Small business

Cyber basics for a small business in Ghana

You do not need an IT department to avoid the most common losses. Five habits cover most of the risk for a shop, a clinic, a school or a small office.

1. 1

   Separate business and personal.

   Business email, business mobile money wallet, and business social accounts should not share passwords or recovery details with personal ones.

2. 2

   Two people for money.

   Any transfer above a limit you set should be confirmed by a second person, by voice, not by chat. Invoice fraud relies on one person acting alone under pressure.

3. 3

   Know who has access.

   Keep a simple list of staff accounts and remove access the day someone leaves.

4. 4

   Back up what you cannot afford to lose.

   Customer records, invoices and accounts. Cloud backup or a weekly copy to a drive kept elsewhere.

5. 5

   Update and lock every device.

   Screen locks on every phone and laptop, automatic updates on, and no shared logins on the front-desk computer.

Separate accounts, two people for money, and backups. Most losses stop there.