5 security tips that every MSP should share with clients

There are tons of risk factors when owning a business, and one of the least prioritized is that of cybersecurity. Small businesses are the prime target for hackers because they have the least resources, and least awareness for the need for security. About 50% of all cyber-attacks target small businesses specifically because they are deemed as “soft” targets. Whether you land a new client or not, it is important for us as managed service providers to stress the importance of security by sharing tips on how to protect a business – no matter the industry.  

Get protection (Security)

Many small businesses don’t have a dedicated IT person or department to handle the technology aspects of the business. The best advice is to find an affordable cyber security service that can provide protection against cyber threats such as phishing emails, viruses, and malware. Getting an enterprise-grade security suite will combat identity theft by blocking phishing and spoofing, by adding authenticity to your mail messages, and by eliminating worthless traffic from your inbox. A great email protection should be compatible with all major email service providers – including Office 365, on-premise Exchange, and G-Suite for Business. A managed service provider can provide a multi-layer approach to provide the strongest defense to protect your business.

Think before you click (phishing)

In 2020, the FBI named Phishing as the most common type of cybercrime to affect businesses, doubling from the years before. It is not that your employees are haphazardly clicking things in their email. (Although this happens occasionally too!) They are being duped by cleverly made emails presumably sent by reputable companies that we normally trust. What is important to note here is the trust factor – users become victim to phishing scams by emails that appear to be coming from amazon, google pay, and even Microsoft.

To combat Phishing, you’ll want to get Phishing protection – it is normally included in any enterprise-grade email security suite, like ExchangeDefender PRO.

Change your passwords (frequently)

You have heard this a million times, we know – but it is extremely important. We tend to use the same 4 or 5 passwords over and over for our login credentials. These weak passwords can have serious consequences for a small business, and is normally a precursor for a data breach.

The solution for this is simple, a password manager. A password manager is a secure, encrypted app that keeps tracks of your passwords for different websites so that you don’t have to remember them on the spot. A password management solution would allow you to create super strong passwords that are longer than eight characters, making them harder to guess, and even harder to hack.  

Get encryption (keep your data secure)

As a corporate encryption provider, we fully understand that business have a hard time understanding the dire importance of securing their data. The way we pitch it is: would you still have a business if all of your company and client’s information got exposed to the public? We’re talking financial information, health information, business strategies. In most cases, our clients say ‘absolutely not!’. The main reason why businesses don’t use encryption is because they think it would be too hard to actually use, and to implement. The good news is that – this is simply not true! Protect your organization, and protect your customers, get encryption today.

Backup your data (emails, files, documents etc.)

Recent surveys revealed that 51% of businesses questioned had no disaster recovery plan whatsoever to combat the coronavirus. Do you have a backup plan? It is crucial that you Save, and store your data somewhere safe. Most companies without a business continuity plan who suffer a major data disaster go out of business within twelve months. All of your communications, your company emails – should be stored in a long-term, tamper-proof storage for compliance and backup reasons. Company files and word documents should be stored in the cloud, with unlimited storage and 24/7 secure access. You’ll want to sign up for a file sharing software for business that is affordable, and easy to use – we recommend Web File Server.