4 Small Business Password Management Techniques to Try

Security is a critical issue for any business. It may be a more technologically advanced era, but that also means that there is a greater need to protect your data since there are increasing numbers of digital techniques for breaching security that you must guard against. It’s not only about protecting your data within your business headquarters. When security breaches are discussed, it is inevitable for people to think that insider company information — like their employees’ personal details, their customers’ payment information, and key corporate files — is the target. The truth, however, is that a business must also keep an eye on its social media accounts. Hacking is quite common — there have already been a number of high-profile hacking incidents involving more established companies in the past.

Digital damage

You might not lose sensitive or confidential information when an individual with malicious intent gains control of your Facebook or Twitter accounts, but think about the entirely different kind of damage that this can cause. A hacker could publish false information that gets shared in a flash, misleading everyone who reads it. Images or photos could be released, damaging the brand. Even simply preventing a company from accessing its own social media accounts could potentially result in significant losses, marketing- or profit-wise.

Keeping your accounts safe

There are ways to prevent your social media accounts and profiles from falling into the hands of hackers. Choose and protect a good password.  Effective small business password management is your first line of defense against malicious attacks. Choose a solution that would allow even multiple individuals to edit and publish content without having to enter the actual password. Monitor social accounts every single day. Keeping a close eye on your accounts is also a simple way to detect any strange activity that could indicate a hack. Have you noticed any posts that are different in subject or scope from what your company typically posts? Is there a pattern emerging regarding the times that content gets published — or has the posting schedule become erratic? Have there been changes made to the account information? Any of these could be signs that the account has been breached. Be wary of third-party apps that access your social accounts.  It has become common to access third-party apps through Facebook or Twitter for greater convenience, but pay attention to the permissions they are asking you to grant. When you agree that the app can “post to your account,” you could be opening your account up to unknown users.  Create a contingency plan. Finally, if a hacker does succeed in taking control of your social media account, you need to be prepared to take action. Consult the professionals and establish a policy that all concerned team members must be able to execute to begin recovery from the security breach.