Identify the Company's Most Sensitive Data

Kelvin Coleman, executive director of the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), says SMBs should start by identifying the assets and systems that are critical to the company's success. These so-called crown jewels, such as sales data and customer and vendor lists, are crucial for businesses to operate – and they're a high-value target for hackers. Coleman suggests SMBs create a detailed inventory list of their companies' data and physical assets and update it regularly. For all hardware and software assets, record the manufacturer, make model, serial number, and support information.

As part of creating visibility into their data, SMBs also should set policies and procedures and train people so they can adhere to the security policies set, adds Steven Durbin, managing director of the Information Security Forum.