Teach staff how to keep business computers, devices safe from cyber crime

Keeping your business safe from cyber crooks needs to be a team effort.

It takes clear policies, a well-trained staff and daily attention to keep computers and mobile devices protected from incidents that could affect your company and your customers.

Here are some important things you can do:

Make sure your have clear policies

• Have written guidelines and update them regularly.
• Be clear about cyber security expectations.
• Develop a policy for using strong passwords.
• Identify what data needs to be backed up and how often that happens, just in case there is a problem.
• Give employees their own user accounts and set access permissions based upon what they need to do.
• Update operating systems and software regularly.
• Don’t forget mobile devices.

Train your staff

• That includes employees, managers AND executives.
• Have training sessions for new staff and regular refresher sessions.
• Be clear about what to be aware of and how to keep devices and communications safe.

Be careful every day

• Don’t download files or click on link from senders you don’t recognize.
• Be wary about what you post on social media. That’s data crooks could use.
• Sign out when you’re away from your desk.
• Report loss of a laptop or mobile device right away.
• Don’t share user names and passwords.
• Don’t use unknown flash drives.

Clear expectations and education can keep your systems safe from cyber crime.