When businesses hear “cybersecurity,” it’s easy to assume the answer is another product, another subscription or another big investment. Sometimes new technology is necessary.
But some of the best ways to improve your security don’t involve buying anything at all. Often, it starts with making sure the protections you already have are being used correctly and consistently.
Here are six places to start.
1. Turn On Multi-Factor Authentication
If multi-factor authentication (MFA) is available and you’re not using it, this should be near the top of your list.
MFA adds another step when someone signs into an account. So even if a password is stolen, the password alone may not be enough to get in.
Start with the accounts that would have the biggest impact on your business, such as:
- Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace
- Banking and payroll
- Cloud storage
- Remote access
- Other important business applications
And remember: MFA should apply to owners and managers too. Cybercriminals don’t give the boss a pass.
2. Clean Up Old Accounts
When someone leaves the company, changes roles or finishes a temporary project, their access should change too. Unfortunately, old accounts and permissions have a way of hanging around. Take a look at who currently has access to your systems and ask:
Does this person still need access? And do they still need this much access?
If the answer is no, remove or adjust it.
This is a simple habit that can significantly reduce unnecessary exposure.
3. Stop Making Everyone an Administrator
Administrator access should be the exception, not the default.
An administrator can usually install software, change settings and make other significant changes to a computer or application. That’s convenient, but it also means a compromised administrator account can potentially do much more damage.
Employees should have the access they need to do their jobs without automatically having access to everything.
4. Keep Your Systems Updated
Those update notifications can be annoying, but they’re also important.
Software updates frequently include fixes for known security vulnerabilities. Putting them off indefinitely can leave a door open that has already been fixed by the manufacturer.
Keep computers, phones, browsers, Microsoft Office and other important applications current.
Better yet, automate updates where it makes sense so you’re not depending on someone remembering to click Update.
5. Use a Password Manager
We tell people not to reuse passwords and then expect them to remember dozens of unique, complicated passwords. That’s not very realistic.
A password manager can securely store credentials and generate strong, unique passwords so employees don’t have to remember all of them.
It can also provide a much better way to share credentials when sharing is truly necessary than sending a password through email or keeping it on a sticky note.
6. Make Sure Your Backups Actually Work
We’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating:
Having a backup and being able to recover from a backup are not the same thing.
Ask a few questions:
When was the last successful backup?
What exactly is being backed up?
Has anyone tested a restore?
How long would it take to recover if something happened today?
If nobody knows the answers, that’s something worth addressing before you need the backup.
Good Cybersecurity Starts With the Basics
Cybersecurity doesn’t have to mean constantly adding more tools. In fact, before buying something new, we’d rather make sure the basics are being done well.
Use MFA. Remove old accounts. Limit unnecessary access. Keep systems updated. Use better password practices. And verify your backups.
None of these steps will eliminate every cybersecurity risk.
But together, they make it much harder for a simple mistake or stolen password to turn into a much bigger problem.
At Hurricane Technologies, that’s how we approach security: put the right protections in place, make sure they’re working and continue reviewing them as the business changes.
Because good cybersecurity isn’t about having the most tools.
It’s about taking good care of the technology and information your business already depends on.
How many of these six can you check off?
If you’re not sure—or if you know some of these basics have fallen through the cracks—Hurricane Technologies can help you review your current setup and identify practical ways to strengthen your security.
