Running an online business is a relatively simple business model compared to companies that require stores, factories, or other ‘real world’ requirements. It allows you to focus on growing your brand without worrying about crippling overhead costs or the stress of keeping your commercial real estate secure day after day.
Despite this, there are a few challenges to running an online business – not least the omnipresent threat of cybercrime and how it could affect your company. Although this can technically happen to any company with a website, it is a particular issue for an online brand because your website is your sole source of income and the bedrock of your business.
If your website was to go down or your customer’s data stolen, then the resultant reputational knock may be enough to tarnish your brand forever. As a result, you must keep your online business safe from cyber-attacks.
Here’s how:
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Many threats originate from inside your company
The first fact you need to know about cybercrime is that it does not always target you from afar. Although it may be easy to assume that your business won’t be targeted by a hacker because you are either too small or your defenses too strong, the truth is rather more disturbing.
In reality, your sternest threat may lie within your business in the form of an insider threat.
An insider threat is a person who is linked to your company in some way and has direct access to sensitive data or documents that, if leaked, could be highly valuable – or destructive.
This information usually includes bank details, health records, customer details, and other confidential data. In addition, these insider threats may try to steal, leak, or otherwise dispose of your data for personal gain (such as fraud), espionage, or just simple revenge if they have felt you have wronged them in some way.
The possible results of a data leak don’t need emphasizing, especially if the leak originated from your staff.
It is best to stay vigilant when it comes to the people you work with and further research insider threats by visiting Proofpoint.
Only let authorized employees handle sensitive data
Another way to keep your company safe from online attackers is to limit the amount of private information spread between your colleagues. This could mean only sharing certain passwords with employees if they need to access the account for specific work purposes and then changing the password once they are finished.
Taking actions like these prevents you from losing touch with the security of your business and makes it harder for phishing attacks, insider threats, and other cyber-attacks from impacting your business too heavily.
Secure your devices and keep a security team on standby
If you want to keep your website in good health and prevent it from being brought down by cyber hackers, then it might be wise to hire a dedicated team of website security experts to maintain your site.
The benefits of hiring a professional team to look after your website are plentiful. Firstly, it takes the burden off of your shoulders, allowing you to free up your time and dedicate it to other tasks.
Secondly, the team will ensure that if your site is hacked or suffers a malfunction, you will be able to deal with the problem quickly and efficiently. This, in turn, saves you the issue of losing customers and suffering a blow to your brand’s reputation.