing, and transmitting data and processes for responding to a security breach. NTM can help small businesses develop and implement these policies, ensuring they are tailored to your organization’s needs.

Conducting Regular Security Training Sessions

Ongoing training and education are crucial to maintaining a strong security posture. NTM provides regular training sessions, including phishing training, to keep employees up-to-date on the latest security threats and best practices for prevention.

By conducting regular training sessions, small businesses can ensure that employees are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to prevent security breaches and respond effectively in the event of a cyber-attack.

Password Management

Passwords are an essential part of any small business’s cybersecurity strategy. Weak passwords are easy targets for cybercriminals, who can use them to gain access to sensitive information or networks. To enhance password security, it is crucial to implement the following measures:

Encouraging Strong Password Creation and Use

The best way to strengthen passwords is to ensure they are complex and challenging to guess. NTM can help small businesses with auditing password policies, ensuring that passwords meet minimum complexity requirements and are changed regularly.

In addition, NTM can help small businesses implement password management tools, such as password managers, to ensure that passwords are stored securely and not reused across multiple accounts.

Implementing Two-Factor Authentication

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) effectively adds an extra layer of security to your login credentials. NTM provides MFA services, which require users to provide two or more authentication factors, such as a password and a fingerprint or a text message code, to access an account. By implementing MFA, small businesses can reduce the risk of unauthorized access to sensitive data and networks.

Regularly Changing Passwords

Regular password changes can help prevent unauthorized access to accounts, particularly if a password is compromised. NTM can help small businesses develop and implement password change policies, ensuring that employees are required to change their passwords at regular intervals. This can help reduce the risk of password-related security breaches and minimize the impact of any potential attacks.

Network and Device Security Measures

Network and device security measures are crucial for small businesses to prevent cyber-attacks and protect sensitive information. To strengthen your security posture, take the following actions:

Updating and Patching Software Regularly

One of the most common ways cybercriminals infiltrate small businesses is by exploiting vulnerabilities in outdated software. To minimize the risk of a breach, it is crucial to keep all software up to date and patch any known vulnerabilities as soon as possible. However, this can be time-consuming for small business owners who may not have the resources or expertise to stay on top of updates and patches.

This is where NTM’s patch management service can help. Our experts can automate the patching process, ensuring all software is up-to-date and secure. This takes the burden off small business owners and allows them to focus on other essential tasks while having peace of mind knowing that their software is secure.

Installing Firewall and Antivirus Software

Firewalls and antivirus software are the first line of defense against cyber threats. A firewall acts as a barrier between a company’s internal network and the internet, blocking unauthorized access to the network. Antivirus software, on the other hand, scans for and removes malicious software such as viruses, worms, and Trojan horses.

NTM’s threat detection solutions can help protect small businesses from cyber threats. We can install and configure firewalls to provide comprehensive protection against unauthorized access and provide regularly updated antivirus software to protect against new threats.

Enabling Automatic Updates

Many software vendors regularly release security patches and bug fixes to address known vulnerabilities. However, if automatic updates are not enabled, these patches may not be installed in a timely manner, leaving the network and devices vulnerable to attack.

NTM can help small businesses ensure that automatic updates are enabled on all devices. This ensures that all software is updated and any vulnerabilities are addressed promptly. This reduces the risk of a breach and ensures that the company’s network and devices remain secure.

Securing Wi-Fi Networks

Wireless networks are a convenient way to connect to the internet but can also be a potential security risk. If a wireless network is not secured, anyone within range might access it and gain access to the company’s internal network. Securing the wireless network with a strong password and encryption is essential to prevent unauthorized access.

NTM can help keep these wireless networks secure by implementing 24/7 network security protocols. This ensures that only authorized users can access the network and that all data transmitted over the network is encrypted and secure. This can help small businesses reduce the risk of a breach and protect their sensitive data.

Backing Up Data

Backing up your data is vital in case of a data breach or other disaster. Here are a few steps you can take to ensure your data is always safe:

Creating Regular Backups

Data is the lifeblood of any organization, and losing it could mean the end of the business. Cyber-attacks such as ransomware, malware, and phishing can cripple a small business’s operations, leading to significant losses. However, regular data backups can help prevent such disasters.

NTM’s business continuity and disaster recovery services provide small businesses with an effective backup plan that includes regular data backups. With this service, small businesses can have peace of mind knowing that their data is protected and can be restored quickly in the event of a cyber-attack or other unexpected disasters.

Testing Data Backup and Recovery Systems

Creating backups alone is not enough. Testing the backup and recovery system regularly is essential to ensure its effectiveness. This means simulating a cyber-attack or a system failure to see if the backup works as intended.

Any issues found during the testing process can be addressed and fixed to ensure the data’s safety in case of an actual attack. Testing the backup and recovery systems can help small businesses identify and fix potential issues before it’s too late.

Implementing Cloud Storage Services

Cloud storage offers a secure, off-site location to store backups, making them easily accessible in case of an emergency. Cloud storage also provides flexibility, allowing businesses to scale up or down as their data storage needs change.

NTM’s cloud solutions are designed to cater to the growing needs of businesses to store and manage data efficiently. With our expertise in cloud computing, NTM can assist businesses with seamless application integrations and transitioning from on-premises storage to cloud storage.

Risk Assessment and Incident Response

 

Small businesses must conduct regular risk assessments to identify potential vulnerabilities in their systems and develop incident response plans to address potential cybersecurity incidents. As part of their cybersecurity assessment checklist, small businesses should take the following steps:

Conducting Regular Security Audits

Regular security audits are crucial in identifying and addressing potential vulnerabilities before they are exploited. These audits help small businesses identify areas of their systems and networks vulnerable to attacks. Once vulnerabilities are identified, companies can develop a plan to address them before they become an issue.

Developing Incident Response Plans

Developing an incident response plan is critical in minimizing the impact of security breaches. Incident response plans provide a framework for responding to security incidents, including identifying the cause of the incident, containing the damage, and restoring systems to their previous state.

An effective incident response plan should be comprehensive and include a clear chain of command, contact information for relevant parties, and clear procedures for addressing incidents.

Communicating Incident Response Plan to Employees

An incident response plan is only effective if employees are aware of it and understand their role in it. Therefore, it is essential to communicate the incident response plan to all employees and ensure they understand it.

Training sessions and regular communication can ensure that employees know how to report incidents, who to report them to, and their role in the response plan. Effective communication ensures everyone is on the same page and responds quickly and effectively to security incidents.

Protect Your Company With National Technology Management

National Technology Management provides a range of services to help small businesses secure their networks, devices, and data. From employee training to data backups and incident response planning, NTM has the expertise and tools to safeguard small businesses’ sensitive information.

Contact NTM today to schedule a free consultation and take the first step in confidently protecting your business using our comprehensive cybersecurity solutions. Don’t leave your business’s security to chance; use the NTM cybersecurity assessment checklist to ensure your company’s data and network are secure.