How to Protect Against Malware for Small Businesses

Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team

1. Protect your Small Business Against Malware

Protect Against Malware

Malware or 'malicious software' is a term that is used to describe any sort of program or code that was designed to be harmful to a computer. For small businesses in the 21st century that thrive on technology and the use of the Internet, malware can be devastating. If your business handles personal data, your employees and your clients should be confident that cyber-criminals won't be able to access it.

Malware is constantly evolving and has taken numerous forms over the years. Unfortunately, it is a danger that will always be present. As security measures increase, the minds behind malware are constantly looking for new ways to sidestep and circumvent those measures. According to the 2019 Internet Security Threat Report from Symantec, cyber-criminals using malware increased by 25%. This means that it's more important than ever to make sure that the technology behind your small business is protected. Malware attacks can be tricky to identify, so itâ€™s essential that the proper measures be taken to avoid them at all costs.

The following are the best ways to protect your business from the threat of malware attacks:

Install security software

Taking proper security measures is a must to protect your company against data breaches. Make sure that all of your workstations are protected with antivirus, anti-ransomware, and anti-malware software as a first line of defense against cybercriminals.

If your workstations already have security software installed, make sure it is always kept up-to-date. Security software updates frequently to ensure you always have protection against the latest threats. Many security software programs will take care of this automatically, but it is always wise to check each one to make sure they're doing what they should be doing.

Ensure your security software provides protection against all types of threats. One piece of software may not be enough to keep your machine fully protected from all types of malware.

Educate employees about cyber threats

Lack of employee understanding when it comes to malware is actually one of the leading causes of harmful data breaches. Many employees simply donâ€™t know how to properly identify a malware attack, which puts the workstations they're responsible for more at far greater risk than normal.

Be sure to properly educate and/or train your employees when it comes to cybersecurity and how it relates to your important business' data. All employees should know how to identify websites, links, and phishing scams that contain malware.

Upgrade your network's security

Ensuring your network has solid security in place will also lower the risk of malware attacks on your workstations. As we've previously pointed out, having competent firewall protection can shut out malware and detect potential threats that originate from any type of connection.

Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN)

Using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) allows you and your employees to use the internet without worrying about the possibility of being a target for attacks. This is because VPNs establish a private internet connection that encrypts all of the data that is sent and received by your company's workstations.

Encrypt Workstation Files

Encrypting the data on your workstations is a higher-risk option that turns your data into code that cybercriminals canâ€™t understand. In the case that a cybercriminal did gain access to your data, they wouldnâ€™t be able to make use of it, because they would not be able to decrypt the data that was taken.

However, encrypting the data on your workstations is something to be very cautious of. Most encryption is password-protected, and there is no way to undo or reverse encryption should that password be lost or changed. As such, an encryption situation gone awry can result in lost data.

When considering data encryption, always be sure it is the right choice for you and your business.