In a study recently put forth by Frost & Sullivan and Microsoft, it was revealed that more than half of the enterprises and organizations in the Philippines have either experienced a cybersecurity incident or have admitted that they are not certain if they ever had experienced one as they have not performed proper actions or data breach assessment.

With Filipinos’ increasingly internet-savvy population, cybersecurity and data protection have slowly been a top priority among the computing public–particularly for small to medium enterprises as much as it is for large scale businesses.

In 2017, around 99% of the more than 920,000 registered businesses in the Philippines are considered micro and small enterprises. These SMEs employ less than 100 workers and have assets of PHP15 million or less, excluding the value of the land. Their exponential growth over the years also calls for these small organizations to quickly adapt to digital transformation, as well as adopting cybersecurity practices that would protect their businesses along the way.

As we celebrate the National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Microsoft shares valuable tips that would allow SMEs to recognize the dangers and risks of cyberattacks and help organizations better prepare for data breaches. Below are some of the best practices that one’s company can consider in improving its defense against cybersecurity threats:

Be Mindful of Phishing Techniques

It takes a hacker only four minutes to get into a network and 99 days for businesses to discover that they’ve been breached. Refrain from opening suggested links or never reveal confidential information unless you have verified the person you are talking to. Always keep sensitive, personal information to yourself to avoid any form of leak.

Beef up your password

Bolster your password by customizing them in each of your accounts. The longer the password, the harder it is to crack. Strong and complex passwords should include a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters.

Practice Multi-Factor Authentication

It is important for all, and that includes all employees’ phones, laptops, tablets, and files, to set up their accounts with the multi-factor authentication for added security. Multi-factor authentication is a security system that verifies a user’s identity by requiring multiple credentials such as unique codes from the user’s smartphone, security questions, fingerprint or facial recognition.

Learn to Backup your Data

No one likes to lose their data. Back-up all your valuable files to keep and transfer everything behind firewalls into the cloud. Patch everything and keep your systems up to date.

Develop Comprehensive Action Plans

Every small business owner can put an affordable, actionable plan in place to mitigate risk to save time and money. Prevention is just as important as a response plan. Develop action plans with your staff in case something goes wrong.

Your organization should be in a continuous state of compliance. These practices should not just be tool-sets but also a training for your company. Continue to invest in good technology solutions and hardwares. Leverage technology advancements by acquiring top-quality protection and not underestimating cyberthreats.

“It is imperative for small to medium enterprises to embrace 21st-century technology in order to survive in the competitive business landscape today,” said Microsoft Country Manager,  Andres Ortola.

“We, at Microsoft, are committed not only to bring these organizations the right solutions but also the best cybersecurity tips and practices one should take note of when running a business.”

Investing in digital tools is one thing and applying these best practices is another. Filipino SMEs must realize the need to be aware of all potential cyberthreats and the steps to prevent them. It is never too late to safeguard their businesses accordingly and further grow the company to its full potential without any fear and doubts along the way.