4 Ways to Keep Your Accounting Software Safe

You may not realize it, but your accounting software can create a big security risk if you don’t take steps to protect it. These programs contain very important financial data about your company, and it could compromise your safety if it falls into the wrong hands.

In many ways, using an accounting software program is safer than doing your books by hand. However, digital programs also come with their own unique data risks. Here are some steps you can take to keep your accounting programs safe.

Make Both Physical and Digital Copies

It’s very important to have copies of your accounting records in case your data is compromised in any way. One way to do this is by making digital copies that you store outside of the software. For example, you could make copies of your financial records and save them to one of your company’s secure servers, so you can still access them even if the software program isn’t available. It also helps to print out physical copies that you can store in a secure location at your office if your entire system goes down.

Use A Cloud-Based Software Program

One of the best ways to keep your data secure is by storing it in the cloud. Cloud programs store your data in a secure place online. This means you won’t have to worry about losing your accounting records if your physical servers are damaged or have an outage. Another benefit of cloud programs is that you can access your data from multiple devices, which is very convenient if you have a team that is working remotely.

Update Your Security Systems Regularly

You should have a robust security system in place to protect all your online operations, including your accounting software. This should include a reliable anti-virus program as well as an encryption program to protect any online payments you receive. You’ll need to make sure that you’re updating this security system on a regular basis. Cybercriminals are always evolving, so security programs need to evolve to fully protect you against the latest threats. If you don’t update your software, you run the risk of compromising your financial information because hackers will be able to get in more quickly.

Change Passwords Regularly

One of the ways that hackers could get into your accounting software is simply by getting access to your password, and if you use the same password on multiple devices and accounts, the hackers can help themselves to all your data.

Changing all your passwords on a regular basis is a very easy thing to do and can go a long way towards keeping your data safe. Set reminders for your team to change their passwords every few months. You’ll also want to make sure that everyone is using secure passwords with a combination of numbers, letters, and symbols that aren’t easy to guess. Another good idea is to use a sentence from a book as a password.

Since your accounting software contains so much sensitive financial information, it’s very important to take steps to protect it. Using proven security practices will not only keep your company safe, but they can also help you build trust with your clients.