Digital cleaning, such as checking for outdated technology, may be more impactful than you think. Recent statistics show that cybercrimes occur more frequently to those who are not updating and cleaning their systems.

The U.S. Small Business Administration found that 88% of SMBs felt that they were vulnerable to a cyberattack because they didn’t have the resources to protect themselves adequately.

How secure is your business? By running a digital cleanup, you’re taking care of maintenance you may have been putting off and helping your system become more secure and protected.

Why Is Performing a Digital Clean up so Important?

The reality is if you have outdated software, your business may be vulnerable to an attack because you’re lacking the latest security updates. If you use outdated technology, you’re vulnerable to cybercriminals because your out-of-date programs don’t have the newest and latest security updates.

The cost of cybercrime globally goes into the billions, and SMBs have had to pay their share. If you think you’re too small to worry about a cyberattack, think again — 2021 study from Hiscox revealed the average cost of a cyberattack for a small business was $25,612.

A data breach won’t just cost you money. It will also erode your reputation and cause your clients to lose trust in you. A study by Centrify found that 65% of victims of data breaches lost trust in an organization because of a data breach.

How Can You Protect Your Business?

There’s no better time than now to conduct a thorough tech cleaning. While organizing your office and business, make sure you’re also giving your technology a digital cleaning.

Here are six ways to keep your technology healthy:

1. Conduct a digital cleanup — The basics of a clean-up include simple tasks such as changing up your logins, backing up data, organizing your digital files, and deleting unnecessary files and unused apps.
2. Review your equipment — It is very important that all your software is up to date and running properly. When your software is updated, it helps reduce the risk of infections from malware.
3. Prioritize your security — Consider using password managers to help create difficult passwords that hackers can’t guess. Another great option is to enable multifactor authentication, which requires you to enter a second code to ensure that your accounts are secured.
4. Get rid of any old data or equipment — If you have apps or files on your devices that you no longer use, delete them. Not only are you protecting yourself that way, but you are also freeing up space. Going through your email and deleting and unsubscribing to unimportant emails is also a great practice.
5. Review privacy settings — Go through your privacy and security settings on all your devices to make sure you still agree with the terms in place.
6. Partner with an MSP — By working with First Column IT, we can do all the work included in these steps and more.

A digital cleaning will help set you and your business up for success. You won’t believe the peace of mind that comes with updating and cleaning your tech. For the remainder of the year, you don’t have to worry, and by this time next year you can review all these steps again.

It’s important that you are paying attention to the tech you rely on and address any issues you may have. Doing so will boost productivity and help you better serve your customers.

First Column IT in DC offers several helpful services that can help you tidy up your tech. Whether it’s remote IT services, backup and recovery, cybersecurity and more, we are here to help you with all of your business technology needs.