Tips for Improving Your Information Systems Security

The most important part of running a successful business is protecting your data and information. As your company grows, so does the threat of others breaching your security. If your information is compromised, then you are putting your business at risk of failure.

In 2015, there were a reported 429 billion security breaches and many more that remained unreported. It is extremely important to utilize the best tools and technologies for maintaining your IT security. Don’t become a part of this statistic.

Use the following tips to improve your IT security.

1. Secure Internet

The first step in improving your IT security is to ensure that you are using a secure internet service. By doing a quick search using a the Broadband Search tool, you can identify all internet options in your local area. Compare the security for all available options and choose the one that will best meet your internet needs while maintaining your overall IT security.

2. Educate Your Employees

The easiest way for your information to be compromised is if your staff is not thoroughly trained on your security procedures. Providing proper training for employees across all functional areas – not just IT – will educate them on your company’s security policies and eliminate potential data breaches. Being proactive will eliminate risks and improve your overall security.

3. Security Software

Protecting your data systems with leading security software is a great way to eliminate risks.Not only do you want to protect your system from viruses, but you also need to eliminate other threats, including hackers accessing your financial data and personal information. The best software options are full-services ones that offer firewall protection, backup services and anti-spam services. Kaspersky Total Security and Symantec Norton Security Premium are excellent security suites. They offer all of the services above, but also have tune-up services and parental control. Another good choice is Bitdefender Internet Security. Although it doesn’t have everything we are looking for, it does offer top quality data protection.

4. Layer Your Security Software

When it comes to your personal computer, having a single security software will suffice. However, business systems and servers are a lot more complex and contain a lot more data. Therefore, it is crucial that you layer your security software to keep your business one step ahead of a potential security threat. A great option for doing so is to use a cybersecurity solution. There are many options out there that can track unauthorized logins, identify unusual web traffic and monitor key statistics to ensure the overall data protection. Some great cybersecurity solutions include Comodo, Symantec, ESET and Cloudflare.

5. Contingency Plan

The final tip for securing your information systems is to plan for the worst. Get a contingency plan in place to ensure that you are able to move forward after a security breach. With the business world continuously relying more and more on technology, security breaches have become more prevalent. If you take the initiative to backup your data, you will be able to operate your business as usual after a security breach. Get that contingency plan in place and ensure your employees are proactive with securing and backing up their key data.

Data breaches are unfortunately an unwanted side effect of using technology in the workplace. However, if you follow these simple steps, you will be protecting your data and eliminating potential threats and breaches.

We wish to thank Michael Peggs, for his research for this article.