The Foundation: Backups Are Your Lifeline
If you take away only one thing from this article, let it be this: backups are non-negotiable. In 2025, ransomware, accidental deletions, and plain-old IT mishaps are everyday risks for small businesses—but simple, reliable data backups keep those risks from shutting down your company.
What does a good backup plan look like?
- Back up your files daily (or, at a minimum, at the end of every workday).
- Keep at least one backup offsite or in the cloud. If your building floods or burns, you’ll still have your data.
- Test your backups monthly. A backup that can’t be restored isn’t a backup—it’s a false sense of security.
- Automate where you can. Set it and forget it is the goal, but confirm those automatic backups are actually working.
You don’t need to be a tech pro to set up backups. Services like Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and most cloud storage providers make it as easy as checking a box. For help with more robust systems or questions, you can always reach out to B&R Computers.
Password Security: The Secret Sauce for Small Business
Here’s a quick gut-check: How many passwords do you and your employees reuse? If you can count on one hand, it’s time for an upgrade.
- Use strong passphrases (longer, easier to remember, and far harder to hack): Try "ToastedBagel428!Turtle".
- Never reuse passwords across multiple accounts.
- Consider investing in a business password manager—something that securely stores and autofills all those weirdly complicated logins.
- Turn on Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) everywhere you can. It slows down logins just enough to drive cybercriminals crazy.
Password management might seem like a pain, but it’s truly your business’s first line of defense against digital break-ins.
Employee Training: Your Human Firewall
Even the best security tools can’t save you if Dave from accounting clicks a dodgy link. Regular employee training turns everyone on your team into a cybersecurity asset instead of a liability.
Here’s what every business should cover:
- How to spot phishing emails, shady attachments, and social engineering tricks.
- Why software updates matter (and what happens when you ignore them).
- The importance of locking your computer when you step away, even for a quick snack break.
Want a quick way to get started? Check out our Cyber Hygiene Checklists: Simple Steps for Businesses to Stay Secure in 2025—a fast, non-techy guide for your team.
Lock It Down: Basics of Network and System Security
It doesn’t matter if you have one employee or fifty—your business network needs to be off-limits to outsiders.
- Update your Wi-Fi password regularly and make sure it’s strong (not your company name or "Password123").
- Hide your network SSID so your Wi-Fi isn’t broadcast to the whole street.
- Set up a separate Wi-Fi network for guests and customer devices.
- Use firewalls on all your devices—even the ones you take home or out into the field.
- Disable services like file sharing, desk sharing, or remote desktop if you don’t absolutely need them.
Simple upgrades like these make your business a much less appealing target for the average cybercriminal.
Keep Everything Up To Date (It’s Easier Than You Think)
Every device—laptops, desktops, tablets, even that clunky old printer in the corner—needs regular software updates. Hackers thrive on outdated systems.
- Turn on automatic updates for everything you can (Windows, Mac, mobile devices, business apps).
- Make a monthly routine to manually check devices that don’t update automatically.
- Remove or replace old software and hardware when it’s no longer supported.
When in doubt, if a device or app gives you an "update available" pop-up, don’t ignore it—click it.
Physical Security Still Matters
It’s not all ones and zeros. Physical security saves businesses, too.
- Lock up laptops and tablets when not in use.
- Never leave servers, backup drives, or sensitive files out in the open.
- Restrict access to offices and computer rooms to trusted personnel.
- Limit admin or "superuser" privileges to as few people as possible.
It might sound like overkill, but stolen laptops and lost USB drives are responsible for more business breaches than you think.
Payment Security 101
Small businesses are prime targets for payment fraud, but a few simple changes make life much harder for cyber-crooks:
- Use trusted, validated payment services (ask your bank or authorized merchant service provider if you’re unsure).
- Keep payment systems separate from general web browsing or emails.
- Make sure employees who handle payments get extra security training.
- Use security features offered by your card processor, like point-to-point encryption.
A little extra vigilance goes a long way when money’s on the line.
Assess, Reduce, Repeat: The Secret to Continued Safety
Cybersecurity isn’t a one-time project—it’s a habit. Schedule annual (or even quarterly) checkups for your company’s digital defenses:
- Review who has access to what systems and files.
- Run through your backup, password, and update processes.
- Update your security policies as your business grows.
- Invite feedback from employees—often, they’ll spot weak points you’ve missed.
If you need a pro to audit your setup or want a roadmap to level up, companies like B&R Computers can help you move from "surviving" to truly "thriving" in cyber.
Build a Security-First Culture (Even If You’re Not a ‘Tech Person’)
You don’t have to be a geek to care about cybersecurity—you just have to care about your business, your employees, and your clients. When everyone in your company has each other’s backs digitally, you’ve already outsmarted most cybercriminals.
Ready to take your next step? Explore more on the B&R Computers blog or talk to an expert today and let’s make sure you’re not tomorrow’s cautionary tale.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Make backups your habit and basic cyber hygiene your standard—your business (and peace of mind) will thank you.
