Most businesses rely on digital systems to process data, make payments, ensure stock, and more.

Technology has clear benefits for businesses. With such a reliance on digital systems, also come unwanted attacks. Therefore, businesses must protect their digital data. To protect their data, business owners must have the right digital tools.

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There are several tools that serve different purposes. From password management to data protection, businesses must consider the several potential weak points present in their networks and systems. That’s the only way to understand the best tools to employ.

However, with the prevalence of technology, most businesses should use most types of digital protection tools nonetheless.

Digital Protection Tools For Small Businesses

Understanding the tools available is the first step in knowing which are best to protect different businesses.

Firewall

Firewalls monitor all incoming and outgoing traffic from a network and can block any suspicious activities. Basically, firewalls act as a barrier between a business’ network and the internet.

Businesses are advised to use a next-generation firewall (NFGW). NFGWs offer advanced features such as intrusion prevention, content filtering, and deep packet inspection.

NGFWs provide more advanced protection against modern cyber threats, including advanced persistent threats (APTs) and zero-day attacks.

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

2FA requests users to provide two different pieces of information to confirm their identity.

Usually, 2FA entails using the usual password and providing a one-time code that will be sent through email or text message.

Ensuring that all company employees are using 2FA increases security drastically. Suppose a single person is not employing this safety method. In that case, that person’s accounts are a weak point for the company’s digital safety.

Virtual Private Network (VPN)

VPNs are one of the most used digital tools for digital safety. VPNs allow for secure remote access essential for any company with remote workers.

By using secure remote access, companies ensure that sensitive data will not be compromised when accessed remotely.

VPNs also increase privacy by hiding a company’s IP address, preventing online tracking. This also leads to greater protection against cyberattacks.

Anti-Virus

Anti-Viruses allow companies to defend their digital assets by protecting against viruses, malware, and other malicious software that could compromise sensitive data.

Anti-Viruses also scan all files and emails for viruses, a great tool for reducing phishing attacks.

Small businesses are particularly susceptible to online dangers like viruses, Trojan horses, and other dangerous software that can jeopardize company data. Small firms risk data breaches, financial losses, and reputational harm without antivirus protection.

Digital Data Vault

A Digital Data Vault is an online storage option that enables small businesses to protect their data.

Data Vaults employ advanced encryption methods, rendering data unreadable for any third-party.

Most businesses use Data Vaults to store sensitive data such as contracts, financial records, client information, or company documentation.

Furthermore, with increasingly tighter regulations on digital data protection, companies must ensure their data’s protection. Digital Data Vaults are commonly used to comply with those regulations.

Password Manager

As the name indicates, companies use Password Manager software to improve password safety.

Companies use Password Manager software to save, create, and manage passwords. The software is responsible for creating strong passwords stored in an encrypted cloud storage.

Many Password Managers can be set up to change all passwords in a determined period. For example, a company can set its software to change all passwords monthly. By doing so, security is drastically improved. Hackers need time to acquire passwords–changing them constantly is a good preventive measure.

Cloud Storage

Cloud Storage solutions are prevalent across most industries. Cloud Storage makes it easier for files to be shared and organized company-wide.

Cloud Storage is usually protected by encryption, making it a safe alternative for companies that want to avoid the costs of acquiring, maintaining, and protecting their own servers.

Besides the advantages already mentioned, it’s much cheaper to expand a company’s server capacity when using a Cloud Storage solution than to expand the company’s servers.

Another benefit of this solution is that it allows files to be accessed by any device with authorization. That means any employee can access files without being physically present at the company.

In Summary

Companies must ensure they protect their and their customer’s data. Besides being a requirement for most companies in the US and European Union, companies benefit greatly from protecting digital data.

If a company suffers a data breach, it usually comes at a high cost financially and in terms of reputation among customers and other companies.

Using solutions such as Password Managers, Cloud Storage, Data Vaults, or even Anti-Viruses is a great step toward increasing a company’s digital safety.

If you own a company, you should consider some of the solutions mentioned in this article. Digital safety is paramount in an ever-increasing digital world.