60% of small businesses go out of business after a security breach. To ensure your startup is successful, you must take every measure to build an adept security system. So, what are the best tools and technologies for a startup’s security strategy?
Keep reading for a comprehensive guide to startups’ top 10 security essentials.
Top 10 Security Essentials For Startups
Here’s our ultimate guide to security essentials for startups. Consider these tools when building your security strategy.
Cloud-Based Access Control Integrated With HR Tools
A commercial access control system offers open API integrations, enabling businesses to establish integrated systems. By investing in cloud-based access control, businesses can improve the efficiency of HR functions – particularly onboarding and offboarding.
Startups can integrate cloud-based access control with employee databases to automate onboarding and offboarding processes. When an employee joins the company, HR teams can ensure that new employees are automatically added to the access control database.
When the employee is removed from the database during the offboarding process, their access credentials will be revoked automatically. By automating this process, startups can ensure that their HR team does not neglect to remove employees from the system once they leave. Failing to do so could result in a security breach caused by an ex-employee.
Establishing A Fully-Integrated System
Cloud-based access control allows startups to integrate technologies and tools that expand the function of the existing system.
For instance, your security system can be adapted to perform HR, administrative, and health and safety functions. Here are some of the best integrations for a cloud-based access control system:
- Automated wellness verification – wellness verification software is a tool businesses can integrate with access control to verify individuals’ health before they can access the building. The individual must fill out a digital survey regarding their symptoms before entering. If they are symptomatic, they will not be able to enter the building. You can also use wellness verification software to keep your employee’s mental well-being
- Desk management software – if a startup is implementing a hybrid work model, they may benefit from implementing desk management software. Desk management software provides employees with a digital interface displaying the office floor plan. On this interface, employees can reserve desks for when they plan to visit the office. They can also view who booked each desk and sit with friends or teams.
- Automating building management triggers – businesses can cut energy costs and improve energy efficiency by connecting access control with building management tools and IoT devices. When a user enters a room, the devices in that room, such as heating and lighting, will switch on. When they leave, your system will switch off these devices.
- Occupancy management software – occupancy management software allows startups to use their space more effectively. The software gathers data from access control to provide insight into when spaces are used, occupancy levels, and occupancy trends. Occupancy management software might help a startup to identify any need to upsize or downsize their office space.
In an integrated system, the information from these sources will be available on a single interface, allowing for a more streamlined system.
Remote Management
With cloud-based security comes the potential for remote management of security technologies and remote access to security information. In a hybrid work model, HR teams can onboard and offboard employees from the system using a mobile application or cloud-based control system.
System administrators can unlock doors remotely, allowing interviewees, new hires, and contractors to enter the building without visiting the site.
Video Intercom Systems
Video intercom systems integrate video surveillance and access control. Combining security tools in one device will make information from both systems readily available for more straightforward identity verification.
Without integrated video, access control systems are exposed to a critical vulnerability – the potential for unauthorized users to steal access credentials and use them to enter the building.
Touchless Door Readers
Touchless access control provides a more convenient way for users to enter the building. If users wish to enter the building, they can simply wave their hands.
Their access credentials are stored on their mobile device, eliminating the need for a keycard or fob. When they wave their hand over the reader, this triggers remote communication with their mobile device via Bluetooth, WiFi, and cellular.
The reader uses a triple unlock method to ensure entry on the first attempt. Users can enter the building without reaching into their pocket to withdraw their mobile, allowing traffic to run seamlessly into the building.
Automating Workflows
You can integrate a cloud-based security system with AI tools to automate workflows and reduce the heavy lifting of workflow assignments. When a security incident occurs, you can ensure that your security staff receives automated workflows regarding incident response protocols.
These workflows will be automatically prioritized based on importance. By automating this task, you can ensure a faster incident response.
Merging Physical And Cyber Security
With the introduction of cloud-based security, tools come the need to reconfigure security, merging physical and cyber security for a more robust overall response.
Combining cyber and physical security entails connecting IT and security teams, using cybersecurity to protect physical security technologies from interception, and using physical security to protect digital assets.
Businesses using cloud-based security tools need to consider integrating cybersecurity with physical security.
Hybrid Systems
An on-premise security system ensures that your system cannot be compromised and go down. However, a cloud-based security system offers more convenience by allowing for the touchless entry and remote operation of security installations. Startups can benefit both systems by investing in a hybrid system.
Zero-Trust
Zero-trust is a cybersecurity policy that does not infer that you can trust every user on the network simply because they can access it. Instead, users can only access information necessary for daily operations.
Businesses can protect themselves from potential internal security breaches by granting users varying permissions with zero trust.
The same goes for your physical security policy. If a user can enter your building, that does not mean they should be able to access rooms housing sensitive data, servers, and valuable assets.
You can apply zero trust to your physical security strategy by installing internal door locks that will prevent users from entering areas housing valuable information and assets.
Cybersecurity Awareness And Training
An overwhelming number of cyber attacks are caused by human error and poor understanding of basic cybersecurity practices. To ensure your business is secure, you must invest in cybersecurity training for your employees.
This training should teach employees how to set strong passwords, spot phishing scams, and the importance of keeping software up-to-date.
Summary
Now that you’ve read about the top 10 security essentials for startups, you can start to plan your startup’s approach to cyber and physical security. Consider the benefits of a cloud-based system and the potential integrations you can add to improve daily operations at your startup.
