Implementing Enterprise Level Security on an SMB Budget

 Every business owner knows the genuine struggle of putting together a security budget when funds are scarce. It is no simple task, especially for SMB’s. From data breaches to identity management, malware to insecure APIs, successfully implementing small business security best practices doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. Here are a few best practices to get you started on your journey into IT and Cloud Security on an SMB budget.

Firewall

When voyaging into the unknown world of IT security, it is essential to first look at the most cost-effective and realist security tools available on the market today. The easiest implemented and most common security best practice for SMB’s is the implementation of Firewalls.  Firewalls are a company’s first line of defense against intruders and protect your network from unauthorized usage. Firewalls can also provide additional security for employees accessing your network from remote locations such as from home or their favorite coffee shop.

Protect Your Network from Malware

Malware is a sort of malicious software designed to disrupt, gain access to, or damage your computer systems and network. The most common use case for malware is through the use of phishing emails. 

These emails often appear during peak hours of the work day and get opened due to a monetary lack of judgment by an employee. To avoid this issue an easily implemented best practice is installing an anti-malware software for a price as low as $4 per device, per month through ArmorPoint. 

This method highly favorable because it protects your employees and network at a price reasonable for an SMB budget. With multiple employees, one IT employee cannot protect everyone the way anti-malware software can.

Onboarding Security Training

Ignorance is anything but bliss in the world of IT security. When it comes to your network, nothing is more important than teaching your employees the necessary IT practices to protect your business. Whether it is a temp or a full-time employee of 5 or more years, anyone who has access to your network is a security risk. Teaching them security best practices is a necessary part of the security on-boarding process and barely costs your SMB a dime.

An easy way to implement this training is through a mandatory security training course and requiring employees to receive a security certificate through an outside security vendor.

Ensuring new employees sign a security agreement after their security training is also another best practice to ensure the security of your network.

Include statements that acknowledge comprehension of repercussions taken in the event of a security breach and revisit training annually with updated security protocol documentation signed each year.

SIEM For SMBs

Security information and event management system (SIEM) is one of the best gifts you can give your business. SIEM security systems gather and centralize alerts and data from your network, and host all of the best security software systems to protect all of the data from company, customers, and employees. This system works by providing real-time analysis of every request within and outside of your network and identifies all threats, which some of the most experienced IT experts could have missed.

SMB Security Best Practices You Can Implement Today

With 25% of data breaches caused by human error, employing SMB security best practices are critical. In 2017, 1,579 breaches occurred costing organizations an average of $3.62 million per breach. This is a huge cost for any size business but could permanently shut down an SMB from one simple mistake. Here are some SMB security best practices you can implement today with little cost and virtually no downtime.

•    Keep all operating systems, applications, and subscriptions up to date and current. In addition to new features, updates often include security patching or upgrades.

•    Never plug in an unknown or unverified USB drive. Unknown or suspicious USB drives can result in fast-spreading viruses or network-wide security breaches. Consider blocking or otherwise covering USB ports on employee machines.

•    Restrict high-level network access to management, place strict limits on what can be installed or updated on company hardware, and limit wide-area network administration access to only those few that must have it.

The simplest and most cost-effective thing you can do to protect your company is this: If access isn’t essential for an employee to do their job, do not give it to them.

If you are interested in reducing the cost of IT security by working with a managed security services provider, get in touch with the SIEM IT security experts at ArmorPoint. ArmorPoint can provide enterprise level IT security on an SMB budget.

About ArmorPoint

ArmorPoint is a security information and event management solution that provides a cost-effective and reliable way to continually protect your business from emerging threats. Through its customizable service pricing model, ArmorPoint’s cost-effective packages and dynamic levels of expert management support the security strategies of all companies, regardless of available budget, talent, or time. And since ArmorPoint offers 24/7 security support with a team of dedicated specialists, they can provide you with the manpower you need to expertly manage all of your cybersecurity initiatives. See how ArmorPoint can make a difference in your security posture with a risk-free 30 day free trial.