Startup Security Tips You Will Definitely Need In 2018

When people decide to launch a startup, there is a not-so-small number of things that they have to plan, determine, and think about. It often happens that in the midst of all that chaos, they forget a very important aspect of their company – security. While it is true that securing all that sensitive material, such as information about your employees, customers, and financial matters, can be quite expensive, the consequences of not doing so are certain to be far worse.

Furthermore, what you need to keep in mind is that startups are the most commonly targeted by cybercriminals because a small business most often has fewer security systems installed, which makes it a lot simpler as well as less risky to break in and get what they want. So, in order to protect your company from unwanted intruders, this article will teach you some of the security tips that you will definitely need as a startup in the year ahead of us.

Use strong passwords and change them on a regular basis

You may think that this needn’t even be said, but a lot of people don’t really pay all that much attention to the passwords that they use. Quite often, they come up with something they will easily remember, and stick to it for too long, creating a huge security risk. When you think of a password, make it a combination of lowercase and uppercase letters, as well as numbers and symbols. This way, no one will be able to just guess it, and it will be a lot harder to hack.

Furthermore, changing the password on a regular basis is a must. As a great solution, you can get yourself a password manager software which will come up with one-of-a-kind passwords after a given period, so that you don’t have to think hard every time you want to change it.

Come up with a security plan

One of the most important things for a startup is to have a clear security plan. For starters, it is essential that you establish who has access to sensitive data. Put a policy in place which makes sure that those people know how to get to and use this data for their tasks. Also, as a lot of companies today allow their staff to work on personal devices, such as their laptops, you need to make sure that they are properly protected by passwords. Furthermore let them know that they are required to change the passwords every half a year, both on work devices and their own.

You must also have a strategy in place in case a data breach does happen. The major factor here is sincere and transparent communication with your clients so that your reputation doesn’t suffer serious damage. Finally, keep in mind that your company will be growing, and therefore all your policies will need to be updated along the way.

Backup your data

You must always have all your current data and system backed up remotely. A lot of businesses make use of cloud software for this, so you may go for that approach. What is important is that you pick a well-known and trustworthy service provider. Such a provider will make sure that your backup plan is as safe as it can be, and take care of the necessary security measures. So, choose the software that best suits your needs, and make sure that you never lose crucial sensitive data.

Make sure that your software is up to date

Another very important way to protect your data from intruders is to make sure that your software is always up to date. This goes both for the programs that you use for your business tasks, as well as, of course, the proper antivirus software that you update whenever possible.

By forgetting to update your software, you are basically making your system open to attack by all possible malicious entities out there. Of course, there is much more to this than just protecting yourself from viruses. You must also secure your identity, and make sure that no one can exploit your system in order to fraud your clients.

Secure your premises

The internet is not the only way your company can be attacked. In fact, you must think about properly securing your office space, so that no intruder can get inside and take what they want. This includes various protective measures, such as high security gates, cameras, strong fences, as well as high-quality access control so that thieves can’t just bypass your security and get inside without a sweat.

Remember that startups are the most common targets for cybercriminals and other kinds of unwanted intruders, so make sure that you have the proper security measures in place. Come up with a strong and clear security plan, make sure that your data is constantly backed up, set up a good password policy, keep your software updated, and, of course, make sure that your premises are secure.