When you think of cybersecurity precautions, you probably wonder about how to best protect your company’s internal technology first. Still, in today’s data-driven world filled with security issues (like Facebook’s recent breach), every business must lock down the information that they receive from clients and other stakeholders. It goes without saying that keeping your systems secure protects your residents and owners—and they’ll appreciate a property management company that is mindful of their personal information.

Implementing small business cybersecurity measures can be intimidating, especially if you don’t have anyone well-versed in IT on staff. We’ve come up with 7 actionable cybersecurity tips you can put in place right away to protect your business, owners, and residents.

—

Cybersecurity Tips Property Managers can Take Right Now: #1

Mix Up Passwords—And Make Them Strong

Verizon’s 2017 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) found that 81 percent of hacking-related breaches were caused by stolen or weak passwords. Never use passwords like “password” or “12345” and never use sensitive information like birthdays or names. Use different passwords for each of your business-related (and personal) accounts and change them from time to time. You may even want to consider a password manager for you and your staff like LastPass or Dashlane.

—

Cybersecurity Tips Property Managers can Take Right Now: #2

Stay up to Date on Email Scams

Attackers don’t have to be sophisticated to dig up sensitive information like your bank account or social security number. The old Nigerian Prince scam is still out there(if you can believe it). And last year, according to Symantec, 71 percent of targeted attacks were done through spear phishing, where an attacker pretends to be a trusted source to get information. Educate yourself and your employees about common scams, like fraudulent donations or emails from hacked social media accounts.

Better yet, offer your residents a seminar or pamphlet on common email scams. It will let them know that you really are watching out for their security.

—

Cybersecurity Tips Property Managers can Take Right Now: #3

Lock Down Social Media Accounts

Email services are getting better at detecting and blocking scams, so attackers are turning to social media to lure unwitting users. While social media is pervasive, it’s not necessary for your employees to visit their personal accounts at work if they can help it. Limiting access to business accounts and training your employees to recognize dubious messages is a good start.

—

Cybersecurity Tips Property Managers can Take Right Now: #4

Install Antivirus, Antispyware and Firewall Apps

All three of these applications protect your systems from attack. Antivirus and Antispyware apps scan for viruses on websites and in email and warn you when they find one. Firewalls prevent your computer from responding to pings, or calls, from attackers trying to gain access to your server.

7 Habits of Highly Successful Property Managers Guide

You will discover creative ways to identify and eliminate routines that are no longer benefiting your business.

Download

The maine takeway here is to always update software and apps whenever one is available (although many often refrain). Updates repair vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit.

—

Cybersecurity Tips Property Managers can Take Right Now: #5

Implement 2-factor Authentication on Resident Portals

You’ve stepped up security on your systems, but don’t forget about resident portal cybersecurity. If you offer a resident portal  without proper security functionality, their personal information could be at risk. That’s exactly why Buildium contains industry-standard security built into to its resident and owner-facing interfaces—so you can worry about one less thing. Offering another level of security by requiring two-factor authentication, for example, will prompt a user to enter ina second login code via text or email after the initial password. While many will see it is a hassle, this is a fast message you can take. Your residents will appreciate the extra mile you’ve gone to keep their information secure.

—

Cybersecurity Tips Property Managers can Take Right Now: #6

Make Sure Everyone Follows Cybersecurity Precautions

According to the 2018 Verizon DBIR: “Errors were at the heart of almost one in five (17%) breaches [in the study]. That included employees failing to shred confidential information, sending an email to the wrong person or misconfiguring web servers.”

Provide employees with a handbook on the proper handling of company systems and sensitive information. Check in regularly to ensure they’re being followed.

—

Cybersecurity Tips Property Managers can Take Right Now: #7

Back up Data

Ransomware is now one of the most popular types of attacks. According to the 2018 Verizon DBIR, it’s “easy to deploy and very effective.” An attacker gets into your system, holds your data hostage and demands money to get it back. If they’re blocking access to any of your systems, that’s a problem, but if they’re only holding your data and you have it backed up, no need to pay the ransom.

—

Cybersecurity can feel like a moving target, but there are plenty of steps you can take to secure your businesses’ data. These actionable tips for small business cybersecurity are quick to implement right now, and doing so will protect your resident’s and owner’s information—even if they haven’t given it a second thought.