Protecting confidential data for small businesses and new startups can be a considerable challenge. Cyber security policies are critical for small businesses as not everyone in the company knows what data needs to be protected and how they can help protect the data. Small businesses have limited resources dedicated to cyber security as they are focused on their core business to be competitive. Unfortunately, many small businesses don’t think about developing and deploying cyber security policies too late after a security incident or breach has already happened.
Hackers like to target small businesses and new startups as many small businesses process and store personal information, health information, and financial data. Many small businesses also have proprietary data such as innovative and creative ideas or product offerings. Since most small companies and new startups work with a tight budget, they don’t always place cyber security as a high priority. They may neglect the latest security patches, making them an easier target for cybercriminals.
Many data breaches start with phishing emails, missing security patches, and misconfiguration of applications. With a formal data security plan and cyber security policies, companies can significantly minimize the risks and know what to do when bad cyber events occur. Your staff is the first layer of defense to prevent phishing and other types of social engineering attacks. With cyber security policies and proper staff training, it will significantly reduce your company’s attack surface. Here are a few examples of cyber security policies that can substantially improve your overall security posture with a minimum cost:
- Cybersecurity policy on training staff as you onboard new employees and on an annual basis
- Policy ownership with roles and responsibilities
- Policy for Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) for employees’ personal devices
- The remote access policy for remote connecting to company network and data
- Security patch management policy
- Access control and monitoring policy
- Data classification policy to classify data based on its criticality and compliance requirements