Creating a business is an investment. In addition to putting funds into it, you often end up investing blood, sweat and tears as you work to build it from the ground up. Security is an essential part of protecting that investment, but in the age of smart devices and savvy thieves, it’s not as easy as just locking your door anymore. What can you do to improve your business’s security? This article will show you.

Assess Your Current Security

Before you start making changes to your business, it helps to know what works and what could stand a bit of improvement. Complete a security assessment before you make any decisions. If you’re not sure where to start, hunt down a checklist. Remember the basic formula:

• Risk = asset x threat x vulnerability

You need to be able to break down every aspect of your business by plugging it into that formula. Create a list of assets, figure out where they might be most vulnerable and move forward from there.

Consider More Than Just Physical Security

While locking your doors and arming your security system at night are both important, these steps only address one part of the puzzle. In addition to dealing with physical security, you need to consider cybersecurity and even identity theft, which are both growing threats to business owners. There are more than 15 million cases of identity theft reported every year. Something as simple as responding to the wrong email can cost an employee their identity.

Keep Your Software Upgraded

Upgrading software on business machines can get expensive fast, especially when you consider how quickly these programs change. Windows quit supporting everything but Windows 8 and 10 and plans to cease support for Windows 8 in 2023. Once the operating system’s creator stops supporting it, this facilitates numerous vulnerabilities and back doors that hackers can use to access your system.

That’s part of why the U.K.’s National Health Service (NHS) lost access to their systems in 2017 — many of the networks were still using Windows 98 or other outdated operating systems. Don’t skimp on software upgrades. Think of them as a security investment rather than an IT expense.

Utilize Two-Factor Authentication

Passwords are useful for protecting your accounts, but they’re not always sufficient. That’s where two-factor authentication comes in. This system requires you to input an additional code before you can log in, even if you have the correct username and password. The code gets sent to a secure email or mobile device that you keep on your person. Use two-factor authentication whenever it’s available.

Be Vigilant and Stay Safe

Investing in security is essential to ensure your business is protected. This is one part of running a business where you won’t want to cut corners. Start by carrying out an assessment to figure out where you might be vulnerable and what sectors need a little bolstering. Don’t only focus on physical security — cyberattacks and identity theft are just as problematic as someone breaking into your storefront or office.