Amegy Bank's Cybersecurity Tips for Small to Medium Size Businesses

Help protect your company's valuable assets, including customer data, from cybercriminals.

Cybercriminals attempt to obtain businesses’ sensitive information, credentials and money by using phishing emails, luring their targets to fake websites and other cybercrime tactics. Similarly, they use compromised (hacked) email accounts to intercept and alter payment instructions to redirect payments to fraudulent accounts.

To protect against fraud, business owners, startups and entrepreneurs can start by knowing what data is present, where it resides and who has access by keeping an updated inventory of hardware and software. This includes taking steps like securing network infrastructure devices, separating business and guest Wi-Fi networks where applicable, encrypting data and drives and using anti-virus software.

Company leaders can educate employees by building a cyber-aware culture and instituting cybersecurity training and awareness, such implementing internet use guidelines and accountability for non-adherence to policies. Employees should recognize social engineering scams, including pretexting, phishing, vishing and smishing; report unusual computer behavior and suspicious activity; and use strong and unique passwords for every account.

Company data should be protected with data loss prevention software and is best backed up routinely and stored in an alternate secured location or cloud service.

Using a virtual private network (VPN) and avoiding public, unsecured Wi-Fi networks are also key to helping protect business devices and data when away from the office. Company leaders and staff should use firewall security on home internet networks and install tools that allow remote wiping of work email applications on personal and corporate-issued devices.

If worse comes to worse, have a business continuity or disaster recovery plan in place, covering incidents such as weather-related disasters, earthquakes, pandemics and cyberattacks.

For additional business fraud mitigation information, trends and tips, visit amegybank.com, or contact Amegy Bank’s Sugar Land-based commercial lending manager, Adam Traweek, adam.traweek@amegybank.com.