When it comes to the security of your business, there’s so much to consider! What is at risk within your business? How do you minimise the security risks your business faces? How can you uphold high security standards? Where do you even begin? It’s overwhelming – we know!
Great security doesn’t happen overnight, but the good news is that you can make a start today. There are powerful steps you can take straight away, that don’t require too much time or effort to set up, and could greatly reduce your risk of a security breach.
3 Security Mistakes Companies Make And How To Avoid Them
As our name suggests, at Frontline Security, we specialise in helping businesses on their security frontline; tackling their physical security concerns head-on and helping to find the right solution for each business’s unique needs.
We’re passionate about security – both physical security, and digital security – and we’ve seen a lot since we started in 2015, so we like to think we know a thing or two about keeping businesses secure.
Here are the top 3 security mistakes we see companies making, and how you can take actions to avoid making them, and ultimately improve your company’s security:
1. Failing to educate your people
One of the most significant security mistakes we see companies make is neglecting employee education and training. You can have the best security systems in place, unfortunately, humans will always be the weakest link in the security chain, and are responsible for a large percentage of security breaches.
Your company can strengthen your security by providing regular security training to all of your employees and creating security awareness. Make your team aware of the latest security threats and best practices for securing information, property and people. Your people, and their visitors, need to know what is expected of them, how to fulfil their security duties, and what to do if they see something or someone who isn’t following your security procedures.
As a business, it’s your responsibility to conduct periodic security audits to determine the effectiveness of your security systems, and it’s also your responsibility to set up security training for all of your people to ensure that they can uphold your security standards.
2. Not using two-factor authentication
Weak passwords are a common cause of digital security breaches, so it’s crucial to have a password policy in place, to help your team set up strong passwords. It’s equally as important to change passwords regularly and when there’s been a suspected breach.
Having a strong password isn’t enough though!
Your business should consider implementing the use of two-factor authentication to provide an additional layer of security. Having everyone use two-factor authentication helps to rule out the possibility of hackers gaining access remotely. So, help your people to set it up and make sure that they understand just how important it is for them to use it.
If you’re using password management and two-factor authentication software – awesome job! But remember to keep it up to date. Hackers are constantly developing new techniques to exploit vulnerabilities, and outdated software makes you an easy target. Check for updates regularly and let your people know when it’s time to install an update, or set up automatic updates on all company devices to ensure your digital security is kept secure.
3. Taking generic advice
Failing to plan is planning to fail, as they say. If your business does not have a security plan, and you haven’t taken the time to consider the security risks specific to your organisation, whether physical or digital, then you are planning to have a security breach.
Security isn’t one size fits all, every business has a different set of needs and vulnerabilities. Whether you’re in the construction industry and need to consider the physical security of your site, your business is hosting events where personnel security is paramount, or you’re a start-up with precious IP to protect, the security concerns you may have, and the steps you could take to minimise those, are going to be different from other businesses.
While there might be pearls of wisdom buried in the generic “Change your passwords every six months!” and “Install security cameras at every entrance!” type of advice, the majority of these generic security tips may not be 100% suited to your organisation’s security needs.
If you’re looking to tighten up your security, the best thing you can do is look within your organisation, ask your team for input, and identify the security risks your business is facing. Then, take the time to comb over these security concerns, and work your way through to find individualised solutions.
When you have identified your risks, it may be as simple as hiring a great security company or static guards, or you may need to install a physical security system onsite and teach your staff how to use it effectively. Some measures may take a little bit of time and effort to get set up, but any security measures that help to keep your people and your assets safe (not to mention; give you peace of mind!) are well worth it in the long run.
Once you’ve got effective security measures in place, it’s important to remain vigilant and proactive in order to uphold your company’s security. Keep an eye out for any potential security risks and make adjustments and additions to your security plan as required.
What next?
A security breach may feel like the end of the world, and setting up effective security protocols to avoid one may seem like a lot of work. But if you can get your team onboard to set up security measures that suit your business’s needs, you can avoid costly data breaches, and harm to people and property. You’ll be able to sleep well at night knowing your business is safe and sound.
If you’re in Auckland and you need help identifying security risks within your business, or carrying out your security plan, give us a call! We’re experts when it comes to security, and we’re ready to help you keep your assets secure with security guards, patrol services, alarm monitoring, and security systems.