3 Essential Ways to Keep Your Business IT Accounts Secure in Northamptonshire

Cybersecurity for Local Businesses

Cybersecurity isn’t just for big corporations. Every small and medium-sized business in Northamptonshire is a potential target for cybercriminals. With AI-driven scams and fake emails becoming increasingly convincing, it’s crucial to protect your business before an attack happens.

Here are three essential steps to strengthen your IT account security today.

1. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Everywhere

Using MFA is one of the easiest and most effective ways to protect your business accounts. It adds an extra layer of security – even if someone guesses your password, they still can’t log in without a code from your phone or app (like Microsoft Authenticator).

Don’t stop at Microsoft 365 – make sure every online service your business uses supports MFA. It’s a small step that can prevent a major breach.

2. Use a Passphrase, Not a Password

Forget the days of resetting short passwords every 90 days. The modern, more secure approach is to use passphrases – long strings of random words such as “PurpleCoffeeMugDancesAtMidnight.”

They’re easier to remember but far harder for attackers to crack. Aim for at least 16 characters, never reuse the same passphrase, and always combine it with MFA.

3. When in Doubt – Ask Your IT Provider

If you receive an email that looks suspicious, always double-check before clicking anything. Forward it to your IT provider or MSP for review. Even the best spam filters can’t block every phishing attempt, so having expert help on hand is invaluable.