As a small business, you may not worry about the security of your computer network. Perhaps the thought of someone trying to hack your company computer or steal your data hasn’t even crossed your mind, but it really should have.

Although larger organisations tend to be targeted more than small businesses, that doesn’t mean that your company is not at risk. So it is important that you have the correct security measures in place to protect your business and keep all your important data safe.

But, keeping your small businesses computer network secure isn’t as easy as you think. Even for those skilled in IT, it can still take a lot of time to ensure that everything is properly secure and locked down. However, it is important to remember that it is worth the time and effort.

Here are four of the most important steps you can take to protect your company and stop your data ending up elsewhere.

1. Hire a professional

If you aren’t a skilled IT professional, don’t attempt to secure your network computers yourself. Instead, hire a professional to do it for you or outsource your computer security tasks to an external IT company.

If you have an IT department that deals with computer support issues, consider sending one of the members of the department on computer security training. Check out http://Simplilearn.com for all the details of online security support training. Although there will be an initial cost for the training, once your staff are trained up, you won’t need to hire a specialist again and will save money in the long run.

2. Use the cloud

The cloud is a fantastic option for using to backup all your important data. From your client contact details to business accounts, the cloud can be used to safely back everything up.

Make sure to choose to upload all data and documents automatically from your computer, so that you don’t have to worry about forgetting to do it. That way you can relax, safe in the knowledge that all your important data will be backed up.

3. Disable your web management interface

If your internet router (either wired or wireless) has a web management interface, it is important that you disable the interface from outside networks. It is also important to change the admin password to something that cannot be easily hacked.

4. Ensure all computers are protected against viruses

If just one computer in your network is not protected from viruses, your entire network could be hacked, and your data stolen. Ensure that all computers and laptops on your business network have an adequate anti-virus on them and are properly protected.

If you have an IT department or specialist, make them aware that anti-virus protection is a priority. Perhaps you could also suggest that weekly anti-virus checks from the IT department, to ensure that all computers in the network are secure.

There are many different ways you can ensure that your business network is secure. One of the best ways to do this is to hire a professional to deal with it for you. If you mess around with your computer’s security settings and don’t know what you are doing, you could put your network at risk.