Is Your Business Following These Cyber Security Basics?

Cyber criminals target both businesses and individuals with weak cyber security measures. Cyber-attacks are automated, and they probe for weaknesses, which is why having good security habits in place is important.  

Password Security

Protect your information with unique passwords that are long and strong. Password managers are particularly useful in letting you use multiple strong passwords, as they can generate these for you and sync them across your devices to make it even easier to log in. It is like an online safe that stores your passwords so that you do not have to. You only need to remember one password to access the manager, which securely stores all your usernames and passwords.  

Two-Step Authentication 

Use of two step authentication provides an extra level of security, by requiring an authentication code as well as an email address and password. It verifies that the person logging in is who they say they are. Adding two-step authentication is adding another barrier, making it more difficult for a cyber attacker to access your accounts.  Xero online accounting software has no limit to the number of users in your organisation. Ensuring each user has their own Xero account with two-step authentication set up on their own device will help to keep your information secure.  

Keeping Your Devices Updated

Keeping on top of updates to software and devices is a simple and effective way of protecting yourself from a cyber-attack. As well as changes to features or bug fixes, they are also about fixing weaknesses, or vulnerabilities. It is these vulnerabilities that attackers target to gain access to your device and data. Developers are always looking for these vulnerabilities, and once identified, they change the code to fix the issue and send it to your device as a software update. Remember the sooner you update, the less time an attacker has to find and use these weaknesses. A good way to stay on top of updates is to set your system preferences to install updates automatically so you do not have to remember each time. 

Privacy & Phishing

Beware of how your business normally communicates with external people and organisations. Beware of strange email addresses, misspellings, dubious looking formatting, and attachments. If you are unsure in relation to a communication, try verifying the contact using a previously known phone number.  

These simple habits will help your business operate more safely, to minimise the risk of a cyber-attack. Gallagher Keane maintains its entire practise using Xero Cloud Accounting Software. Xero uses multiple layers of security to ensure your data is protected. Read more about Xero Security Features.