CYBER SECURITY

Think about your business’s cyber security – prevent the possibility of a data breach and keep your digital assets safe.

INVEST IN THE RIGHT TOOLS 
depending on your organization tools could include:

  • Antivirus software, monitoring tools, basic password managers

CHOOSE STRONG & UNIQUE PASSWORDS 
Too many business get ‘hacked’ because an employee chose an easy-to-guess/easy-to-remember password for an important account(s).

  • Ensure passwords are strong – long string of characters, lowercase letters, uppercase letters, numbers, special characters/symbols
  • Never use the same password twice – every account should have a different password

KEEP SOFTWARE UP-TO-DATE 
Software developers issue regular updates to fix ‘bugs’ and vulnerabilities that could be exploited if not addressed.

  • Update your software routinely to protect against the latest and greatest threats

NEVER CLICK ON SUSPICIOUS LINKS OR ATTACHMENTS 
Only click on links and attachments that you trust.

  • opening unknown links or attachments could allow malware (viruses) to be downloaded – giving scammers access to the information on your device

NEVER USE A FOREIGN DISC OR DRIVE
Never use an unknown disc or drive in your computer.

  • If malicious software is installed on the disc or drive it could infect your computer (and entire network)

SECURE YOUR NETWORKS 
Wi-Fi networks need to be secured with a strong password.

  • Consider using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to encrypt and secure all of your remote connections

ESTABLISH A BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE (BYOD) POLICY
many companies allow employees to use their personal devices for work purposes or allow them to connect personal devices to a work network.

  • Make sure you have a strong BYOD policy, limitations, and guidelines in place

LIMIT EMPLOYEE ACCESS 
One of the easiest ways to protect your data is to limit employee access to it.

  • Don’t grant employees access to data unless it is necessary
  • Segment staff data users into hierarchy based on need
  • Limiting employee access means if one individual account is compromised, most of the data will still be safe

TRAIN YOUR EMPLOYEES 
All staff members need to be familiar with best practices and treat them seriously.

  • One important step to a business’s cybersecurity is having trained employees who can confidently use best practices
  • Keep employees up-to-date on the latest best practices

REMAIN EDUCATED 
Best practices in the realm of cybersecurity do change, with new threats constantly surfacing.

  • Read the news and remain educated so best practices can be followed consistently

INSURANCE FOR YOUR BUSINESS

Even with all of the above protections in place, your business could still be the victim of some form of damage. Having insurance can ensure these damages do not bankrupt you, and provide payouts or reimbursement.

COMMON TYPES OF BUSINESS INSURANCE

Business (Commercial) General Liability Insurance (CGL)

Coverage for liability claims stemming from bodily injury and property damage to others resulting from your operations.

  • Liability claims for bodily injury and property damage could come from the actions of your employees, your products, your completed operations, or by something happening on your premises.
  • Helps with financial costs associated with defence costs and third party damages you are deemed liable for.

Business Interruption Insurance
Works with your business’s property insurance to protect against indirect financial losses and increased expenses that occur from a direct physical loss of your building, contents, equipment, stock, or other business property.

  • Fire that harms computer system and client information to a flood that damages physical property

Directors & Officers Liability Insurance
Specialized coverage for protecting executives, directors, and officers against alleged ‘wrongful acts’.

  • Personal assets may be at risk for those involved in an alleged or wrongful act without the right insurance
  • Transparency in business is trending – scandals become public, which can severely impact a business and its future

Property Insurance
Protects the building if you own it or the equipment in it.

  • Protection against physical loss or damages to business physical assets

Disaster Insurance
You may need an additional policy such as flood or earthquake insurance for full protection against all-natural disasters.

Vehicle Insurance
Only if you own a company vehicle.

  • Your personal vehicle insurance does not apply to a vehicle used for business purposes.

Cybersecurity Insurance
Can protect your business from a potential hack or dat breach.

  • Important if your business works with large volumes of sensitive customer data

CHANGE UP YOUR ROUTINE

make sure you change up your routine from time to time.

  • Many criminals will monitor businesses for days or even weeks in advance of an attempted crime
  • Criminals take note of when businesses are closed or least populated
  • Changing your routine even slightly could throw them off or force them to seek an easier, more predictable target
  • Ensure staff know never to give out a staff members schedule to non-employees or give information about where employees are in their free-time