When you think of protecting your business, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?

Maybe it’s an alarm system or heavy-duty locks on your office doors to keep burglars at bay. Or perhaps it’s insurance to ensure your assets are covered in the case of a natural disaster like a fire or flood.

But there’s another layer of security you should be thinking about as well. If you want to protect one of your business’s most important assets — your data — a good cybersecurity defense is critical. From phishing to ransomware and malware, cyberattacks are designed to infiltrate your network and gain unauthorized access, in order to damage your business or steal your data. And they’re not the only cyberthreat you face — a mistake or misstep from one of your employees or even one of those natural disasters we just mentioned can also put your data at risk.

To keep your business safe, then, protection is key.

So how does your organization protect its sensitive data and business network from cyberthreats — and how can a reliable Internet connection help? Here are a few best practices to start with.

Put Strong Password Policies in Place

Strong and secure passwords are integral to any cybersecurity defense — and a good first step for businesses looking to improve their security protocols. Encourage employees to use unique passwords across their accounts, and consider employing two-factor authentication. A password manager can also help you securely store and retrieve passwords — making it easier for your team to use more complex passwords without fear of forgetting them.

Keep Your Software Up to Date

When technology providers update their software, they’re doing more than just adding new features and functionality. They’re also fixing bugs and making upgrades to security based on current threats. So by not updating your software — including your web browser — as soon as those releases are available, you’re keeping holes open in your technology landscape, opening up more possibilities for a cyber breach. Keeping software updated across the organization, then, is important in a good cyberdefense.

Back up Your Data

Data is the backbone of many organizations today — it helps them make smarter decisions, better assist their customers and meet their ongoing goals. Cyberthreats like ransomware count on that, putting your confidential and proprietary data at risk. And they’re not even the only threat your data faces — less malicious activities, like human error or natural disasters, can also cause data losses. By backing up your critical data regularly, you keep this key resource safe. In fact, for true peace of mind, follow the 3-2-1 backup rule — backing up three copies of your data across two media types, with one copy stored offsite.

Protect Your Devices

No device is safe from cyberthreats. From laptops and tablets, to mobile devices, digital printers and Internet of Things devices, they all represent a potential entry point for an attack. So every one of them should be protected. Firewalls and antivirus software can help keep devices safe — as can the strong passwords we mentioned earlier. This is also where more sophisticated endpoint security solutions come in, protecting remotely connected devices from malware attacks and malicious activity.

Educate Your Staff

In 2022, according to Gartner, 82% of data breaches resulted from employee behaviors. If one of your employees uses a weak password, clicks on a link in a phishing email or makes another mistake that leaves a hole in your network defenses, they’re putting your business in danger. Education and training can help ensure they recognize the risks of a cyberattack and know how to respond to them.

Start Protecting Your Business Now

Of course, the backbone of all of this is a fast, reliable Internet connection. A quality Internet connection can help you keep your software up to date, employ two-factor authentication, run endpoint security across your business devices and keep data backed up. That makes the right Internet connection critical to any cybersecurity defense.

Not sure what connection you can rely on? Xplore Business can help.

Learn more about Xplore Business’s connectivity solutions.