When a business is on the growth path, its various work systems also expand to meet the increasing demand. The need for more computers, software, apps, data storage, etc. also sees an upward growth to meet the growing requirements.
A small company that existed on a basic antivirus, firewall, shared passwords, and low-tier software subscriptions now sees a break in the traditional model. With increased reliance on newer systems and expanding IT infrastructure, small business cybersecurity also needs more focus and budget. Here, each point explains what must be changed in cybersecurity when a business is witnessing growth.
1. Increased team size
As companies scale, more people are hired to join the existing workforce. The tools and systems being used grow in number. Job roles become diverse and access to IT systems changes in accordance with that. This change increases business cybersecurity risks because more employees means more chances of making phishing mistakes or using weak passwords. In case of resignations, some former employees might retain access even after leaving the company. Shared accounts among employees lead to complexities.
Seeing all these risks, cybersecurity should be zero-trust based. Defining access permissions according to roles and hierarchy is the first step. After that, limiting admin rights comes in. Another key factor here is to stop the use of shared credentials. Training becomes an important part of maintaining cybersecurity levels across the company. One of the popular resources, https://moonlock.com, because of its expert insights and latest industry updates. To enhance technical defense, the management should look beyond growth metrics.
Along with investing in digital infrastructure, they need to educate decision-makers and other employees through various resources. This is where educational blogs and training modules play a major role.
2. Increased third-party tools
Growth spread across all business functions, leading to a demand for every SaaS tool – CRM, accounts and finance, human resources, supply chain, etc. The reasons are many – greater marketing efforts, interdepartmental communication, team collaboration, etc.
Most of these tools are interconnected and data exchange happens seamlessly. This big shift means cybersecurity for small businesses is no more limited to simple device protection. It has to move to an entire ecosystem where every small to major point is to be secured. To understand this better, first you have to know how third-party tools expand attack surface:
- Data duplication – The same customer data across various platforms
- API connections – Compromise in one tool leads to vulnerability in all others
- Varying security standards – Not all vendors maintain cybersecurity
- User sprawl – Employees log into many tools and systems with similar credentials
It might look complex but there are set standards that will make implementation easy. From vendor vetting to permission reviews and integration audits to SaaS selection procedures, every part of the process enhances online security, provided it follows company procedures.
3. Remote and hybrid work
The work trend has changed after the 2019 pandemic. Expansion in business operations requires hiring on a larger scale, and in this, employees with various preferences in terms of mode of work are hired.
Some might prefer to work in the office, some remotely, and some in hybrid mode. This is why you need to lay down procedures related to the use of VPNs, device checks and log-in authentication. Knowing how to protect a growing business from cyber threats when employees work in different modes is crucial in current times.
4. Increased volume of business data
Data in a growing business is immense. Employee records, customer records, balance sheets, internal communication details and vendor selection plans are just some of the aspects of data generated in large volumes. Due to this, a small business cybersecurity plan has to take a leap from simple storage to data governance. Security has to become more information-based, as the challenge lies in classifying data and defining accesses.
5. Wider internal access
Increased manpower means various access has to be set for various systems. Ranging from financial databases to marketing dashboards, they also need to scale. A system that would have worked for 3 to 5 employees cannot move beyond 10 on top even if you try to manage with existing plans.
Any such effort to manage with the legacy system while the access is wider leads to increased cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Understanding how access control must mature with growth is a key step in defining how your internal access will work to match pace with the growing business.
- Define roles – Identify and assign what each employee truly needs.
- Assign permissions – Remove unnecessary privileges. Stick to what is actually needed.
- Monitor usage – Track abnormal access patterns with the help of tools. Share reports timely with everyone concerned with cybersecurity.
- Review regularly – Update access as roles change, and for hirings and resignations.
- Revoke immediately – Close accounts when an employee resigns.
6. Higher dependence on external partners
Modern businesses cannot grow in isolation. Strategic partnerships are a must in every growth scenario. Marketing agencies, development teams, functional consultants, recruitment agencies, audit firms – the tie-ups that a growing business needs are just endless. Cybersecurity teams have to factor in indirect exposure of the systems.
A breach at a partner’s end is equally your concern as much as theirs. To tackle this, restricted third-party accounts, contract-level cybersecurity measures and regular reports from them are important. Keep a no-compromise cybersecurity requirement when entering into a partnership with an outsider.
Conclusion
These cybersecurity best practices for businesses are non-negotiable when you are in a growth phase. Patterns change as requirements continuously grow, and to cope with this, cybersecurity teams are to be trained, and management has to show willingness to invest time and effort in it at every stage.
