If you are dealing with credit card processing for small businesses, you are probably aware of the importance of cybersecurity. Cybersecurity threats are a growing issue. A recent survey revealed that 67% of small businesses reported a cyberattack, and 58% reported a data breach in the last 12 months. With the possibility of cybersecurity threats, it is necessary for employees to undergo cybersecurity training.
Cyber attacks typically begin with some type of human action or error, whether it be clicking on a phishing email, not updating software, or using passwords that can be easily guessed. In your business, employees are likely to be the weakest link in issues related to cybersecurity and cyberattacks, and because of this, it is important that they are properly trained to understand the issues involved in maintaining cybersecurity.
Cybersecurity technology is absolutely essential, but it has its limitations. For instance, cybersecurity technology can become outdated fairly quickly, and as previously mentioned, cannot account for human error. Because of this, efforts to maintain cybersecurity should go beyond software and programs that are designed to improve security. Employees should be trained to better understand cybersecurity, and become more aware of things they can do to enhance security. Training employees on how to use strong passwords, for instance, can go a long way in enhancing cybersecurity, and provide safeguards that could not be provided by technology alone.
It is necessary to provide cybersecurity training to employees. There are several elements that your training should include. Start with brainstorming. Get your employees together and discuss potential cybersecurity threats. Ensure that all company-issued electronic devices are configured to receive automatic updates. Create limitations on software use, allowing employees to access only necessary and approved software and systems. Train employees in detecting phishing emails. Educate employees about creating strong and unique passwords. Use the principle of least privilege, which means only providing employees access to information that is necessary to their specific job. And make sure to train employees to report all suspected cyberattacks.
Though technological safeguards cannot protect you from human error and have their limitations, they are necessary for cybersecurity. Because of this, it is important to do all you can on the technological front when dealing with cybersecurity issues. Make sure you are armed with antivirus and firewall protection that you keep up to date. In addition, make sure you follow PCI compliance standards and utilize PCI-compliant payment processing. Here at Moolah, we provide the DataGuardian cybersecurity suite with all our accounts to ensure your transactions are safeguarded. At Moolah, we do our best to make sure credit card processing for small businesses doesn’t involve issues related to cybersecurity. But we encourage you to do all you can to safeguard cybersecurity too.