Keeping Your Business’s Physical Security at the Forefront

It’s no secret that data breaches are on the rise. They leave people vulnerable to theft, fraud, and a range of other problems. They’re also dangerous for businesses. According to recent reports, they cost American businesses more than $9 million collectively each year. Small businesses are generally prime targets for wrongdoers. Though they may have smaller clienteles than major corporations, they also tend to have weaker security infrastructures. As such, cybercriminals can infiltrate them more easily, and their actions may go unnoticed for longer.

Security Hazards from Within

That said, not all security threats come from outside a business. In fact, studies show that an estimated 90 percent of security breaches come from within. Though some are intentional, most stem from mere human error. With that being the case, mitigating internal risks can help you safeguard your business, its employees, and other members of your supply chain.

Minimizing the Risks

Employee training and having clear security prevention practices in place are essential for minimizing risks. As stated, most people don’t intentionally place their employers, themselves, and their coworkers at risk. They make simple inadvertent mistakes that leave openings for wrongdoers to make their moves. Teaching them ways to avoid the common dangers and continually reinforcing those measures can keep your company safe from several angles.

Recognizing Suspicious Situations

One of the most important factors here is teaching employees to recognize suspicious situations. Those may include phishing, scareware, and other forms of social engineering. Training employees to avoid clicking on questionable links, opening dubious emails, and falling for other deceptions can greatly mitigate risks. Beyond that, training employees in proper visitor protocols, like sign-ins and escorts, is essential. Emphasizing that employees shouldn’t be afraid to question anyone who attempts to bypass those rules and regulations is equally crucial.

Maintaining Secure Workspaces

Another effective measure is ensuring employees maintain secure workspaces. Teach them how to properly handle, store, and dispose of sensitive materials. Implement clean desk policies, such as always logging out of computers before walking away and taking care not to leave documents lying on desks for prying eyes to see. Teach employees about using mobile devices and removable storage safely and responsibly. All of those efforts can go a long way toward preventing security breaches.

Access Control

Access control measures are designed to ensure that only authorized personnel have access to certain types of information. From keycards and passcodes to biometric scanners and multifactor authentication, several measures can keep sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands. These chains are only as effective as their weakest links, though, which are often your employees. Be sure they understand the importance of creating strong passwords, avoiding sharing their passwords or keycards, and reporting lost or stolen access credentials.

Protecting Your Business from the Inside Out

Today’s businesses focus on keeping outside security threats at bay and with good reason. There are more risks now than ever before, and they’re only going to grow moving forward. Still, the majority of security breaches actually come from within. As such, be sure to fully protect your business by training employees on the intricacies of maintaining security from the inside. That, in turn, will help safeguard you against external threats as well.