4 Apps Every Business Needs for Security

If you’re running a modern business, then you need to be vigilant when it comes to online security. Cyberattacks pose a very real threat – and, while larger breaches might garner the lion’s share of the press coverage, it’s actually the smaller businesses that suffer the greater proportion of the harm.

Fortunately, there are a few simple apps that can make a difference when it comes to online security for your business. By making your operations just a little more resilient, you might give would-be attackers a reason to look elsewhere in search of targets.

So, what are these apps? Let’s look through four of the more important categories.

Password Manager

To begin with, you’ll need a password manager. This application does two things. To begin with, it will compose unique, strong passwords on your behalf for every service you use. This will vastly decrease your vulnerability to brute-force attacks and help contain the consequences of a data breach. Employees will no longer feel compelled to choose between recycling old passwords and writing down strong new ones (a practice which should be endlessly discouraged).

Security awareness training

Perhaps the most powerful means of preventing breaches is to provide your staff with the skills and knowledge they need to spot and thwart potential attacks. This can often be done with the help of a training application.

Given that a clear majority of data breaches are a result of human error, you might judge your employees as a potential cause of – and solution to – a majority of your security-related problems.

Virtual Private Network

The term ‘VPN’ isn’t as obscure as it once was. Put simply, this is a means of encrypting all of your internet traffic, and routing it through a remote server – often in a foreign country. This is perfect for remote workforces, as it can add an additional layer of security to laptop-based workers who might be clocking in at their local cafe. A good business VPN can make a massive difference to your security situation overall.

Multi-factor authentication

A password is just one of several factors via which an employee, or a malicious actor, might gain access to a system. When your system requires not just a password, but additional factors like mobile phones and biometric markers, the likelihood of a successful attack diminishes rapidly – though be aware that even this technology isn’t completely bulletproof.