Whether you’re running a large corporation or small to medium-sized business, protecting the privacy of yourself and your customers is critical. Data breaches and cybersecurity threats can harm the security and confidentiality of your business. For instance, a cyber attack can result in stolen personal data from customers for identity or credit card theft purposes.

Customers that are the victims of cyber security attacks may not feel comfortable shopping with a company after that happens. This results in a loss of valuable clients and their trust. Below, we’ll discuss some tips you can implement to protect the privacy of your business online.

Tips on how to protect the privacy of your business online

A cybersecurity threat or data breach can happen at any time. Luckily, protecting data is not as expensive as you may imagine. We’ll list several best practices to protect your data and decrease the risk of cybersecurity threats below.

1. Establish a privacy policy

You should create a privacy policy to protect your small business, employees, and customers. Explain in your privacy policy how your business will work to keep personal information safe.

Your privacy policy should detail what kind of data your business collects and stores, what it does with it, and the security measures that will help protect this data. Some small companies collect customer data like names, phone numbers, and email addresses. Your business should not collect sensitive data like social security numbers or confidential information from customers that can be used maliciously if a cyber attack happens.

2. Education your employees

You may be surprised to find out that human error is the cause of 90% of data breaches. Small businesses can work to prevent data breaches by training and educating their employees to protect information. This will, in turn, help them better understand the role they play in helping safeguard customer data and other valuable information.

Some training ideas include:

• Learning sessions on how to create strong passwords and resetting them every 60 to 90 days
• Spreading the latest news and trends in fraud schemes
• Knowing security best practices, such as how to spot unsolicited or unknown emails and avoiding opening email attachments or suspicious links
• How to safeguard sensitive data

Once employees create a training course, you can have them sign a document and print paperwork that states they have been properly trained on the company’s security policies.

3. Purchase security software

One of the most obvious ways to protect your business is to purchase software to protect your systems. Some options worth considering are:

• Anti-malware software to combat phishing attacks
• Network security software to scan and identify any vulnerabilities before a data breach
• Antivirus software that scans for viruses and malware after computer updates
• Firewall software to keep cyber-attacks from entering private networks
• Computer security software to protect against any incoming threats

Auditing your website regularly and turning on automatic updates on software programs can also help ensure your small business is protected at all times.

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If you need an IT solutions company in Grants Pass or Medford, OR, at ITs Managed, we are the premier service provider. Our tailored, communicative, and attentive solutions are like having an in-house IT team at your disposal. No matter your industry, needs, or the scope of your business, we can provide peace of mind through honest, reliable, time-sensitive service that ensures your technology just plain works. Contact us now to get started!