Ways Small Firms Can Protect Against Cyberattacks
Small businesses should adopt multi-factor authentication on all accounts and have three copies of their data, among other practices.
NEW YORK — Solo practitioners and small businesses with highly sensitive client data that attracts the attention of cyber criminals should adopt essential cyber-hygiene practices to guard against threats, even if they do not have an internal IT team.
It is clear that no organization is too small to be vulnerable to cyberattacks, and the financial repercussions of these incidents are increasing dramatically. Small businesses need to prioritize cybersecurity.
Small businesses need to adopt multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all accounts to prevent unauthorized access and use password managers to generate and store strong passwords. Without strong authentication measures in place, funds and client trust can be at risk. Another must-have in cybersecurity is secured devices and cloud systems. These systems and devices, including smartphones and laptops, should have encryption and automatic screen locks, and each should be backed up to the cloud.
Experts say that small businesses should have three copies of their data, with one copy kept offsite, and they should use two different data storage types. Cloud tools are convenient, but they also require secure configurations to protect data and sensitive information, which can be accomplished with MFA, role-based access, and audit logs.
Professionals also need to educate themselves on applicable cybersecurity compliance requirements from professional organizations, federal agencies and local regulators. IT service providers can help small businesses integrate compliance requirements in office processes by creating secure client portals, implementing encrypted email solutions and creating straightforward incident response plans.
Source: Inc.com (05/13/25) Dhoon, Ali
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