Running a remote startup is a lot harder than it looks. In addition to the challenge of bringing remote employees together in a virtual workplace , you also need to focus on the security of your online data. You may be thinking, startups with little to no customer data to protect can get away with zero security measures, right? Wrong. In fact, startups are highly vulnerable to cyber-attacks within the first eighteen months .
Fortunately, you don’t have to spend a fortune to lay the essential security foundations for your online startup. Without further ado, hereare five security tools you should consider:
HackerTarget Security ScannersUsing a content management system or CMS is a popular way to build a site in a short amount of time. However, up to 75 percent of all these websites have quite a fewsecurity vulnerabilities. To ensure the integrity of your CMS installation, you can use the online vulnerability scanners available from HackerTarget.
Currently, HackerTarget only supports WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla. The scanners allow you to quickly detect vulnerabilities within the platform from configuration errors to plugin security. Apart from these free scanners, HackerTarget also offers an SSL checker, SQL injection scanner, and a number of other security tools for premium members.
VyprVPN for BusinessA particular issue with remote businesses is that employees can connect to your network from anywhere. This includes public WiFi hotspots that hackers can easily abuse to steal critical information. An easy fix is to use a service like VyprVPN for Business, which implements end-to-end encryption and protects online connections from digital eavesdroppers.
VyprVPN uses the Chameleon Protocol, which bypasses VPN blocking in certain regions like China, India, and Russia. Take note that there are various VPN protocols that services like VyprVPN offer small businesses. You just have to consider factors like speed, accessibility, availability of support, and level of encryption to determine the best service provider for your startup.
Lookout Mobile Endpoint SecuritySince remote employees probably use smartphones and tablets to connect to your business network, you should use a platform like Lookout Mobile Endpoint Security to prevent security breaches through non-compliant mobile devices and apps.
The platform protects against threats such as malware , data leakage, and harmful apps introduced via jailbroken devices. One of its key features is the advanced interface that allows you to monitor all connected devices in real-time and remotely wipe or lock their data.
CloudflareCloudflare is a popular content delivery network or CDN service that offers DDoS protection and a shared SSL certificate for free users. A CDN is a distributed network that shares the load of transmitting data online. This can significantly boost the loading speed of websites and therefore improve the overall user experience.
The best thing about Cloudflare is its scalability. Although you can use the free plan to provide basic protection for your site, you can easily upgrade to a more powerful account that matches the growing needs of your website.
XClonerWhen it comes to online security, it’s always better to prevent an attack than to deal with the damages later. But as a failsafe, you can use a backup tool like XCloner to quickly restore your website data without a hitch.
XCloner also allows you to schedule automatic backups so you can focus more on developing other aspects of your site with confidence. Of course, there are a ton of other remote backup plugins available for specific platforms. But since XCloner is compatible with WordPress, Joomla, and other sites with php/mysql, it’s an all-around good choice for most remote startups.