Manufacturing has the second highest number of reported cyber attacks of any industry, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. And those attacks aren’t focused solely on large corporations. Many small and mid-sized manufacturers haven’t put adequate cybersecurity measures in place. That makes them a prime target for criminals!

Here are five cyber security tips for small manufacturers to build up their defenses:

  1. Train! Even if you spent a fortune on security systems, one employee can bring it all down. Set up a regular schedule of training to teach best security practices. These should include password management, appropriate use of the internet, and how to spot and report phishing.
  2. Keep systems updated. Keep your computers current with the latest versions of operating systems and software so they are patched and updated against known issues.
  3. Back up your data. Regularly back up important business data and make sure and test the back ups! Set them to happen automatically, if you can. There are a number of ways you could suffer from data loss, whether it’s hardware failure, natural disaster, or something malicious such as ransomware. Having backups will save the day. Store them in the cloud or offsite.
  4. Secure your Wi-Fi. If you have Wi-Fi, secure it and hide it. Don’t broadcast the network name, or SSID. And make sure to password protect the router. If you’d like to provide Wi-Fi to guests, allow them access on a separate network.
  5. Use Access Controls. This refers to specifying exactly who has access to what. Employees, contractors, and vendors, should only have access to the specific data they need for their roles.

One way we can help you strengthen your cybersecurity is by implementing Acumatica, the cloud ERP. It includes the following security measures: all data securely stored on Acumatica servers with transactions encrypted using SSL; an intrusion detection system that detects any attempt to compromise data; access control granted as role-based or specific for unique individuals; and it meets industry compliance, which includes PCI, HIPAA, ISO 27001, RedRAMP, and more. To learn more about the security of Acumatica ERP’s adaptable cloud technology, let’s chat!

We understand the importance of having a fully integrated business management solution unique to your company. Acumatica is highly customizable. We will work with you to tailor it to your needs from forms, inquiries, workflows, reports, and more. The centralized security is just one of its strengths. We’d love to show you a demo about the dashboards, reporting tools, integrated document management, and customization. We’ll show you the difference it can make for you.