Let's clear one thing up right away. Your company's cybersecurity is not an area where you want to cut corners.
Trying to save by being stingy when it comes to protecting your network and sensitive information can lead to catastrophic problems capable of driving you out of business completely.
In this day and age, strong cybersecurity is a must and it's objectively one of the most important investments that your business can make. However, many small business owners who face tight budgets choose to put cybersecurity concerns on the back burner out of fear that providing ample protection is simply too costly.
This is not true. There are a variety of affordable solutions and free methods of beefing up cybersecurity. These should be considered some of the most basic forms of cybersecurity, but they're certainly a great place to start.
Let's take a look at a few things that you can do for cheap or free to start working toward strong cybersecurity at your business.
Out-of-the-box tools
Just like you probably have antivirus software installed on your home computer, you can do the same for your business. There are a variety of out-of-the-box tools and solutions that you can use to create the first line of defense against cybercriminals.
When you invest in anti-virus and similar tools, you must also take the time to keep them updated. Letting them fall out of date will render them virtually useless.
Password managers are another great example. Whether you utilize one of the many free password managers, or you invest in a paid, premium product, this will help you create strong passwords, securely store and share them and recall them whenever needed.
Taking the time to maintain best practices
Time is money in the business world, so, understandably, you don't want to peel someone away from their duties to handle IT matters. However, finding time to update software, change passwords, delete unused accounts and more is very important.
Diligence can be your best friend when it comes to cybersecurity. Letting yourself get lazy can eventually come back to bite you.