By Emma Sturgis

Every company has several levels of security from having locks at every entrance to having password-protected access to the company’s data. Despite all of these precautions, it only takes one lapse in security to cause costly damage that may result in irreparable damage to your small business. Below are four additional security steps your company can take to make your organization as secure as possible.

Manage access to data with advanced software

Chances are your company already has some sort of password-protected access to data. However, it is important to ensure that your business has the latest and most advanced data and access protection. That’s because the most seasoned criminal organizations are always refining their tactics. Some of the advanced security software available includes anti-malware programs and name challenge software. It is recommended that your organization regularly stays up to date on the latest security software to ensure maximum data security.

Strengthen passwords throughout the organization

While your company may have the best data security, breaches can be caused because of one weak password. Therefore, it is important that all passwords have the most robust combination possible. Some steps your business can take to strengthen passwords is to require employees to come up with longer, more complex passwords for their own accounts and to review all passwords in the IT department or by the company owner in smaller businesses. By ensuring every password is as strong as possible, you can prevent unauthorized access to your company’s data.

Back up data on a regular basis

While your business may have taken every possible precaution in protecting data, breaches may still be possible. In some cases, a breach may result in loss of data. This kind of breach can cost your business untold dollars and years in lost productivity. Therefore, it is critical that your business regularly backs-up its data. There are a number of companies that can allow you to back up your organization’s data offsite on a regular basis. In the event of a breach and destroyed data onsite, your business can restore data through the offsite backup.

Shred important documents

In addition to protecting your online data, it is also critical to protect information on paper. Therefore your business should have a system to regularly shred important documents. Your business should invest in an industrial-sized shredded or use the services of a shredding company. Many shredding companies have mobile shredders that can come to your worksite. By destroying important documents, your company no longer needs, you can further protect your business from a security breach.

Following the four steps above can help secure the most vulnerable parts of your business. Contact several security companies and compare which one is best for your company. By staying on top of your company’s security, you can ensure that your organization is safe from future security breaches.

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Emma Sturgis is a freelance writer based out of Boston, MA. She writes most often on health and education. When not writing, she enjoys reading and watching film noir. Say hi on Twitter @EmmaSturgis2.