Website security is more and more a concern. Discover how to maximize online security for your business, through these answers your most pressing questions by guest author, Megha Parikh...
Guest post by Megha Parikh
Think you don't need to improve the online security for your business?
Think again!
According to 2011 SMB Threat Awareness Poll conducted by Symantec, at least 50% of Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) assume they are insulated from cyber attacks because they are small in stature.
Contradicting their belief is the study report by Symantec which found that at least 42% of SMBs lost business information through cyber attacks and lacking online security.
So the ground reality can be aptly summarized as: businesses take online security lightly. There is a common misconception that investing in online security measures is a waste of resources and one that does not yield any profitable returns.
However, if statistics are to be referred from Heimdal Security, the world as a whole has suffered to the tune of more than $100 Billion USD due to cyber crimes and attacks. The cyber security firm further estimate approximately 230,000 malware samples to be launched into the cyberspace on a daily basis.
Here are some ways to ensure business security in the cyber space.
How To Maximize Online Security For Your Business
Whether you are a small business or one sprawling across continents, these tactics can help you save losses caused due to cyber attacks.
Ensure User Identity
Bots and DDoS attacks are primary methods for hackers to break into lesser secure networks. While there is no foolproof way to ensure user identity at check in point, security measures like captcha and prove-that-you-are-human help prevent bots and systematic hacking attempts from bearing fruit.
Set Up Firewall
Establishing a firewall is perhaps the best way a small business can fortify itself against infiltration by hackers. A firewall is like a fort wall that insulates the network and its open ports from being leveraged by hackers for unauthorized entries.
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A firewall will regulate the flow of information through the network without letting it get exposed at any port where the hacker can possibly make an entry. Firewalls are available as turnkey solutions which a business website can incorporate into its network for online security.
SSL Encryption
Industry stalwarts including Rick Andrews, technical director, Trust Services, Symantec recommend organization and business website owners to “use strong SSL authentication for web and data protection”
SSL encryption is a must for today’s business website owners who want to prevent any form of data infiltration from external or internal sources. A SSL certificate is basically a collection of KB sized data files that contain heavily encrypted keys to the owning organizations details like name, domain name, location and country.
The certificate is reflected on the address bar with a green padlock symbol and HTTPS in green font. It is technically referred to as extended validation which is considered a hallmark sign of website online security.
Using SSL certificates also render several additional benefits like:
- Encrypting confidential information transfer
- Building trust between buyers and sellers
- Authenticity for online banking and financial transactions
- Ensures adherence with PCI compliance
Ensure security at BYOD
BYOD is a practice which has become commonplace across all major industries. In the US along, security issues arise primarily because of unguarded personal devices like laptops and tablets.
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Image credit: bmc.com[/caption]
Instituting cyber security measures at BYOD end-units is the first step to prevent malware, spyware and other malicious programs from entering the system internal environment. Anti-virus and spyware protection for BYOD units can be sponsored by the organization itself or required of the user when the sign up or BYOD.
Enable CVV Verification
CVV (Card Verification Value) is a 3 digit code that is embossed behind credit and debit cards. It acts as an additional security feature in online payments where the user cannot a PIN number. CVV ensures that only authorized users who actually own the credit/debit card or those who have access to the card are carrying out the transaction.
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Image credit: siftscience.com[/caption]
CVV in addition to One Time Passwords can ensure that customers are given layered online security for all online transactions where their banking credentials can possibly be compromised.
Similarly, if you are running an eCommerce store, you may also consider setting up an AVS (Address Verification System) which ensures that the billing address as given by the customer is legit and not a scam. It helps control returns and fraudulent orders.
Enlighten Employees About Cybersecurity
SolarWinds in its 2015 Federal Cybersecurity Survey has found in its survey that untrained employees are the primary security threats for federal agencies.
For any organization that takes cyber security at face value, employee training in cyber security is imperative. Employee training ensures that are standard protocols within the organization which requires employees to adhere with cyber security measures.
Such measures will include:
- Use of instant messaging solutions that are encrypted end-to-end
- Using only standardized software and web applications from trusted sources
- Layering every possible software utility with an additional level of online security
- Monitoring usage of BYOD devices and data transfer volumes
- Regular backups of data
Have a Disaster Recovery Plan
Hope is an expensive commodity. Being prepared makes is sensible.
The same goes with your organization’s IT security. Having a disaster plan that can put your organization back in track (in case of a cyber attack) is equally important to have precautionary measures.
The disaster control and recovery plan should deal with situations like:
- How to restore lost or destroyed data?
- What procedures can be used to ensure data integrity on recovery?
- How long can the disaster recovery be planned for?
- What kind of software or processes be used for disaster recovery?
A comprehensive disaster plan can be created to include routines like periodical backups, mapping old URLs to new URLs, offline server storage, seeking emergency assistance from hosting service provider, etc.
Should you outsource your website's online security?
That is a question worth pondering. In fact, some credit card processing companies do provide card processing and online transaction safety for a service cost. For a small business the cost may be exorbitant, nevertheless there are other online security consultants who can help plug the loopholes in your security process.
To begin with, you can set up your web portal with SSL certificate protection which can negate almost every existing security threat that are commonplace.
About The Author
Megha Parikh is a digital marketing expert and has been journeying through the world of digital marketing for more than 7 years. She especially enjoys learning about social media marketing and conversion rate optimization while exploring her social and interpersonal skills. Connect with her on Twitter and LinkedIn.
40 Replies
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Fun read! Thanks for sharing this.
