How can businesses improve cyber security?

The word cybersecurity is now part of a daily concern for businesses as breaches continue to threaten their networks and systems. These breaches can have severe consequences, costing money and affecting data, and so it's vital that, regardless of size, there should be a robust response plan in place.
 
Cyber criminals are clever; they don't always aim for those big companies but often the smaller ones that are easier to challenge. As network breaches are potentially so devastating, each business needs to be taking measures to protect their network. We've put together some suggested steps that each business needs to take in order improve their cyber security for maximum protection.
 
Don't skimp on security solutions
Many businesses make the mistake of thinking that their business is too niche to be targeted - however, the majority of cyber attacks happen to these smaller companies because they're the ones more likely to have limited budgets in place for cyber security. Limited budget or not, if your business falls into the category you should strongly consider investing in the very best security package you can afford.
 
There are two major software protections you should have in place; a firewall to stop hackers from getting in and traffic getting out, and a domain name server-based security solution that protects people even when they are not in the office.
 
Update on a regular basis
Any connection to the internet is potentially a vulnerable connection and it's a hacker's key feature to try exploit. To help avoid people trying to access your files, keep all of your connections, operating systems and applications up to date at all times. Implementing these security and software updates quickly, will limit exposure to vulnerabilities.
 
Point-Of-Sale-System
There have been continuous efforts to improve the security of credit card transactions in the retail industry, and these developments are destined to continue. A step in the right direction is a point of sale system - which channels a transaction process through retail outlets while a product is being purchased. This is perfect to have as it enables you to keep track of inventory, employee management, sales and lots more all in one handy space, reducing the need for endless files and paperwork.

Although this has also been a target for thieves, there are many things in place making this a reputable and handy feature to have, as well as tips_ to follow to make sure it's secure.
 
Password rules
Implement password rules among your team. Have strong passwords and change them frequently to help keep hackers out. Staff members will often forget to voluntarily change their passwords so make it mandatory at regular intervals and teach them how to create and remember those strong passwords.
 
Invest in your people
Investing in your people is a must when it comes to training and awareness is critical.
No matter how comprehensive your security software is, what's also important is making sure that everyone in your workforce is educated - your tools are only as strong as your people.

If your employees, for example, can't identify a fake email, your company is vulnerable.
Invest in training so that all employees understand and can spot potential security risks, knowing what a phishing email looks like and how to be avoid a scam.

If you need to, enlist an expert security advisor to help make sure everything runs more efficiently and safely. They can also be a mentor to other workers, helping them along the way for even better security.
 
As cyber security threats are impossible to predict, don't waste time waiting to implement a plan. The longer you delay, the greater the risk.