6 Tips for Reducing Information Technology Risks

Unfortunately, there’s no way to entirely eliminate risk in any area of business. You may not be of the mind that hackers and data thieves have placed a target on your back, but the worst time to realize that possibility is a day after it’s already happened to you. If someone is trying to breech your security and steal your information, the last thing you want to do is make it easy for them. It’s vital that you do all you can to keep your company safe.

1. Make and update a risk checklist

A risk checklist isn’t something you can do once and be done with. You need to remain vigilant as things change. Make an initial checklist of all of your potential security risks, and handle them. In a few months, inventory your risks again. Have your employees been slacking in adhering to your security policies? How long has it been since you’ve improved and updated your security? A risk checklist is ongoing, and you’ll need to run through the basics every few weeks to stay on top of things.

2. Install protection

Every machine in your office needs to be properly equipped. Having software that protects your computers, tablets, and corporate mobile devices as your first line of defense can prevent most simple risks from infiltrating your network. Firewalls and preventative software like anti-virus and anti-malware programs will do most of the work for you. If you aren’t sure where to start, your IT specialists will be able to point you in the direction of reputable brands and services.

3. Stay updated

It’s not enough to have the software if you aren’t going to update it regularly. New threats emerge every day, and as they spring up, software companies develop ways to shield you from them. Since updating software takes a while, your employees may feel inclined to keep clicking “remind me later” so they can get back to what they were doing. Set your software updates to run when everyone is done with their computers for the day. You won’t lose any productivity, or any protection.

4. Manage your passwords

Passwords are largely important, and they’re easy to handle. Have rules for password strengths. An increasing number of websites require that users set passwords that include at least one uppercase letter, one symbol, and one number. This makes passwords difficult to guess, and it’s harder for malicious attacks to access accounts with password cracking programs. Not only should you set strict standards for what is acceptable as a password, you should also have your employees change their passwords every few weeks.

5. Keep secure backups of your information

Disaster recovery is a big deal. When businesses are faced with a large disaster, nearly half of them will never spring back. Keeping backups can be the difference between the life and death of your business. Back up your most important files and encrypt them. Should you experience data loss or a compromise that requires you to purge critical files, you won’t have to carry on without them.

6. Train your employees frequently

As security methods improve, hackers step up their game in an attempt to beat the system. Security professionals innovate often for your continued protection. Training your employees will help them understand good practices, preventing any mishaps that can cost your company big time. They’ll also need to know how to use your protection software, and what things they’ll need to keep an eye out for.

Minimizing your information technology risks isn’t something you can do once and be done with. It’s an ongoing process that deserves to be treated as vitally important to the health of your company. No matter how good your protections are, they can always be better. Never stop looking for ways to stay at the premium tier of security.

Marleen Anderson is part of the team behind Saxons, Australia-based company providing IT support services and IT training. She is a great technology addict with huge interest in entrepreneurship.