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6 urgent cybersecurity measures to shield your business from threats

Written by Kim Stuart-Thomas on 5th June 2025

Cybersecurity is vital for businesses to protect their data, systems, and reputation.

This blog explores essential best practices, including implementing strong passwords, enabling multi-factor authentication, conducting regular employee training, and staying updated on the latest security measures. Prioritising these steps helps businesses reduce risks and safeguard against threats in an increasingly digital world.


What’s in this blog?

Close-up of a laptop screen displaying a white lock icon on a blue digital background with binary numbers, symbolizing cybersecurity and data protection, with hands typing on the keyboard and a coffee cup on the table.

Cybersecurity is no longer just an IT issue; it’s a critical business concern that touches every department and impacts every employee. With cyber threats rapidly evolving and becoming more sophisticated, businesses of all sizes must step up their efforts to protect sensitive data, maintain compliance with regulations, and ensure operational continuity.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. Cyber attacks not only disrupt workflows but can also erode customer trust. According to IBM’s 2023 Cost of a Data Breach report, the global average cost of a data breach has reached $4.45 million, highlighting just how much is on the line.

The evolving cyber threat landscape

Cybersecurity in 2025 isn’t what it was five years ago. Today, businesses face unprecedented challenges and security risks:

New types of malware and methods of attack emerge almost daily, requiring organisations to stay vigilant and proactive

There’s a global skills gap in cybersecurity, forcing businesses to do more with fewer resources.

Data protection regulations, such as GDPR and DPA in the UK, require continuous updates to stay compliant.

Integrating cutting-edge cybersecurity measures into older technologies can disrupt operations, revealing vulnerabilities.

Employees remain a weak link, often falling victim to phishing scams or social engineering attacks.

The question is not if a business will face a cyber threat, but when.

Explore how Gold-Vision ensures data security and compliance in our expert-led webinar.

Our top 6 business cybersecurity tips to minimise risk

Robust cybersecurity practices do more than just protect your data; they safeguard your reputation, ensure compliance with laws, and keep your business operating smoothly. By adopting best practices in cybersecurity, businesses can minimise risks and stay ahead of potential threats.

1. Educate and empower your workforce

Your entire team plays a role in cybersecurity. While investing in tools and systems is important, employees are often the first line of defence.

What this looks like in practice:

Phishing awareness

Ensure employees can identify phishing attempts through regular training and simulated phishing campaigns.

Strong password management

Enhance security measures within an organisation through effective password management. This involves equipping employees with tools and resources to generate complex, unique passwords that are stored securely.

Zero-trust mindset

Encourage scepticism around unexpected emails, attachments, and data requests. Employees should verify unusual requests independently.

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Mandate 2FA to ensure an extra layer of protection for sensitive accounts. This can be done through something the user knows, like a password or PIN, and something they have, such as a physical token or smartphone.

Ongoing security training

Conduct regular cybersecurity awareness training with your employees, tailored to evolving threats. The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) offers excellent staff training resources.

By creating a culture of cybersecurity, companies can significantly reduce the chances of human error enabling a breach.

2. Build security measures into your IT framework

Your IT infrastructure needs to be designed with security at its core from day one, especially if your organisation relies on legacy systems.

Recommended solutions include:

Encryption everywhere

Encrypt your data both at rest and in transit. Employ protocols like TLS 1.2/1.3 only to prevent data interception, and reduce cipher suites to only those that are strong.

System monitoring

Use tools like PRTG or Nagios to monitor system health, identify vulnerabilities, and flag unusual behaviour in real-time.

Segregation of environments

Separate development, testing, and production environments to limit the impact of any potential breach, and ensure there is no access from one to another.

Regular updates

Keep all software, especially operating systems and critical applications, updated with the latest security patches.

Automated deployments

Automated “hands-off” systems ensure software updates and configurations are deployed consistently without human error.

Your operational backbone should be resilient enough to adapt to modern threats without compromising performance.

3. Remain compliant with evolving regulations

Data protection laws like GDPR in the UK emphasise accountability, requiring businesses to demonstrate how they minimise risks and protect user data.

How to manage compliance:

Cyber Essentials certification

For smaller or medium-sized businesses, Cyber Essentials offers a cost-effective way to ensure basic measures are in place.

Audits and regular reviews

Conduct annual audits to ensure all processes, from data categorisation to staff training, meet regulatory standards.

ISO 27001

Attain ISO 27001 certification to formalise your organisation’s approach to information security management.

Compliance isn’t just a box to tick; it builds trust with customers and shields businesses from damaging fines and lawsuits.

4. Plan for the worst

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. Carrying out Business Impact Analyses and developing robust business continuity and disaster recovery plans ensures you won’t fall apart when the unexpected happens.

Best practices:

Data backups

Perform regular backups across multiple locations and perform test restores often to verify their viability. Take cyclic backups with varied frequencies (e.g. daily, weekly, monthly) as well as iterative backups (e.g. full and differential).

Recovery Time Objectives (RTO) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPO)

Define clear targets for how quickly systems need to recover and how much data you can risk losing.

Disaster Recovery (DR) testing

Simulate various scenarios, from cyberattacks to natural disasters, to test the strength of your recovery protocols. Where possible, perform system shutdowns and bring DR systems online to prove they work, and your process is robust.

Leadership response drills

Get your senior team to rehearse responses to crises, allowing them to assess and refine their preparedness.

No plan? No recovery. Make testing and improvement a continuous cycle. Management buy-in is essential to success.

5. Take advantage of cutting-edge cybersecurity tools

With challenges as dynamic as those in cybersecurity, automation and advanced tools are your allies.

Our recommendations:

Dark web scanning

Tools like SpyCloud monitor for leaked credentials that could compromise your systems.

Vulnerability scanning

Regular scanning with platforms like Qualys or Nexpose helps identify system weak points.

Antivirus and endpoint protection

Solutions like Bitdefender or CrowdStrike protect against malware and ransomware.

Web security tests

Use free tools like SSL Labs to evaluate the security of your website.

Leveraging technology ensures your business is equipped to handle present and future threats without excessively burdening your team.

6. Continuous improvement and staying updated

Cybersecurity is not a one-and-done effort. Stay informed of the latest threats and trends to keep your defences strong.

Proactive measures:

Check industry news

Stay current with updates from organisations like CISA (United States) or the NCSC (UK).

Analyse incidents

Study breaches (both your own and industry examples) to identify weak points and prevent recurrent issues.

Collaborate with trusted partners

Build relationships with vendors or consultants who specialise in cybersecurity.

Supply chains

Check your supply chains. Are they secure and robust themselves? Disaster recovery fails if your suppliers have failed. They could even be your weak link.

Adaptability in your cybersecurity approach is the ultimate form of resilience.

Next steps to fortify your organisation’s security

Cybersecurity isn’t just an IT responsibility; it’s a business priority. By implementing strategic and sustainable best practices, companies can bolster defences, inspire trust, and stay compliant in an increasingly complex digital landscape.

Not sure what all the terms mean? Check out our Cybersecurity Glossary for plain-English definitions of the jargon.

Get in touch with us today to discuss your CRM goals and uncover solutions tailored to your needs.

Jiggy Patel
Sales & Marketing Director

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Alexander Howard
Sales Consultant

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