Small and mid-size businesses are prime targets for cybercrime. According to a study by Symantec, 43% of all cyberattacks in 2016 were aimed at businesses with fewer than 250 employees. And that number is only going to increase as more and more businesses move their operations online.

So how can small and mid-size businesses protect themselves from cybercrime? Here are five tips:

1. Implement a secure firewall:

Firewalls are key in protecting your network from malicious attacks. By using a managed IT service provider, you can ensure that your firewall is always up to date and configured correctly. Managed IT services also help monitor incoming traffic, blocking suspicious activity before it has the opportunity to cause damage.

2. Utilize multi-factor authentication:

Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) is an important tool for preventing unauthorized access to accounts, systems, and networks. By using MMS, you can ensure that all users are required to authenticate their identity before being allowed access. This helps protect against hackers trying to gain access to your systems.

A study from Microsoft revealed that multi-factor authentication (MFA) can help drastically reduce the number of cyberattacks. It found that 80% of successful cyberattacks could be prevented if MFA was used. That makes MFA a powerful tool for protecting small and mid-sized businesses from hackers.

Moreover, the right MMS provider can set up and manage MFA for you, so it’s easy to start using this powerful cyber defense tool.

3. Educate employees:

One of the most important ways to protect against cybercrime is by educating your employees on best security practices. MMS can help with this by providing training, seminars, and other resources to help ensure all employees are aware of the potential risks and how to protect themselves from them.

Managed IT services can play a key role in educating employees about cybersecurity. By providing training and seminars, companies can help ensure all employees have a thorough understanding of the risks associated with cybercrime and how to protect themselves from it.

For example, managed IT services can provide security awareness training that covers topics such as passwords, phishing attacks, and more.

4. Monitor for suspicious activity:

Monitoring your network for suspicious activity is essential for keeping it secure. MMS can provide real-time monitoring and alert you to any potential threats so that they can be dealt with quickly.

This helps ensure that any malicious activity is detected as soon as possible before it has the opportunity to cause damage.

5. Develop a data backup plan:

Data backup is an important step in protecting your business from cybercrime. MMS can help develop a backup plan and implement it to ensure that all of your data is securely backed up and easily recovered if needed.

By following these five tips, you can help protect your small or mid-size business from cybercrime. With the help of a managed IT service provider, you can be sure that your business is secure and protected.

With the right resources in place, you can rest assured that your small or mid-size business is well-prepared to handle any cyber threats that may arise. Taking these steps now can help save your business from costly cyberattacks in the future.