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Twyla, Glad you liked this article about maximizing online security for business. Thank you for your comment, ~Keri
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Advanced Persistent Threats (APT) An APT is a type of cyber attack that is carried out by highly sophisticated attackers who are well-funded and motivated. APT attacks are designed to remain undetected for long periods of time while the attackers gather valuable information. These attacks can be difficult to detect and defend against, making them a significant threat to organizations, governments, and critical infrastructure
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Warisha, Thank you for visiting my blog, and for sharing your insights with us. Online security and guarding against cyber attacks is more and more a priority for businesses of all sizes. What is the cybersecurity solution for small and medium sized businesses? ~Keri
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A great blog to improve online security for businesses. Nowadays, security is really essential for every type of business. Your articles are very well written, and precise points are mentioned correctly. Keep sharing!!
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Hi there, You make a good point – Online security is essential for every type of business. I believe it applies to companies of all sizes. Thank you for your kind words regarding this article about online security for business. I hope you will visit my blog again. ~Keri
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Great business security suggestions! Glad I popped by!
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Hi there, Thank you for your kind words. We are happy you visited the blog. We update it often with similar insights on technology and business, so we hope you’ll visit again. Thanks for your comment, ~Keri
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Thanks for sharing. Great read! I see a lot of business owners ignoring online security. There is no quicker way to kill a business. Moreover, I believe that all employers need to ensure that their staff is trained and understand some basic protocols at least by attending cyber security awareness programs and workshops. Thanks once again, really like the way you explain things.
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Eithen, You make some very good points. I agree that employers can provide staff training for online security and make it part of their yearly programming to keep staff up to date. Thank you for your kind words, ~Keri
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Thank you so much for this enlightening post. It is critical for organizations to have a security plan and calamity recuperation plan set up. In the event that there is no arrangement set up and information isn’t as a rule appropriately supported up it tends to be destroying.
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Ryan, Glad you liked this post! As you said, it is important that businesses have their online security covered, and that there is a plan in advance for any potential breach. There is so much to lose if those two things do not occur. Thanks for your comment, ~Keri
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Online Security is the need for all business data can easily thefts by hackers or ISP for the privacy we can apply the different method and your advice is awesome thank you for a great thing.
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Elsie, I think I understand what you’re trying to say. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. ~Keri
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Thank you so much for sharing such an awesome article. I like the way of your explanation and readability. It helps me a lot.
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Edjimhill, Thank you for visiting the blog, and for your kind words about this article. I’m sure Megha would appreciate your thoughts as well. Happy to be helpful, ~Keri
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I also agree that all companies who is serving online to their client should have to follow proper security plans and have to a lot fixed budgets for Cyber security.
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Entersoft, Glad you liked this article – I appreciate your visiting and reading. Thanks also for your comment. ~Keri
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ssl and credit card processing shoulnot be compromised. Nice Sumarized article.
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Rupak, Thank you for your kind words. We have to think of online security with vigor these days! ~Keri
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nice article and pictures
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Sanjil, Thank you for your kind words, and for sharing your thoughts. ~Keri
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In this day and age, online security is one of the biggest threats to so many companies. Most companies in today’s society rely on their server’s not only being reliable but safe. Peace of mind is always a price worth paying for.
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Hayden, I absolutely agree with you! Thank you for sharing your thoughts, ~Keri
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Security is the essential elements for business, without that it is no safety on it.
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Jack, I completely agree! Thank you for sharing your thoughts, ~Keri
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Data tends to be spread around, trapped in various silos. The latest wave of BI tools is attempting to remove the barriers between those silos so that a holistic picture is formed based on multiple data sources. This provides much more accurate forecasts.
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Awesome. I love the tips and will sure use this on my business. Hope it works good. Thanks.
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Jonathan, Glad you found this article helpful, and we are happy to hear you feel you can use the tips in your business. Thank you for your comment, ~Keri
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Bi, Sounds like you work in the industry and have much insight. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, ~Keri
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Risk assessments must be recorded with actions agreed to control and minimize identified risks (and in a timely manner). Employees must be made aware of risks and any procedures implemented to ensure personal safety, including the use of personal protective equipment.
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Tony, Good points. I’d also add that as employees are made aware, they should know what their risks are, and also the company’s risks. In turn, information should be provided to them so they can interact online in the best interest of both themselves and the company(s) they work for. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, ~Keri
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The contribution that business intelligence makes to the overall success of an enterprise cannot be overstated in today’s digital economy.
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The contribution that business intelligence makes to the overall success of an enterprise cannot be overstated in today’s digital economy.
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Jonathan, Business Intelligence can be gained via several routes. The technology we should be watching now is AI – Artificial Intelligence. It will be interesting to see how that aids business intelligence, and assists online security. Thanks for your comment, ~Keri
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Victoria, You’re absolutely correct. Thanks for your comment, ~Keri
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This is great advice. It seems like many business ignore their security until it is too late to fix but it is so important to know exactly how you can solve any security issues before you lose data or customers!
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Brian, Glad you found this post helpful. What you say is true: Many business owners wait until it’s too late to think about online security. Hopefully posts like this will help educate and inform small businesses and startups to be more proactive with IT, online security, and data protection. 🙂 Thanks for your comment, ~Keri
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It is extremely important for companies to have a security plan and disaster recovery plan in place. If there is no plan in place and data isn’t being properly backed up it can be devastating. Great information, thanks for sharing!
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Laurie, I absolutely agree with you. A the disaster and recovery plan should also include social media crises. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and additional insights, ~Keri
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