Due to the recent rise in cybercrime, digital security has become an increasingly significant concern for all types of businesses. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the trend of businesses moving their operations online has accelerated significantly. However, due to the suddenness of this move, the defensive structure of security was largely left by the wayside. While this made sense at the time, many businesses have not since prepared their business for the threats that cybersecurity can cause to their business.
Of course, there are numerous benefits to running a business online that was previously tethered to a physical location. Firstly, you have access to a wider talent pool, either national or global depending on your needs. Secondly, you can also reduce your operation costs by paying cost of living wages where your employees are located. You also can save on office space, equipment, and a whole other host of costs that are associated with a physical office space.
However, that does not mean that there aren’t drawbacks to running a remote business. These are in the form of poor communication, lack of efficiency due to poor systems or processes, and cybersecurity. Cybersecurity, in particular, is an issue that all remote businesses need to be prepared for, particularly those that handle sensitive customer data such as financial information like credit card numbers and bank account numbers.
Fortunately, there are several things that remote businesses can do to prepare themselves for cyberattacks. These include employee education and using digital tools to stave off the worst impulses of hackers and cybercriminals. With that in mind, here is how businesses can better prepare their business’s security for the modern world.
1. Use a deal room
A lot of companies have no idea just how easy it for their digital documents to be stolen. Email is not secure at all, and cloud storage tools like Dropbox or Google Drive is not secure either. For companies that need to make deals to thrive, particularly online businesses like ecommerce stores, it is important to make sure that these deals are negotiated in a safe and secure way. The best way to do this is through a deal room, which has the security infrastructure necessary to make sure that a cyberattack does not impact the particulars of the deal.
One of the best features of a deal room is the ability to set user permissions so that only select people can access sensitive information such as contracts that are currently in negotiation and financial disclosure forms. This feature, along with the encryption that a deal room provides, will help to build trust in your deal-making process, as it will show the company that you are looking to do business with that you pay attention to details and that you value the importance of digital security in your business.
2. Provide cybersecurity education to your team
Cybercrime is often enacted on those who are not aware of what is going on. A simple phishing attack can catch an employee by surprise, particularly if they do not know what is going on. To prevent this from happening, you should invest in educational resources for your employees to go through so that they are aware of the potential cyberattacks they can face while working remotely. This is especially an issue with older employees who may not be aware of cybercrime and the potential implications that it can create with your online business.
When running a remote company, it is important to prioritize your digital security. As cybercrime is poised to become a bigger and bigger issue, now is the right time to invest in digital solutions like data rooms and employee education to preempt any kind of cyberattack on your business in the future.