As technology becomes more prevalent in every piece of business environments, businesses face growing cybersecurity threats. If you own a small to medium sized business, you may not think you’re a prime target, but the reality is that cybercriminals often see smaller businesses as easier entry points. This is why having a robust cybersecurity strategy is essential to safeguard your company’s data, reputation, and continuity.

Here are some of the critical cybersecurity measures every business should have in place to ensure security and continuity for their business:

1. Firewall and Network Security

A firewall is the first line of defense between your internal network and external threats. It monitors incoming and outgoing traffic, blocking suspicious activity before it becomes a problem. A robust firewall, complemented by network monitoring, ensures that your systems are protected from unauthorized access.

At WorkSmart, we offer ManagedShield Firewalls to ensure your firewall is always configured properly, monitored and up to date to protect your network resources. Learn more about our cybersecurity services and how we can help secure your network.

2. Data Encryption

Encryption is key to protecting sensitive business data, both when it’s at rest and in transit. When sensitive information—like customer records or financial data—gets encrypted, it becomes unreadable to unauthorized parties. For small businesses, investing in encrypted solutions for emails, communications, and file sharing is critical to protect sensitive data from breaches. 

Whether you’re looking to improve your security posture or have compliance standards you need to meet, the team at WorkSmart is able to help you reach your goals.

3. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Passwords alone are no longer sufficient. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) with conditional access adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to verify their identity through an additional method, such as a text message or an authentication app. This drastically reduces the chances of unauthorized access to your systems, even if passwords are compromised.

Implementing MFA across your organization will make it significantly harder for cybercriminals to gain access to your sensitive systems. WorkSmart is a leader in Microsoft 365 security strategies, and can help you meet your organizational goals.

4. Regular Software Updates and Patch Management

Outdated software is one of the most common entry points for cyberattacks. Hackers exploit vulnerabilities in outdated systems to gain access to networks. Regularly updating your software and applying security patches as soon as they’re released helps close these gaps.

Our ManagedShield programs can help by having our team manage this process, ensuring your systems are always up-to-date without disrupting daily operations.

5. Employee Cybersecurity Training

Your employees are often your weakest link when it comes to cybersecurity. Phishing scams, malware, and social engineering attacks are specifically designed to trick employees into unknowingly handing over sensitive information. Regular training ensures that your staff is aware of the latest threats and knows how to identify suspicious activities.

At WorkSmart, we offer comprehensive Security Awareness Training training as part of our broader cybersecurity services to help protect your business from human error.

6. Data Backup and Disaster Recovery Plan

Even with the best defenses in place, data breaches or other disasters can still happen. A secure, offsite data backup and a comprehensive disaster recovery plan are critical to ensuring business continuity in the event of an attack. This plan should include detailed steps on how to restore operations quickly to minimize downtime and data loss.

WorkSmart’s DataVault services ensure that your business can bounce back quickly after any unexpected disruptions whether your data is in the cloud, or local in your office.

7. Endpoint Security and Mobile Device Management (MDM)

With the rise of remote work, employees increasingly access company data from various devices, including laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Each device presents a potential entry point for cybercriminals. Implementing endpoint security and mobile device management (MDM) allows your business to monitor and control access across all devices, ensuring that only authorized users have access to critical data.

WorkSmart can help manage and secure these endpoints to safeguard your business.

Improve Your Business’ Security Posture Today

By having these essential cybersecurity measures in place, your small business can reduce the risk of falling victim to cyberattacks and ensure you remain compliant with industry standards. At WorkSmart, we are committed to helping small businesses like yours implement comprehensive, scalable cybersecurity strategies. Visit our cybersecurity services page to learn more about how we can keep your business secure.