Small and mid-sized businesses are attractive targets precisely because they often have fewer defenses. The good news is that a handful of well-managed basics stop the majority of everyday threats. Use this checklist to see where you stand.
Network and firewall
- A business-grade firewall that is actively managed and updated, not just installed.
- Separate Wi-Fi networks for staff and guests.
- Monitoring for unusual activity and intrusion attempts.
- Remote access only through secure, authenticated connections.
Email protection
- Filtering for phishing, spoofing and malicious attachments.
- Email authentication records (SPF, DKIM and DMARC) configured for your domain, so others can’t easily impersonate you.
- Multi-factor authentication on every mailbox.
- Regular staff training so people recognize suspicious messages.
Devices and software
- Up-to-date antivirus and malware protection on every computer.
- Operating systems, applications and websites patched promptly.
- Unused software and old user accounts removed.
- Strong, unique passwords, ideally managed with a password manager.
Backups and recovery
- Automatic, scheduled backups of critical data and systems.
- At least one copy stored off-site or in the cloud.
- Restores tested regularly. A backup you’ve never restored is only a hope.
- A written plan for what to do if systems go down.
Your website counts too
An outdated website is one of the easiest ways into a business, and one of the most visible when something goes wrong. Keep WordPress, themes and plugins updated, remove unused plugins, use an SSL certificate and monitor for malware.
Make security part of the system
Security works best when it’s built into how your business operates, not bolted on after a problem. That’s why network security, email protection and backups are a core layer of every business operating system we build. If you’re not sure how your business measures up, schedule a business assessment and it will include a security check.