No-Cost Information Security Tips for Businesses

As CNBC.com recently reported, 43% of cyberattacks are aimed at small businesses, but only 14% are prepared to defend themselves. When businesses don’t have the appropriate measures in place, it now results in a loss of roughly $200,000 on average.

But here comes the good news: the small measures you take to prevent such attacks can make a big impact. Consider doing the following, most of which you can put in place in an afternoon.

Browse wisely

Use the most up-to-date version of your web browser (and watch for the “s” after the http in the web address). This feature will prevent anyone from “eavesdropping” on your data as it travels between you and your financial institution or your customers.

When your browser or operating system is out of date, critical security patches aren’t being provided by Microsoft, Apple, or other companies—leaving you vulnerable to hackers and identity thieves.

Passwords and pins

• Change your passwords in favor of really strong ones (a combination of lower- and uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols that don’t spell out words).
• Also just as crucial: don’t re-use the same password across multiple sites or programs.
• Put a pin/number lock on your mobile devices, from your iPhone to your Kindle. This deters any would-be thieves from easily accessing everything you store there.
• If you use a wireless network, make sure you have a firewall set up with strong passwords and a name that doesn’t identify your business.
• Change your user ID or password if you have any indication that it may have been viewed or compromised.

Bank securely

Sign up for online banking to daily manage your financial business dashboard. By keeping an eye out for any unusual transactions, you and First Bank can work quickly to squash any potential fraudsters.

Additionally, our online banking platform will protect you using the following measures:

Secure Access Codes: these codes sent to you through your phone (via a call or text), are required each time you sign in from an unregistered/new device or your computer’s cache clears, and strengthen the safeguards in place at login by adding steps to verify your identity. Important: do not share your Secure Access Code with anyone, even if they claim to be with First Bank. We will not ask you to provide it—ever—when helping you with a question or concern about your account.

Alerts: set alerts for certain types of transactions, amounts, or balances for any of your accounts. It’s quick, easy, and free to use through First Bank’s online and mobile banking.

Dual approvals for ACH and wires: Upon submission of the file, you have the option of notifying an approver that the file is ready. A telephone call is automatically sent to a user with the proper approval authority.

If you’d like to learn more about what First Bank can do to keep your business safe from losses—like Positive Pay or entitlements with bill pay—contact our Business Support team. We’d be happy to talk with you and review all the measures mentioned above, as well as other ways your business can be protected from fraud and theft.