IT security worries and what to do about them.
When your business relies on your computers, it is vital to know that they are reliable.
Your computers are involved in every step of your business processes from attracting new customers, to fulfilling orders and ultimately being paid. You need to know that they are secure and working efficiently to maximise productivity and minimise frustrations. The last thing you need is to find that orders cannot be completed, for example, because your technology hasn’t got your back. But how do you get that confidence, I hear you ask? Below we will suggest some pointers to help you move IT tasks from your to-do list to your “done” list.
If you are worried about IT security, you are not alone. 68% of business leaders feel their cybersecurity risks are increasing[1]. Whatever sector you are in, it is about protecting the data that you have – whether this is confidential customer information, personal staff data, product details or financial statistics, the below applies.
You can only protect the data when you know:
- What data do you hold?
- Where is that data stored?
- Who has access to what data?
- What provision do you have in place to backup the data?
- How to restore a specific file(s) if/when required i.e. lost, corrupted, stolen, overwritten?
Things to think about here are: servers, desktop PCs, home PCs, laptops, tablets, mobile phones etc.
Whether you have worked hard to build up your business or you are starting an exciting new venture, below are a few examples of things you can do to protect the data you hold, giving you that peace of mind.
Passwords: Ensure these are complex but memorable and stored in a secure place. You need access to your data if staff leave or are on holiday.
Antivirus: You must have a decent level of protection, set to automatically update on all devices as detailed above. To help provide peace of mind that your data is protected from viruses.
Antispam: Many viruses are sent on email so you want to block these before they even get to you but also you need to block unwanted emails as they can be offensive and time wasting.
Backup: Implement a policy so you know which data is being backed up, where it is backed up to and how to restore it should you need to. This covers you for all eventualities from accidental deletion to illegal withholding of access to your own data (ransomware attack).
Encryption: You legally need to have this on all data which can be used to identify a person. Knowing you are compliant is critical and could save hefty fines but also allows you to be confident that you have ticked the right boxes and can get on with running your business.
Malware protection: This is protection against nasty (mal) software getting into your system. You need to get the right provision in place to get the peace of mind you need and be able to cross this off your to-do list. It not only helps you but boosts your customer confidence in you too.
Whether your staff are working in your office or at their home, your IT security needs careful consideration.
If you are feeling worried, at risk or overwhelmed, the above are great steps for you to consider – to get back your peace of mind and reduce your risk. The last thing you need are hefty fines and penalties for failing to meet your IT security needs, not to mention wasted time from staff being distracted by IT issues.
Slow computers and how to stop them costing you a fortune.
Another often hidden issue in terms of IT is slow computer equipment. If you have never worked out how much this is costing your business, you will be surprised to find out that even 15 minutes a day of slow systems has a significant impact. On a £25k salary, those daily 15 minutes are costing in excess of £800 per year. Multiply this by larger salaries and more staff; the numbers very quickly add up.
This may be because of a whole host of scenarios:
- Slow starting equipment – can you brew a cuppa quicker than you can boot a computer?
- No filing system so you cannot find the work that you know you saved ‘somewhere’.
- Excessive emails causing offence, being downright annoying and/or wasting time.
- Printers taking what feels like a lifetime to eventually spew out your documents.
- Sluggish internet connections making Zoom meetings disjointed or accessing data painfully slow.
We have all been there. If not addressed, slow computers are extremely frustrating but could result in staff leaving, taking their knowledge with them, and incurring even more costs to replace. The cost of all this makes the investment in better systems pale into insignificance.
Check out these resources from our favourite IT expert Tor:
Get your FREE guide on ‘How To Make your IT Systems More Efficient in 12 Quick Steps”.
Watch our fun video of tips to help improve your IT
Tor also offers a free IT audit tailored to your business needs and tailoring your IT to help you be more productive and ultimately more profitable.
Book your free IT Audit – to see how this can improve your IT efficiency, security, and productivity.
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If you have an accountant, they should be your first stop for business advice. If you don’t have an accountant or they can’t help, BuBul has a wide range of experts available. For more information, contact our expert* Tor at www.randa-it.co.uk / 01274 662953 / 07775 800156 or on LinkedIn.
[1] According to https://www.varonis.com/blog/cybersecurity-statistics/
*We’ve picked experts we know and trust who are good at what they do. All of them will give you at least an extra 30 minutes free advice if you contact them and would then charge their normal prices. They don’t pay to be on BuBul and don’t give us any money from anything they earn as an expert.
