Terrifying Threats To Your Small Business (& How To Avoid Them)

You’ve put your whole heart and soul into your small business. Not to mention, a great deal of effort and money, so keeping it secure should be at the top of your priority list. Unfortunately, many things can threaten the running of your company. Find out what they are below and how to combat them to keep your business safe. 

 

Hackers 

 

Whether your business has a website or uses an online service, hackers and online cybersecurity vulnerabilities are a major threat. After all, hackers don’t need to get anywhere near your physical business to become a threat as they can try and get into your online sites, accounts and networks. 

 

The good news is that’s is possible to minimize the risk of being hacked, and the associated threats of malware, ransomware, DoS and phishing attacks by taking the proper cybersecurity precautions. 

 

This means always updating any software regularly, you are using and in a punctual way so any vulnerabilities are patched. Also only using secure networks, instigating two-factor authentication for logins and banning the use of USB sticks can help. Lastly, you must educate your employees on what to look out for when it comes to hacking especially concerning phishing attempts which are getting more subtle and sneaky all the time! 

 

Credit card fraud 

 

Credit card fraud is also a big threat to small businesses as any sizable purchase that is fraudulent can end up costing them a significant amount of money. Happily, there are several measures you can take to reduce the risk of fraudulent purchases in your small business. 

 

The first of these is to make sure that you only ever use Secure payment processing when taking credit card payments. The industry standard for this is PCI compliance which is one of the features discussed on the the new North American Bancard website in the merchant services and payment section. Visit their site to find out more about this and the many other features for SMEs. 

 

Burglars 

 

Another common threat to small businesses is those that would break into their premises and steal stock, equipment and cash. Indeed, in such cases, it’s not just the loss of items that the business must deal with but also the damage that burglars cause when breaking in. 

The way to protect your small business against threats of burglary is to make sure you have a sophisticated security system. This means installing state-of-the-art locks, alarms and cameras that can not only be constantly monitored but also let a security company know when they have been compromised so they can quickly attend the scene. 

Shoplifters 

Last of all a threat that can cause major damage to a small business is that of the shoplifter. Shoplifters aim to steal as many items from the store they are visiting without getting caught. Once one shoplifter has been successful it also encourages more to try their luck. 

The way to reduce the risk of shoplifting in your small business is to use a multifaceted approach. This approach should include CCTV coverage, store security, as well as tags filled with dye that makes clothing unwearable and stains the culprit, making them easier to identify by the Police.