Let’s be honest, cyber-crime is skyrocketing, and it’s not just targeting big names like SolarWinds, Colonial Pipeline, or Kaseya. If you run a business, whether it’s a multi-million-pound corporation or a quaint little coffee shop with free Wi-Fi, you’re a potential target. A staggering 38% of small businesses in the UK identified a cyber security breach in 2021, and that’s just the ones who noticed! Imagine how many breaches are happening under the radar.
These hackers aren’t lone wolves, they’re part of organised groups running sophisticated operations designed to make money at your expense. They don’t care who you are, how hard you’ve worked, or how much your business means to you. They’ll exploit vulnerabilities in your systems, your employees, and even your printers (yes, your printer!). The worst part? Law enforcement is always playing catch-up.
Today, your business runs on tech. Your team is always connected, your tools need to sync seamlessly, and let’s face it, being offline even for a few hours is a nightmare. But with all this connectivity comes risk. Employees juggling multiple systems, vendors accessing your networks, and an ever-growing list of apps can expose security gaps. You need smart tools, but you also need smart security to go with them.
As a business that’s been around for over two decades, we constantly evaluate our risks, especially in the areas of security and disaster recovery. And if we’re asking these questions, you should be too:
• Which of our systems and services are most at risk, and how can we reduce that risk?
• How do we prevent cyber-attacks before they even happen?
• If an attack occurs, how do we limit the damage?
• How do we prevent ransomware from taking our data hostage?
• How do we detect intrusions before they become full-blown disasters?
• How can we protect our employees from falling for scams?
• What’s our recovery plan if a critical system goes down?
• How can we improve our security incident response?
If you haven’t already, it’s time to sit down with your key stakeholders and get real about security. Here’s how to start:
• Identify your biggest risks and determine which systems and functions are absolutely critical to your business.
• Ensure you’re meeting legal and compliance obligations.
• Build contingency plans for system failures and have a clear communication strategy for clients and stakeholders.
• Develop a solid incident response and disaster recovery process, know who’s responsible for what.
• Put preventive measures in place, whether that’s bulletproof processes, employee training, or advanced security systems.
• Encourage a culture where employees report incidents, big or small.
Still with us? Great! Here are some must-do security actions to protect your business:
• Secure your firewall: It’s your first line of defence. Only necessary services should be allowed in and out.
• Keep all software and devices updated: Those updates aren’t just for fun; they patch security holes.
• Implement best security practices: From stopping auto-run features to enforcing screen lockouts, little things make a big difference.
• Strengthen employee security: Secure passwords, multi-factor authentication, and least-permissive access should be the norm. A password manager can make life easier.
• Use security software that detects threats: If something sneaks through, the right tools can catch it before it causes chaos.
• Protect your email: Spoofing and phishing are hackers’ favourite tools. DMARC and anti-phishing tech can help.
• Secure applications: Minimise what apps can do so they can’t be used against you.
• Encrypt portable devices: If they’re lost or stolen, encryption ensures data stays safe.
• Implement ransomware protection: Don’t let hackers hold your data hostage.
• Have an air-gapped backup: Back up your data in a secure location that’s inaccessible from your network.
• Track privileged accounts: If an admin account is compromised, you need to know where it has access.
• Secure your printers: Yes, even your printer can be an entry point for cybercriminals.
• Train and test employees – Cyber awareness should be a regular part of training.
• Secure cloud services: Just because it’s in the cloud doesn’t mean it’s secure.
• Monitor for breached credentials: Dark web monitoring can alert you if your data is floating around for sale.
• Invest in cyber insurance: The cost of recovering from a breach can be astronomical.
• Engage a security-focused provider: Sometimes, you just need an expert to review your setup and implement best practices.
Cyber threats aren’t slowing down, and neither should your security efforts. If you’re unsure where to start or need a helping hand, let’s chat. At XC360, we take security seriously so you can focus on running your business with confidence.
Let’s crank up your IT security, before the hackers do it for you. 🚀
