Whether you have a staff of one or one hundred, your employees are both your best chance of success as well as your weakest links. They can bring your dreams to fulfilment, making your business work the way you envisioned.
However, they are also a point of vulnerability when it comes to security. This is true even in the most prominent institutions. FBI employees have compromised the entire organisation by sending snarky texts to each other, implying bias and possible wrongdoing. Hillary Clinton’s campaign was hamstrung by emails found on a staffer’s computer.
Without the proper cyber security protocols and training, everything you have achieved could be put at risk. With that in mind, here are three pieces of software that all your employees need from the get-go.
1. Virtual Private Network (VPN)
A virtual private network (VPN) is a piece of software that reroutes your internet connection through an external server. In other words, before exposing your data to whatever website or service you plan on using, it hides your location and encrypts your data.
This is hugely important these days, considering the amount of identity theft. It is especially crucial when you are running a business when someone else’s bad habits could compromise you.
2. Antivirus software
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Antivirus software is as important today as it was 20 years ago. More important. Viruses can, in addition to crippling your hardware, create a way in for hackers to steal your data.
Of course, you and your employees should be educated on best online practices to avoid viruses in the first place. However, hackers are coming up with increasingly clever ways to trick people into downloading software that will damage their computers.
Good antivirus software could mean the difference between success and bankruptcy. Don’t leave your employees unprotected.
3. Password manager
If you thought the days of people using “password” for their password were over, think again. Because we have so many accounts these days, we have gotten very lazy when it comes to choosing passwords. After all, it is impossible to remember them if you are using complex, separate passwords for each account.
A password manager makes it much easier for your employees to be responsible for their password habits. It will generate complex passwords for them, without the responsibility of having to memorise them.
In the long run, this will mean that if one account is compromised, their other accounts can still be safe. They do not have to go through the frustration of resetting their passwords over and over again.
Online security is more important than ever, and when it comes to your employees, it could mean the difference between success for your business and failure. On a final note for when things you do go wrong you should consider getting a policy in place from a cyber insurance provider.
