In any workplace, cybersecurity should be the responsibility of everyone. 
Due to the increasing cases of cybersecurity threats, both small and large-scale establishments should take the necessary precautions to keep the workplace safe, especially the employees.  
Sadly, malicious actors will always be a threat and will find ways to access your business system. Hacking attempts are becoming rampant, and small businesses are the usual targets. If you’re ready to invest in the safety of your business, consider checking out reliable Capetown IT companies offering managed IT services as a good start.

Whether you’re managing a physical workplace or a remote team, there are considerations to think about to prevent cybersecurity attacks and prevent debilitating data breaches and loss. 
Here are simple strategies to ensure your employees will stay safe online at all times.

• Implement The Use of Strong Passwords

It all starts with your workers’ passwords if you want them to be protected. Weak passwords are the usual cause of many data breaches in various industries. When you engage in any online activity, it’s crucial to use a strong password that’s difficult to crack.  
A secure password should contain uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. As for the length, it should be a minimum of eight characters long. A complex password will be hard to figure out. 

• Training For the Employees

One of the best ways to keep your employees safe online is to educate them about cybersecurity. Remember, this requires more than just a single briefing, but regular reminders of the dangers of cybersecurity threats and their prevalence today.  
The onboarding training for employees is crucial to protect your business data. Those in managerial and staff positions should also undergo training. 
Remember, the upper-level employees are usually the targets since they’re more likely to access critical information on the servers. 

• Utilize A VPN Connection

The majority of businesses that switched to a remote setting are well aware of the importance of using a virtualized personal network (VPN).  
Employees must dial into the company’s network via a secure and encrypted connection in work-from-home settings. If the Wi-Fi connection isn’t safe, it can put your business at risk for a possible security breach. 
Today, various types of VPNs can protect the IP addresses and privacy of the user.  

• Invest In Security Software

If you want to keep all your business data and your employees safe, consider investing in security programs such as antivirus, antimalware, and firewalls. These tools will monitor your system for any potential threats. 
If you want to take the security to a higher level, you can consider an extra layer of protection with DNS filtering for better monitoring.

• Maintain Regular Software Updates

Due to the rapid pace in most working environments, it can be easy to overlook a software or system update. Make it a priority to update everything regularly.  
The protection provided by these updates is crucial, even if it takes a long time to complete. When you update the software and system, it adds security fixes, new features, patches to current bugs or vulnerabilities, and a variety of other improvements to ensure overall efficiency and stability.

• Instruct Employees to Avoid Suspicious Online Elements 

Today, almost everyone is well aware of phishing schemes. Sadly, online scams continue to evolve, making them potential threats to companies of all sizes.  
When it comes to keeping your employees secure, it’s critical to train, regularly monitor their email, detect the indications of a suspicious email and provide them with rules on what to do if they get phishing emails. 

Proper online etiquette is crucial in preventing the risk of malicious attacks associated with pop-ups and links. Your employees should know the importance of using company equipment for work-related activities. Aside from laptops and desktops, ensure employees understand the policies even with company mobile phones. 
Most malicious sites have unsecured URLs which at first seem legitimate. Although they look normal, the URL might include minor typos such as unusual symbols. The irregularities are a clear sign that it’s not the actual site.  
Links, social media, and blogs from unknown sources often target unsuspecting individuals. These can lead to serious data breaches as malware spreads in your network. 

• Backup Files Regularly 

Ransomware is one of the growing cybersecurity threats targeting many businesses nowadays. If one occurs, your data or files are held hostage by hackers. You can only retrieve your data by giving the ransom payment, which can be a high price, especially among large-scale corporations. Sadly, paying the ransom is not always a guarantee that you’ll get your data back.  
The best way to avoid this prevalent form of fraud is to back up your files regularly. Regular backup is the best protection against ransomware. When you prioritize backup and encrypt data, you have a safe and easy way to recover your data just in case a cybersecurity threat occurs. 
Final Thoughts  
When you’re a business owner, always make it a priority to ensure the safety of your employees online. As cybersecurity threats continue to become even more complex and put many businesses at risk, it’s essential to take the necessary precautions to safeguard your business data and workforce. With the help of these strategies and investing in a reliable managed IT service, it’ll help reduce the danger of data breach and loss while allowing your employees to carry out their tasks efficiently and safely.