As a business owner, the last thing you want to do is worry about theft, whether it’s of expensive physical merchandise or important information. Even smaller businesses are vulnerable to theft. Data is valuable, after all, and so is the money that’s in your cash register. Thankfully, there’s a few simple steps you can take to improve your business’ security. These small security tips to keep your business safe can help you deter those wily thieves and hackers.
Have A Strong User Authentication System
Sometimes, preventing digital theft is as simple as using a multi-stage verification process and having long, complex passwords that vary from site to site.
A one-step verification process offers a surface level of protection, but can be easily breached by experienced hackers. A stronger process usually involves more than one step. Along with requiring a password, it’ll ask the user for a second verification code, or to answer a question to proceed.
Passwords should be complex, and include letters, numbers, special characters, and more. If it looks like complete gibberish, you’re probably on the right track. You should use a different password for every site and platform that you use. This way, if one account gets breached, the others will still be safe.
Install Anti-Theft Gadgets
It’s surprisingly easy to deter thieves by installing a few, simple gadgets. Lights, both indoors and outdoors, will make it harder for thieves to sneak around undetected. To protect your money, make regular deposits, and avoid keeping large amounts of cash in the registers. Secure your doors, windows, and other entry points with strong, durable locks—deadbolts and padlocks are best. You can protect your merchandise by securing it with locked cases, and keep your important systems, like heaters and cash registers, safe by investing in a lock with a well-hidden key or lockdown covers. A security system is another effective anti-theft gadget. You should get one that immediately notifies the police about potential intruders.
Limit Employee Access
Another small security tip to keep your business safe is to limit your employees’ access to sensitive data and merchandise. We all like to think our vetting process is foolproof, and that the employees we hire are invested in keeping the business’ merchandise and personal data safe. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Employees that have personal access to all the business’ merchandise and accounts will have an easy time stealing. For this reason, it’s best to limit your employees’ access to critical information and areas. If they don’t need access to something to do their job, don’t give it to them. Keep track of who has access to your digital and physical spaces, so if trouble arises, you’ll know who to interrogate.
