Protecting your business servers from cyber threats means putting in place measures that stop hackers, malware, and other risks from disrupting your operations or stealing sensitive data. Servers are the backbone of your IT infrastructure—they store your files, run your applications, and handle communications. If they are compromised, your business can face costly downtime, lost data, and damage to your reputation.
Why securing servers matters for Canadian SMBs
For a typical Canadian small or mid-sized business with 20 to 100 employees, a server outage can halt daily operations, delay customer orders, and reduce staff productivity. Beyond downtime, a breach could expose client information, triggering privacy concerns and compliance challenges under Canadian regulations. Recovering from a cyberattack often requires expensive remediation and can erode customer trust.
A practical example
Consider a local accounting firm with 50 employees who rely on an on-premises server to store client tax files and run accounting software. Without proper security, a ransomware attack encrypts their files, locking them out of critical data. Their IT provider had set up regular backups and implemented remote monitoring, allowing quick detection and restoration of data with minimal disruption. This preparedness limited downtime to a few hours and avoided data loss.
Checklist: How to secure your servers
- Ask your IT provider: Do you perform continuous remote monitoring and management of our servers to detect threats early?
- Access control: Review who has administrative access to servers; limit it to essential personnel only.
- Update and patch management: Ensure your servers receive timely software updates and security patches.
- Backup strategy: Confirm that backups are performed regularly, stored securely offsite or in the cloud, and tested for restorability.
- Firewall and antivirus: Verify that robust firewall rules and antivirus solutions are in place and actively maintained.
- Password policies: Enforce strong, unique passwords for server accounts and consider multi-factor authentication where possible.
- Incident response plan: Check if your IT provider has a clear plan for responding to server security incidents.
- Compliance checks: Ensure server security practices align with relevant Canadian data privacy standards.
Next steps
Securing your servers is a critical step to protect your business from cyber threats that can disrupt operations and harm your reputation. Discuss these points with your current IT provider or a trusted managed IT services firm to understand how they safeguard your infrastructure. Regular reviews and proactive management can help you reduce risks and maintain smooth, secure business operations.