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Vinod Ramchandra Jadhav, Entrepreneur, Talks How to Keep Your Startup Safe: 10 Security Tips All Entrepreneurs Must Follow

Startups

Vinod Ramchandra Jadhav, Entrepreneur, Talks How to Keep Your Startup Safe: 10 Security Tips All Entrepreneurs Must Follow

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No price is too high to keep your startup safe. If your information, ideas, or even personnel are compromised, your dream can come to an end quickly. Only by enacting the right security measures will you ensure that if your journey as an entrepreneur stumbles, it’s not because you weren’t protecting yourself. Here are 10 important things you can do to keep your startup protected:

  1.  Keep All Your Programs Updated

Getting your flow interrupted by updates can be annoying, but those updates are usually security focused. Each one plugs holes that more unsavory folk can use to not only access your files but take over entire systems and networks. In addition, make sure that your anti-virus and security programs are updated as well. As a bonus, this ensures that your workers don’t miss out on any updates that optimize the way their programs run. 

  1.  Make Effective Passwords

It seems like a no-brainer to have strong passwords, but you would be surprised how many people opt for the old and ineffective “password” as a password. While acceptable in a casual setting, a weak password can leave your company vulnerable. Fortunately, there rules you can set to make sure your employees keep your startup safe.
The simplest way is to require set a length of 8-to-12 characters. Additionally, the password should have a combination of both lower-case and capital letters, as well as numbers. This often results in a random enough code that will prevent all but the most determined of hacks to succeed. You should also tell people not to use personal information in their passwords, as this makes them easier to break. If you can afford it, there are password generators that change the code regularly, and you can just have the relevant users get an app that updates them on each change.

  1.  Create Backups Periodically

Theft and invasion aren’t the only things your startup should be protected from. Disasters such as floods and earthquakes can also rob you of your work. While no amount of physical defense can withstand a sufficiently destructive natural disaster, you can opt to regularly back up all critical data to the cloud using a service. It’s an arduous task, but it will keep your effort safe from harm.

  1.  Install Protection on Business Laptops

Laptops might let your employees embrace a more flexible and productive lifestyle, but they can also represent a security risk. They can get lost or worse, stolen. Make sure that all company laptops are properly encrypted and require a password to access. This also means that your employees should never put work in personal laptops, as those will likely lack the security measures your company machines will have.

  1.  Make Sure Your Employees are Web Smart

Scammers are getting smarter. Virus-filled links and attachment look more legitimate every day, tricking even experienced users into a disastrous click. If you’re lucky, all you’ll get is a bit of slowdown. If you’re unlucky, a company computer – or even the whole network – may end up being held hostage. Make sure that employees verify any links and attachments supposedly sent by a co-worker before clicking them.

  1.  Use a Strong Firewall

Sometimes, the best defensive option is a strong wall. Firewalls keep your network safe from the vast majority of intrusions, controlling traffic as it goes in and out of your startup. Most brands perform the same, so go with the one you like the most.

  1.  Keep Mobile Phones in Check

Mobile phones, like laptops, can hold a tremendous amount of information. As an entrepreneur, you likely won’t have the capital to provide your employees with company phones, so you will have to make a rule that requires them to have various forms of security. If your employees do not feel comfortable with having encryption software or remote wiping on their phones, you should ban those who do not comply from using phones for company business.

  1.  Buy Anti-Virus Protection

Caution can only go so far. People make mistakes, and eventually, someone’s going to click a link that could compromise the entire startup. So, invest in actual anti-virus software. Consider it your safety net, something that catches you if a virus should slip through the cracks.

  1.  Set-up Monitoring Software

Things will go slipping through the cracks, no matter how hard you try.  You could have the most skilled and educated employees in your office, but someone will slip. That’s just how things go, and often, no one means anything by it. However, that does mean you need to keep an eye on what’s going in and out of your startup.
Monitoring tools can help make sure data doesn’t leak outside the company. Generally, this software works by watching key points in your network and seeing if specific pieces of data or information move through them. This can look for anything, from personal information such as bank accounts, to details about your latest product.

  1.  Make Sure Your Employees are Educated

Having all these systems and strategies in place won’t help if your employees don’t know how to employ them, or why they’re important. Sit down with each employee and make sure they understand how things work. Additionally, make sure that it’s part of the on-boarding process.
As an entrepreneur, you’ll want to make sure that every expense is justified – and with security, it is. It might not seem like it when nothing’s going wrong, but if nothing’s going wrong, that’s probably because you secured your startup well. 


About Vinod Ramchandra Jadhav: As the Chairman of Sava Group, Mr. Vinod Ramchandra Jadhav has over 15 years of experience solving problems across the Pharmaceutical industry supply chain. Former engineer turned pharmaceutical Manufacturer, Mr. Jadhav is passionate about providing opportunities to grow people’s careers and touch as many lives as possible. He continues to follow industry trends and developments and is committed to creating long-term sustainable business.

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