When your business stalls in its beginning stages, it can be easy to get complacent about online security. You might not see the need for it as of yet, as what is there to steal? Beyond backing up data, you end up implementing few actual security protocols. [adrotate group=”4″]
However, these days it is foolhardy not to treat every bit of business information as precious. Privacy is very important in our personal lives, but it takes on another level of severity when it comes to business. The most minor data breaches can lead to stolen ideas, technical chaos, and legal complications.
It is vital that every member of your staff, no matter what data and systems they have access to, has basic security software installed on their devices. The following 3 tools are essential. [adrotate group=”4″]
1. A Reliable VPN
No one should use the internet without a VPN these days. A VPN hides your location and encrypts your data, making you that much more secure. Without it, it is remarkably easy to hack someone. Many businesses build their own VPNs at some point, but for now you’re going to do well to use one of the trusted VPN providers.
Check out this comparison of ExpressVPN vs NordVPN to see the specifications of two of the best. These are two companies you can rely on not to log your data and to actually protect you. There are many others that have been shown to be totally useless but take advantage of the fact that the layman cannot tell the difference.
2. Antivirus Software
The reputation of antivirus software suffers from its status as a mainstay of the ‘90s and early ‘00s. Technology has evolved so rapidly, that we think of computers from those days in the same way we think of fax machines. We have strong associations with some of the big names of the time. Which is why many Apple users have a tough time trusting Microsoft – after all, they remember Microsoft for its blue crash screen and neverending startups.
Antivirus software was similarly primitive, but it has evolved along with all other technology. It’s not the seemingly useless, clunky, and slow monster it once was. Antivirus software is still important, even for those who are using the more foolhardy Macbook. While individual Apple fans can choose not to install antivirus software and will probably be fine, your staff need to be held to a higher standard.
3. Password Managers
The biggest threat to online security is, naturally, human carelessness. Many people insist on VPNs and antivirus software, only for a staff member to make “password” their password. We can all sympathize. Remembering all our passwords is practically impossible.
This is why password managers are so important. Password managers don’t simply keep your passwords. They also generate the strongest passwords possible. Passwords that the human mind is basically incapable of remembering. You just need one strong but memorable password to access your password manager and you can let the software do everything else.
If your staff all have password managers, you can insist that they change their passwords every few months. If not, you’re fighting a losing battle to get them not to use the same combination they’ve been using since their schooldays. [adrotate group=”2″]
