It’s not always the case that everyone’s going to wish your business well. While you’d like to think that everyone would be supportive, encouraging, and ready to help your business move along in a positive way, the reality is that that won’t always be the case. This is the real world that we live in, and there are people out there who don’t always have the purest interests in the world. The good news is that you’re not powerless when it comes to protecting your interests! Below, we take a look at a few tried and tested ways to ensure you’re not making it easy for would-be criminals to compromise your company.
Who You’re Working With
The external threats to your business are real, and need to be accounted for, but that’s not the only place you should be looking when it comes to your business. In fact, it’s not even the top priority. The vast majority of white-collar crime happens internally, and as such it’s important that you’re vetting everyone who has access to your sensitive data. This includes other companies you’re working with, but mostly your employees. Check their references, and consider conducting a more thorough background check if it’s for an especially important job.
Thwarting Fraud
If you have a team of employees that you fully trust, then you’ll be preventing internal crime, but what about external crime? Cybercrime has grown exponentially in recent years, and criminals are using increasingly sophisticated techniques to get their hands on a company’s sensitive data. You can make this more difficult by bolstering the protection of your data. The best KYC compliance solution, for instance, will allow you to verify your customers identity even when they’re not sitting right in front of you. You’ll also want to review your passwords and make sure they’re strong enough to thwart a hacker. These two acts might just prevent a criminal from accessing your important information.
At Your Premises
That cybercrime is on the rise doesn’t mean that old-fashioned crime has been thrown entirely out of the window. It hasn’t! Take a look at your business premises, and make sure that there are no weak spots that a would-be criminal could possibly take advantage of. Having lights, gates, and CCTV cameras are usually enough to deter people, but if you have especially expensive equipment, consider keeping it locked away.
When Traveling
You’re in control of what happens when you’re located at your office. When you’re traveling to other places, you’re at the mercy of their arrangements. If you’re traveling for work (or at all, even), then do not join unsecured wifi spots – they make it incredibly easy for a person to get your information. There’s a reason why it’s open and free to use…just ask yourself what they might be getting out of it.
These steps will help to protect your business, but you should also make a habit of reviewing and updating your practices so that your business doesn’t fall behind the security times.
