Cybersecurity is the first line of defense in your organization. Making some simple changes to your security protocols will not only prevent hackers from stealing valuable data, but improve productivity in your workforce.

The result?

Less chances that you’ll experience downtime due to a security threat. Here are 4 end-user security best practices that you need to know about.

1. Think up new password management strategies

Cybercriminals are becoming increasingly savvy when guessing passwords and accessing computer systems. Right now, millions of accounts are at risk because of inherently weak passwords.

Research shows that 25% of employees only change their password at work when the system tells them to do so. It’s statistics like this that should encourage you to improve your password management strategy.

Here are some quick password management tips:

• Encourage your staff to change their passwords on a regular basis — every three months or so.

• Password-protect all your devices, including smartphones and tablets.
• Choose passwords that contain a combination of letters, numbers and special characters.

2. Limit access to your computer systems

Insider threats could result in security vulnerabilities and, even worse, a full-scale data breach. Research shows that insiders make up 75% of all data security incidents. You can prevent this from happening in your own organization by limiting access to sensitive data.

First, encrypt your most valuable documents, files, and folders. (A professional can help you do this.) This will make it harder for insiders to access important information. Second, set up user access controls on your systems. This will prevent the wrong people from accessing important data.

3. Improve staff training

Human error can often lead to cybersecurity risks. This is why you should provide your staff with computer security training. It will help employees understand the biggest cyber threats to your business and ensure that they handle data in the proper way.

“CIOs and CISOs need to ensure that every employee in an organization is aware of the potential threats they could face, whether it’s a phishing email, sharing passwords or using an insecure network,” says Information Age.

Investing in training might sound expensive, but it could pay off in the long run and provide you with a significant return. After training, staff are less likely to make mistakes. As a result, you will spend less money on fixing staff-related security issues and concentrate on other areas of your business.

4. Update your software

Old software and legacy systems can impact network security. This is why it’s a good idea to update old programs with the latest security patches on a regular basis. Although this might be time-consuming, it will provide you with an extra layer of security.

“The truth is it’s easy to skip software updates because they can take up a few minutes of our time, and may not seem that important,” says McAfee. “But this is a mistake that keeps the door open for hackers to access your private information, putting you at risk for identity theft, loss of money, credit, and more.”

These 4 end-user best practices will optimize security management in your workplace and reduce the risk of a cyber attack. Investing in staff training, limiting access, updating old software and creating a new password management strategy will help you safeguard your most valuable data.