Essential Cybersecurity Best Practices for Self Storage Businesses in 2023 & 2024
When you think about securing your self-storage business, the image of locked gates, surveillance cameras, and sturdy locks comes to mind. Security matters.
While physical security measures are crucial, digital diligence is equally important in today's technologically driven world. Protecting your self-storage business from cyber threats involves more than just padlocks and key codes. It requires a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy that aligns with the evolving landscape of digital risks.
Basic cybersecurity protocols have to be observed, but they aren’t enough. You need self storage specific best practice implemented in your self-storage business.
Why is Cybersecurity Important To You?
Cybercrime is expected to cost the global economy $10.5 trillion annually by 2025; the self storage industry will contribute its fair share to that number.
Every single self storage business needs to protect itself against criminals who could potentially damage or even bankrupt them by hacking and holding their internal systems to ransom. Every year, cyber attacks lead to painful financial losses and reputational damage.
Cyber security is essential to protect your business, your employees and your customers. You store their personal information stored and you’re responsible for keeping it safe.
To mitigate these risks, these are the best practices you can deploy.
Top 5 Cybersecurity Best Practices for Self Storage
Implement Strong Access Controls and Authentication Methods
One of the foundational principles of cybersecurity is controlling who has access to your systems and data. You can take the following steps to strengthen your access control system:
Implement multi-factor authentication on all devices.
Use strong passwords - your pet's name won’t suffice!
Regularly change passwords.
Periodically review and update user access permissions.
These steps ensure that only authorised personnel can access sensitive information, boosting your cybersecurity.
Regularly Update Software and Systems
Outdated self storage management software and systems become easy targets for cyber attacks. Keep your operating systems, applications, and security software updated to patch vulnerabilities and stay ahead of potential threats.
Software developers continually identify and rectify the bottlenecks in their systems to improve their performance and security. Regular updates ensure your system can prevent malware from entering and corrupting it.
Train Your Staff
Educating and training your employees about cybersecurity best practices is crucial. In fact, employees and members of staff not being trained are often the biggest cause and starting point for cybercrime.
Did you know that in 2019, 23 million online accounts used the password “123456”. Imagine if that number includes a critical account at your self storage business.
Create a culture of awareness to prevent social engineering attacks, such as phishing and malware distribution, from succeeding. Through proper training, your team becomes a strong line of defence, minimising the risk of cyber attacks.
Encrypt Sensitive Data
Encryption transforms your sensitive data into unreadable code, making it nearly impossible for hackers to decipher. Ensure all customer information and financial data are encrypted during storage and transmission. This enhances your self storage security and blisters customers' trust.
Backup Data Regularly
Maintaining regular data backups and a comprehensive recovery strategy is essential for mitigating the impact of cyber incidents. Implement a robust data backup and recovery plan to create a fail-safe mechanism to restore information in the event of data breaches.
Regularly back up your critical business data and test the restoration process to ensure data integrity and availability in case of a cyber incident.
Conclusion
Just as you secure your physical storage units, fortifying your digital defences against cyber threats is crucial. By implementing a well-rounded cybersecurity strategy, self-storage businesses can ensure the safety of customer data, maintain operational continuity, and safeguard their reputation.
To learn more about how to level up, secure or increase profits at your self storage business, check out our member resources or feel free to contact our team!
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