4 Digital Security Tools For Solopreneurs

Does your livelihood depend on accessing multiple websites? Mine does.

I’ve seen so many instances recently where friends have been locked out of their social media accounts due to security breaches. It’s not just our social accounts which are susceptible to hacks. Here in New Zealand businesses are increasingly targeted by cyber criminals.

As a sole business owner, without any IT support, what can you do?

Here are some ideas I’ve gathered in my bid to keep my business and personal data safe.

Password Manager

How many login credentials do you have to remember?

Between my personal and business logins, I was constantly forgetting or mistyping usernames and passwords. It was getting out of control.

For a while, I went against best practice and used the same password for multiple websites. I know I’m not the only one guilty of this.

Thankfully, there’s an easier way with password management software.

Password management software can help:

• Organise and centralise your login credentials
• Generate unique passwords
• Reduce the need for remembering multiple passwords by using autofill
• Keep your data safe across multiple devices
• Allow others to login to shared accounts, without having to share the credentials.

My software of choice is LastPass and I use one of the premium paid plans. The convenience, time saved and peace of mind has been well worth the monthly subscription fee. LastPass has a free trial available.

I’ve worked with clients who use other providers like Dashlane and 1Password.

Two-factor Authentication Apps

An increasing number of websites are requiring Two Factor Authentication (2FA) to fight against cyber attacks and identity theft. Two-factor authentication involves verifying your identity with a unique code sent to a registered email or phone number.

Some websites also allow the use of 2FA Authenticator Apps for generating the codes.

2FA Authenticator App is a simple and free application which you download on your mobile. The app generates Time-based One-time Passwords (TOTP) to verify your login. 2FA App helps you protect your account by adding an additional layer of security

Below is some examples of 2FA Authenticator Apps

• Authy
• Google Authenticator
• OTP
• LastPass Authenticator
• Microsoft Authenticator
• Xero Verify

You can use more than one 2FA App on your phone.

Cloud storage and backup service

Have you ever had the circle of death appear on your computer?

Or completely lost a file from your hard drive?

I once deleted a set of family photos from my laptop before printing or sharing them elsewhere. I was devastated. It was a lesson in creating digital back-ups. Not only of precious personal memories, but of my business files – from financials to marketing materials, there is a lot of data to protect.

I now regularly back-up my files to external hard drives and then run a backup to cloud-based storage.

My software of choice is Backblaze and it has been both affordable and simple to use. The software automatically runs back-ups on my laptop. Plus every month, I get reminders from Backblaze to back-up my hard drives. As a result of these prompts, I do quarterly digital decluttering sessions.

If I ever “lose” a file, then I know I have the option to recover it.

Backblaze free trial _{(affiliate link)}

Anti-virus Software

I like to think of my antivirus software as an invisible forcefield, protecting my computer from any bad-guys gaining access. At first, it seemed like a hefty cost but after seeing the list of potential breaches, I felt it was better to be safe than sorry.

Forbes have a list of the Best Antivirus Software of 2022

How do you stay safe online?

Do you have any recommendations for other cyber security tools?

Is there an area I haven’t considered?

Feel free to share in the comments or send me a message.