With the current situation going on in the world, owning a small business is proving to be a challenge. Having to cut hours, reduce staff or close down temporarily are all very serious issues to be dealt with, so it can be easy to let other important tasks fall by the wayside.

One of these tasks could be maintaining cybersecurity measures. It’s definitely an important task that constantly needs to be dealt with for the security of your business and employees, no matter what’s going on in the world.

Sadly, recently there have been hackers that have been creating cyber-attacks about COVID-19 and attempting to take advantage of people who may be at risk. This doesn’t only apply to individuals -- this can come up for businesses too. This is why it is crucial to keep up the high-security measures at all times.

As a small business, chances are you want to save money just about anywhere you can. For cybersecurity, there are actually quite a few options that won’t break the bank and will still ensure you and your company’s protection.

Tactics for a more cyber-secure small business:

• Hire an IT specialist - If there’s room in the budget, a designated IT employee can help make sure that all your employees are up on important security knowledge and assist with projects.
• Keep employees knowledgeable - Make sure that your team is up to date on important security measures and provide cybersecurity training, if possible.
• Store data in a secure location - Make sure your most important data for your business is in a secure place like a hard drive and has additional security.
• Use multiple passwords - You’ve probably heard this one before, but for good reason. If a hacker gets into some information, having a different password for other data can help prevent the hacker from getting access to that information as well.
• Introduce 2-Factor Authentication - This day in age, nearly every site uses some form of this. Sites like Twitter or Amazon have you use your computer and mobile device before granting access to accounts. Incorporating this into your company’s platforms is an easy way to prevent a cyber-attack.
• Use anti-malware/spyware software- This may be one of the most important tactics on this list. If you currently don’t have spyware, you’re only doing hackers a favor. There are many options on the market, ranging from small and full coverage with corresponding prices.
• Backup everything - Whether or not you experience a cyber-attack, you can benefit from backing up all of your business data. This will ensure that if something gets deleted or moved, you won’t be stuck without it.

As a small business, it’s important in times of stress not to put cybersecurity on the backburner. It can be easy to do, given everything going on, but be sure to make it a priority as your business is completely dependent on information. If that slips into the wrong hands or is lost, it can be hard to rebuild from there.

Even introducing a couple of these tactics can help your business be more secure and you can focus on helping your employees and adapting your business for the times ahead.