How Can My UK Business Operate a Safe IT System?

Regardless of your business, your company will create and store a large amount of valuable data. Unfortunately, this can make it a target for cyber criminals, who can profit from the theft of this information. As a result, a robust IT network is essential to protecting your organisation against cyber attacks. However, some business owners fear that operating a safe IT system means endless hours of engaging in complex countermeasures. Fortunately, you can take a few simple steps to ensure that practicing good cyber security becomes routine for you. This article will outline some simple ways to practice good cybersecurity, enabling your business to operate a safe and secure IT system.

How Much of a Threat Is Cybercrime?

Unfortunately, since the Covid-19 global pandemic, businesses have seen a significant increase in corporate cyber attacks. This is likely a result of most company directors and employees having to work from home during this period. 

Before the pandemic, cybercrime was already a significant issue. However, it has become much more prevalent in recent years. This means that now more than ever, business owners need to take more proactive steps to protect their IT systems from data breaches. 

Why Are Businesses Being Targeted?

Companies, both large and small, are the home of sensitive information. Such data could include:

• client credit card numbers (to enable unauthorised withdrawal of funds);
• staff and customer personal information (to facilitate identity theft); 
• confidential business information (to potentially blackmail your company); or
• your company’s bank details (to empty your bank account).

Often, cybercriminals aim to steal the data for unauthorised use. Alternatively, they may hold the data ransom until their target pays a significant fee (i.e. ransomware). As a result, ransomware attacks are becoming increasingly common. Further, these attacks tend to lock business owners out of their IT systems unless the company makes a substantial financial payment to the hacker. Moreover, not only does this attack financially impact the organisation, but it also prevents the business from functioning correctly in the meantime!

Is Having Good Antivirus Software Enough?

The biggest myth regarding cybersecurity is that installing antivirus software is enough to keep your organisation safe. In reality, having antivirus software is the starting point in protecting against a security breach.

To ensure adequate protection against a cyber-attack, you should consistently update your antivirus protection with the latest patches and updates. Furthermore, you must ensure that you use a good antivirus product. For instance, free software tends to limit its ability to protect against cyber criminals.

What Are the Best Ways to Protect My Company?

There are various ways to protect your organisation’s IT system apart from antivirus software. Fortunately, practising good cybersecurity is not complex or difficult. Some of these additional steps include:

• updating your operating system regularly and immediately installing all recommended security patches provided by the company (usually from Microsoft or Apple);
• providing regular training to your employees (including good cyber practices such as avoiding clicking on suspicious links or unexpected emails);
• putting clear and detailed information security policies in place so staff know the correct procedure to report suspicious behaviour;
• taking out cyber insurance cover within your company’s insurance policy to protect against potential loss; and
• encouraging staff members to avoid weak passwords that are easy to guess. This means no ‘password’ or ‘1234.’ Instead, they should try passwords with plenty of letters and symbols (such as ‘mYl0velyp@55word!’).

Key Takeaways

During the last two years, many business owners have taken extra steps to protect against increasingly aggressive and clever cyber attackers. Fortunately, by following the steps above, you can increase your company’s chances of repelling data breaches by practising good cybersecurity. However, you should note that it can sometimes take one slip up by a staff member to undo an otherwise robust IT system. Therefore, you must also ensure your employees are aware of good cyber practices.  

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) website is a valuable reference point for ensuring good data security. In particular, it provides written guides on good practices and examples of recent cyber criminal tactics. In addition, many business owners turn to experienced lawyers to help draft and set up the appropriate documentation to run a robust IT system.

If you need help with data protection security and ensuring a safe IT system, our experienced Data, Privacy and IT lawyers can assist as part of our LegalVision membership. For a low monthly fee, you will have unlimited access to lawyers to answer your questions and draft and review your documents. Call us today on 0808 196 8584 or visit our membership page.

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