Nanotechnology is a burgeoning field with lots of competition due to the fast-moving pace of the industry and its widespread implications across a range of applications. Projects are also typically backed by a great deal of financial support to cover the extensive cost of developing and researching nano tech. As such, it makes sense that these companies would be ideal targets for cyber criminals who are looking to compromise the financial and corporate data of large companies. Big data breaches have been common in the news the past few years, typically affecting stores in the retail and online services sectors. However, any business that uses the internet could be vulnerable to similar problems, so it’s best to take the following measures to protect nanotech breakthroughs from hacking and other forms of cybercrime.
1. Heighten Password Security
It should go without saying that any company that is active in the field of nanotechnology should be managed by individuals who are competent enough to use secure passwords. However, there many people working for big companies who are still using weak passwords that could be vulnerable to exploits. If even one person in your local network is using a weak password, it could give a hacker a way in, so it’s best to set definitive rules related to password strength for all network users.
2. Use a Trusted Antivirus Software
Every computer on your network should be equipped with an enterprise-level, managed antivirus solution that is regularly updated and monitored by IT staff. Simple consumer-level software is simply not safe enough when you consider the consequences of even a single lapse in security. Examine all options in this regard and don’t hesitate to allocate a considerable budget to cyber security, which brings us to our next point.
3. Invest in Network Security
Leaving everything up to software may not be the best decision when you’re dealing with technology that could wind up being worth millions or even billions of dollars in the near future. Instead, be sure to invest funds into a team of competent security specialists who can monitor your network traffic and spot any suspicious activity immediately.
4. Limit Online Networking and Browsing
Overall, the less access to the internet your employees have, the safer your network will be. For this reason, its best to host everything locally and try to limit most tasks to natively hosted software. Any uploading and downloading from the cloud should be done on a scheduled and monitored basis instead of being spread out randomly throughout the day.
Keeping Company Data Protected
Ultimately, protecting company data is one of the most important steps for any nanotechnology company to take. While it may seem like the chances of running into a random hacker are fairly rare, in such a competitive and advanced arena, it is entirely feasible that a competitor or nefarious individual with a large budget could hire hackers to target your business if you’re developing a technology that they could use. Thus, you must always prepare for the oddball possibility that you could encounter a malicious cyber-attack or rogue virus that hasn’t yet been added to your antivirus definitions library.
