Cybersecurity Framework for SMBs

Rogers Business

Protect your business with these 5 steps

Implementing a cybersecurity strategy can not only be tedious, it can take you down a very deep rabbit hole. For small and medium businesses like yours, it can be nice to have a framework that is simple and easy to implement to help you get started with Cybersecurity.

Here is a quick 5-step process that will help you protect your business from cybersecurity threats. The process focuses on 5 key areas – Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover.

Let’s dig into each step in the framework:

Identify: First, make a list all the equipment (hardware like laptops, smartphones, tablets, servers, and point-of-sale devices, etc.), software (programs like Word, Outlook, SharePoint, etc.) and data you use. Then create and share a cybersecurity policy that covers the roles and responsibilities for employees, vendors, and anyone with access to sensitive data as well as the steps to take to protect against and limit the damage if an attack occurs.
Protect: Protect against cybersecurity threats by doing the following:

Control access to your network, computers, and other devices
Use security software to protect data and update the software regularly
Encrypt sensitive data
Conduct regular backups of data
Create formal policies for safely disposing of electronic files and old devices
Train staff on cybersecurity, so they can understand their personal risk and the crucial role they play

Detect: Monitor your computers for unauthorized access, devices (like USB drives), and software. Check your network for unauthorized users or connections and investigate any unusual activities.
Respond: To stay prepared and ready to respond, you need to have a plan for the following:

Notifying everyone whose data may be at risk
Contingency plan to keep your business up and running
Reporting the attack to law enforcement and other authorities
Investigating and containing an attack
Updating your cybersecurity policy and plan with lessons learned
Preparing for accidents/outages (like weather emergencies) that may put data at risk

Finally, you need to regularly put these plans to a test so that you can find any weak points and optimize.

Recover: After an attack you need to work on repairing and restoring the equipment and parts of your network that were affected. Additionally, you also need to keep your employees and customers informed of your response and recovery activities.

At Rogers Business we have a variety of solutions tailored to SMBs like you. We have partnered with The Toronto Metropolitan University to launch Simply Secure, a cybersecurity resource for SMB’s. Alternatively, you can also reach out to us, and we can help you determine the right solutions for your business.

^{Referenced from:}

^{Federal Trade Commission, https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/small-businesses/cybersecurity/nist-framework}