New business risks surface constantly. These risks can hugely influence your bottom line, leading to reduced revenue. For this reason, it’s imperative to protect your business. Otherwise, you risk managing a failing business down the road. 

The risks your business can face vary. Here are the main categories of business risks:  

Physical Risks – These include fires, explosions, and dangerous compounds. Besides harming your production line, physical danger can lead to loss of life. 

Technology Risks – In the modern world, technology has become necessary in almost every sector. However, this has exposed businesses to complex risks. These include cyber threats, storage issues, and communication risks.  

Human Risks – A team member can also expose you and/or your employees to several risks. They include drug abuse, theft of assets, and more.  

Now that you understand the risks your business can encounter, it’s time to know the tools you should use to safeguard it. They include:  

• Firewall Systems 

Today, cyber attackers are launching more sophisticated and efficient threats. And if you’re not careful, you may lose control of your production line. One of the ways you can boost your security architecture is to implement firewall systems. Most individuals may think firewalls are outdated. 

However, the firewall system plays a huge role in blocking unauthorized access to your system. It’ll constantly monitor the network traffic as well as connection attempts. Then, it’ll only allow the approved individual to access your system. 

As mentioned above, cyber threats are advancing at an alarming rate. Thus, skilled attackers might still bypass the firewall system. Luckily, you can hire Exigent Technologies to ensure an effective system that blocks illegal access.   

• Antivirus Software 

As a business owner, you’re handling all kinds of data, from customer details and trade secrets to team members’ information. Due to this, hackers are always looking for ways to infiltrate and corrupt your sensitive data. Any corruption will affect your public image and lead to non-compliance issues. 

Antivirus software will protect your system from malicious programs such as viruses, trojans, and spyware. The system will also notify you of any threat before it causes any more damage. 

It’s essential, however, to acquire the antivirus solution from a credible provider. Thus, research extensively to find a reputable IT support company in Edmonton or your area to ensure you have a reliable and effective antivirus tool.  

• CCTV Systems 

Sometimes, intruders may break into business premises. They can destroy or access essential documents, ultimately affecting your productivity. Also, they can harm your workforce, leading to poor public image and workflow.  

Closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems will make it easier for security personnel to monitor the area. Hence, it’ll be easier to identify any suspicious activity and respond appropriately. Also, retrieved footage can help with the investigation of an accident.  

However, it’s essential to ensure proper lighting in your workplace. This hugely influences the effectiveness of your CCTV system. Also, you can consider getting advanced tools such as the one with night vision capabilities. Thus, monitoring your business will be more manageable regardless of the time or condition.  

• Encryption Tools  

Data is at higher risk when transferred from one location to another. It’ll be easier for hackers to access and manipulate the files. Encryption tools convert your plaintext data into an encoded format called ciphertext. This makes it hard for prying eyes to access your data.  

Data encryption can also be used to secure stored data. However, the authorized individual will require unique keys to decode the cryptic document. 

Most people combine this measure with an authentication method. This helps add an extra security layer to your architecture. There are several authentication methods you can integrate into your encryption system. 

For instance, you can require users to use a password to validate their identity. However, this method is prone to phishing, affecting its effectiveness. Thus, consider implementing a more practical approach—multi-factor authentication. Here, the user is required to use more than one way to validate their identity. This includes the use of fingerprints, biometrics, and more.  

• Staff Training Programs 

In most cases, an unskilled workforce may increase your business risks. For instance, they may not update passwords, exposing your system to threats. Also, they may carelessly dispose of hazardous materials, affecting workplace safety. 

Proper training programs will ensure they have enough skills and know-how. Thus, they’ll avoid clicking on any suspicious links and emails, improving your cybersecurity architecture. Additionally, they’ll understand how to respond to an emergency, such as fires, cyberattacks, and more.  

Bottom Line 

As discussed above, your business is always exposed to different types of risks, ranging from physical to technological ones. Hence, it’s crucial to understand which tools to integrate into your business operations to improve your enterprise’s security. 

Some of the tools you can have include training programs, encryption systems, CCTV systems, firewalls, and antivirus software. They'll play a huge role in safeguarding your business, ultimately boosting productivity.