Believe it or not, the latest figures show that the average data breach can run companies around $3.6 billion in various costs. This figure accounts for money lost as clients flee the company like rats off a sinking ship, a damaged reputation that costs future clients, or lawsuits that arise.

No matter what size your company is, the right IT solutions need to be implemented to save your company from this kind of struggle.

While most governments and large corporations have been the subject of these hacks, smaller companies are starting to feel the burn. As hackers get more sophisticated and their tactics become easier to implement, they’ll be able to take over any kind of company with ransomware.

If you’re not prepared, you could be next on the hit list.

To make sure your company is prepared, implement these 4 IT solutions.

1. Serious Cyber Security Policies :

In order to keep your company secure and your data safe, you need all of your employees on your side. Whether you’re on the IT side of the executive side of the fence, the people you work with are your greatest ally in keeping your business secure. While some policies will need to be implemented through your code and firewalls, others will have to be part of your corporate culture.

You need your employees to take their passwords seriously. If they’re using the same password for everything at your company, they should be taught why that’s an issue. There should be a password training session as part of the initial onboarding process.

You can also implement safeguards against this in the software you use. Encrypted in the backend of your system, you can save old passwords and force employees to come up with new ones. Prohibit them from using the same password twice in a 5 year period and you’ll force them to be more clever with their choices.

Another necessary element of any secure and modern facility is to use two-step verification. By pairing login with one of their personal devices, they’ll be prompted to use their own phone to complete the login process. This added layer of security will exponentially multiply the length of time it takes to hack into your system.

2. A Dedicated Email Server :

While this might not have been the first thing you thought of when you were setting up your system, your company emails could be the most fragile link in your chain. As late-2014’s Sony hack proved, valuable data, passwords, and intellectual property could be accessed through email servers.

If you’re working on a new proprietary algorithm or software product, it’s not enough to have a non-disclosure agreement. If someone can read through the emails of your CTO or any of your developers, they could get access to your product’s secrets. This goes for any kind of product launch or special promotion that you’re aiming to keep you ahead of your competitors.

Even a casual online shopping venture during an employee’s lunch break could turn into the source of a hack for your company.

Your email server could be where some of your company’s biggest secrets are hidden, whether you realize it or not. Your teams who are casually conversing about a product they’re working on or are emailing each other about strategy could become accidental leakers.

3. Offsite Cloud Storage :

Having your backups located on-site is important for maintenance and monitoring efforts. It means that your IT team will be able to quickly install new software or easily replace servers that go down. However, keeping everything in one place has its downside.

If there’s an emergency at your site or if servers get hacked, you could lose millions of dollars in data or work hours. Without a proper backup to recover from, you could end up in dire straits that could jeopardize your entire company. The best way to solve this is through having your data backed up off-site somewhere.

When you use a could data solution for backing up, you ensure that nothing is permanently lost.

Have one backup sent to the device every night when no one is working. Keep a history of a few backups so that you can always backpedal to a previous version if you end up in trouble.

Check out what companies like Paranet Solutions have to offer when it comes to storage and backup solutions.

4. Dedicated Mobile Devices :

Mobile devices have revolutionized the workspace. People are able to quickly answer emails and clear up any blockages 24/7. Where once your teams needed to be on site at all times, your team could be dispersed across different worksites or hanging out on the beach while collaborating.

Without the proper security measures, this can be a dangerous proposition. Your team’s mobile devices might be connecting to unsecured wi-fi networks with someone recording all the traffic that passes by. If they send out a secret company document or something that’s meant to be private, it could be intercepted.

You need to ensure that all of the devices that your employees use have strong security software installed. While you can show your employees how it’s done, the best way to ensure that they’re always sending things securely is to prove your own mobile devices. If you provide the devices they will use for work, you can set the limits and parameters.

You can install firewalls, security software, and implement limitations with the software you install before you hand the devices over. You can ensure that all backups and all messaging is encrypted. You can even make sure that everything on the device itself is encrypted so no one can get ahold of the device and start cracking into your latest project.

Your IT Solutions Will Evolve :

As one solution is implemented, hackers find another new way to get into systems. Your IT solutions aren’t going to be permanent but will need to be adapted accordingly. Thankfully the 4 above will keep you from losing any major data in the case of a breach

To make sure that you’re always protected from a breach, follow our guide to doing back up right every time.

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