On March 31st FORUM hosted an episode of our FORUM 40 webinar series with Ron Frechette and Craig Ratcliffe of GoldSky Security. This FORUM 40 webinar episode discussed the importance of and how to create cybersecurity strategies for your small business. In their presentation, Frechette and Ratcliffe focused on performing basic security checks, asking the right questions, and implementing cybersecurity strategies in-house.
Performing basic cybersecurity checks can help businesses avoid even the smallest of cybercrimes. Frechette and Ratcliffe advise companies to double-check the security of their everyday technological use. Encrypting emails and having firewalls in place can keep data from being stolen. Entrepreneurs should also perform regular cybersecurity risk assessments to find any gaps within their security.
Frechette and Ratcliffe encourage entrepreneurs to ask themselves the right questions when implementing cybersecurity for their business. Questions such as whether or not you have security and access policies regarding corporate data can be a good place to start. Entrepreneurs should also stop and ask themselves if they need to hire a qualified technology officer. Many businesses think they do not have the budget for cybersecurity measures or a dedicated IT officer. But what businesses do not actually have a budget for are the costly mistakes and threats that can compromise business operations! Investing in cybersecurity solutions now is investing in your company’s future and sustainability.
Towards the end of the webinar, Ratcliffe and Frechette offered several gave some tips on how to do cybersecurity yourself. Always changing passwords and purging old data can help manage information. Even basic things such as adding a lock to your screensaver can make a huge difference. Lastly, keeping your operating systems and hardware up to date is vital in maintaining good security practices. They emphasized the importance of making sure the people behind a business’s cybersecurity tools are aware of “cybersecurity hygiene” maintenance practices and awareness of what common threats look like. They also emphasized that hardware and software are only half the battle when it comes to defending your business from cybersecurity threats!
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