To build a successful small business, you need a few important details: a great product, top-notch customer service, and great marketing and advertising. But beyond that, there’s another crucial aspect of running a business smoothly and securely that may easily be overlooked: network security. It’s not as fun as stocking new products, but it’s as important.
Keep your business and customers safe with these four essential aspects of network security for your small business.
4 Things you Should Know About Small Business Network Security
Use a VPN
A VPN, or virtual private network, is like a locked door for your local system or remote Web server. VPNs create a locked wall around your system when you’re off the network, creating an extra step to keep your information in and hackers out.
Encrypt Your Wireless Access Points
Experts have found that almost half the wireless networks out there are wide open and accessible to anyone without reach. Security technology moves quickly, and a crafty hacker can now easily break methods that were perfectly secure a few years ago. We recommend Wi-Fi Protected Access version 2, a new standard for encryption that’s showing up on newer routers, which takes longer to configure but will protect all your sensitive network information.
Rename Your Router
Your network name, also known as SSID, should be unique enough to distinguish your router from others around you, but generic enough to protect your specific location or business name. Consider using a combination of letters that are easy for you and your employees to remember, a nickname, or a favorite obscure vacation destination. If you’re lacking inspiration, there’s nothing wrong with safe terms like “Wireless” or “Network”.
Disable File Sharing
When it comes to sharing, less is more. Keep file-sharing permissions to a minimum and only on your file server. The more active access points your network has, the more vulnerable it becomes.
Following these simple steps, along with some assistance from network security experts, can help your small business stay safe, and let you focus on the fun parts of running a business.