Cybersecurity Tips for Small Business

After the emergence of the industrial revolution and the dawn of the internet, the world gradually became a global village. This paradigm shifts suddenly became a liberation for the global populace, as information could be shared via the internet instead of covering thousands of miles and new knowledge that comes with convenience. Just like a shiny two-sided sword, we see in the blockbusters, the internet has its drawbacks from easy access to information, pornography, hacking, and other cyber security threats. 

Just as every industry has leveraged the web of the internet, businesses have experienced a good dose of the internet. From accelerated processes to automation, ease of communication, and tools that simplify processes, cybersecurity remains a constant ticker for businesses, especially SME [small and medium-sized enterprises]. 

As we proceed, you must bear in mind that this article has been put together by The Watchtower, a web design agency in Dubai and a leading name in the business of web design and development in Dubai. 

Cybersecurity is the practice of deploying people, policies, processes, and technologies to protect internet users from having their information stolen by digital attacks that are used for illicit actions. 

Cybersecurity focuses on preventing computer systems from being accessed by unauthorized parties, damaged, or rendered inoperable in any other way. 

All information assets, whether they are in hard copy or digital form, are protected by information security, a more general term. 

In the real sense of it, no one is exempt from being vulnerable to possible cybersecurity threats; however, this post is intended for small businesses, especially with the emergence of digital marketing and the internet's widespread use as a new tool for most businesses after the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Small businesses are encouraged to pay further attention to things such as anti-malware, keystroke logging, phishing email, password encryption, and password strength. While all these are essential, this post will center on password encryption, especially what is considered a weak password and a strong password. 

First of all, ExpressVPN's research on passwords has shown that people are more susceptible to using a convenient and easily considered password for their encryption. This simple study has shown why 12345 remains the most popularly used password in the world. 

While this is easy for retention, it easily sets the chances for a lucky guess or a possible hack by perpetrators decrypting a password. It has been seen that people are fond of using their names, birthdays, and pet names, which have been qualified as weak passwords. 

An ideal password should have a length of at least 8 characters, or better yet, a length of 12–15 characters. The inclusion of characters in alphanumeric makes it more difficult to crack. Passwords must not have a meaning; they could just be culled out of random characters that comprise alphabets, numbers, and strings. 

It is also advised that you create unique passwords for each of your online accounts to maximize security. The use of the same passwords repeatedly or in a formulaic pattern increases the risk that someone who discovers one of your passwords could hack other accounts. 

A password manager is software that keeps your passwords safe and secure. The majority of password managers also contain a feature that allows you to generate strong passwords based on your needs. 

Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds a layer of protection by requesting an additional layer of authentication before proceeding, as opposed to solely relying on a single password to connect to your online accounts. 

A one-time password [OTP] provided through text message or email, a biometric method like facial or fingerprint scanning, or both may be used as 2FA. 

The easy bet for most people is to save their passwords on their smart devices, however, your devices are prone to hacks at any time. This flaw could give room to the possible entry of spurious and malicious activities. 

When you include direct questions, you may need to use another answer instead of the right answer. This is a secured path for password encryption. 

Every internet user must seek the extra need to be conscious of their internet footprints, let alone businesses that must not be a victim of ransomware and other malware from weak passwords. Every user must be intentional with their password strength, which comprises strings, alphabets, and numbers.  

Aside from this, one must ensure that the passwords are not stored on smart devices that risk being compromised.