When it comes to security threats within your business, are you covering all of your bases? There are multiple ways in which you can increase threats to your company, and while you are likely to cover all your major bases, could there be anything you are missing?
Not everyone can know everything about business threats. And with new and innovative ways criminals are targeting businesses both physically and digitally, it can be easy to overlook some parts of your company that you are exposed to. Let’s take a look.
POS
Your point of sale, be it in a shop, your office desk, a salon, etc., or your online website, can be a gateway for criminals to get access to money or data. And this is the last place you want anything exposed. When it comes to payment providers, you need to look at how you can open yourself up to severe risks to help you close the loop and ensure protection.
Whether it’s a smart POS device that allows both online and offline transactions to be encrypted for added security, you have a time-release safe to store cash payments, or you take cash payments away from the front of the house and by doors, making smash and grabs harder to carry out, identify how you can be at risk in payments and implement changes to increase protection.
Unsecured WiFi Networks
We’ve all been there. You need to work so you can log into the free WiFi provided by your bank or shopping center to complete tasks. But are these networks secured? It’s important to remember that criminals can often prowl unsecured networks, looking for data to intercept and use for their own purposes.
Realizing how easy it is for hackers to access details via poorly secured or unsecured networks is crucial. For this reason, it’s everyone’s responsibility to stress the importance of not using such networks for business-related activities. This caution and responsibility can help you avoid compromising your company and your customers.
Social Engineering
Social engineering is when criminals use fake scenarios to trick people into giving them sensitive details. Phishing emails or spam texts and fake phone calls from Amazon telling you someone is hacking your account right now and you need to move your money are examples of social engineering. It’s crucial to train your employees to recognize new and common threats and trends in social engineering and have them alert to common scams and attacks. This proactive approach can help you avoid anyone falling victim to this type of crime and reinforce your security methods.
Insider Threats
One area that employers can often overlook is the threat coming from inside the company. Not all employees will be working for your company for the betterment of what you do and to earn a legitimate living. Some people will be taking advantage of what you do or your customers, and being aware of any type of nefarious activity occurring from your employees is vital. Blocking access to certain data, limiting cash handling, implementing elevated security protocols for authorized personnel, etc., can all be effective ways to reduce who can access certain aspects of the business to reduce the risk of employee fraud and financial activity taking place.