Cybersecurity Basics Every Small Business Should Have in Place

The good news about small-business security is that most attacks are opportunistic. Get the fundamentals right and you're no longer the easy target.

The non-negotiables

• Multi-factor authentication on email and every critical account
• A password manager for the whole team
• Automatic updates and patching on all devices
• Tested, offline backups of important data
• Least-privilege access — people only get what they need

Train your people

Technology stops a lot, but your team is the front line. A short, recurring conversation about phishing and how to report something suspicious goes a long way.

Have a plan before you need one

Write down what happens if an account is compromised: who to call, how to lock things down, and how to restore from backup. The middle of an incident is the worst time to figure it out.