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Digital capabilities have enabled every business to do things we never thought possible. It makes life easier and it enables your company to reach out to customers all around the country, and even the world. Although technology has made things better, it also poses some unique challenges. Cyberattacks are a real threat. In a survey of 1,045 small and medium-sized businesses, 67-percent of them reported having experienced a cyberattack. However, even more surprisingly, 60-percent experienced a data breach that was caused by a negligent employee or an independent contractor. Don’t put your business at risk because your employees don’t understand how to stay safe online! The next time you have a security meeting, make sure you bring up these topics. Details About Security Companies Used Your employees should not be in the dark about which security companies you use. Whether you utilize information security experts from an online company, you have an in-house department that deals with security issues, or if you have security for employees and your physical business, it’s important that they know who these companies are. Not only should you discuss how you tackle security, but you should also discuss the details of the services that are provided. That way, everyone is on the same page and no one is surprised the next time an antivirus sweep is conducted on company computers. Not to mention, you may find that your employees feel better knowing the details of how both them and the company are being protected. Ways To Stay Safe Online Although online safety may seem intuitive to you, the truth is, many people don’t know exactly what it takes to be safe online. Others may know what they are supposed to do but don’t think it’s that important. It’s your job to regularly talk about ways to stay safe online and to drive home the importance of following these guidelines. A few topics to discuss include: Having a different password for every website, platform, program, and app Knowing how to create a secure password, and change them often Using two-factor identification, whenever possible Knowing how to clear your cache when browsing the internet Never save your passwords or payment information Don’t forget to educate your employees on how to identify and avoid phishing scams! How Employees Should Report Security Threats In many ways, your employees are your first line of defense against threats. If they have been educated on how to stay safe online, they can help you uncover potential problems. They just have to know who to tell! Make sure your employees know who to talk to if they get a suspicious email, if they worry about the online behaviors of a coworker, or if they work with a third-party contractor they have concerns about. Encourage them to report anything that seems strange. It’s much better to check out a potential problem that doesn’t amount to anything than it is to be faced with a much bigger problem later on down the road. Discuss Expectations for Mobile Devices Mobile devices enable your employees to work on the go. That’s both a good and a bad thing. It’s great that employees can log into work programs online, but company-owned mobile devices can also leave you open to security risks. Make sure you talk to your employees about the biggest risk factors associated with mobile devices, as well as expectations for their use. Let them know which programs can be accessed on the device, and which programs should be avoided, as well as how often the device should be updated. Don’t forget to talk about expectations for their personal devices too! Let them know if they can access company systems from personal devices, or if certain programs should only be accessed in the office. Discuss Expectations for Professional and Personal Accounts It’s also important for you to talk about your expectations for how employees use professional and personal accounts. For example, you should discuss which areas of different programs they have access to and how they should log in to stay safe. You should also talk about your expectations for accessing personal accounts while at work. Not only does it have the potential to put you at risk, but it can also provide a way for cyberattacks to take place. If you decide to limit or block user internet access, make sure it’s clear why, when, and how. Don’t forget about discussing security with your employees until it’s too late! Call a meeting and discuss these topics to keep everyone, and your business, safe.

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