Digital Inclusion Needs Digital Safety: Six Habits for Small Businesses
I want every woman entrepreneur and every village shop to be online, selling and banking digitally. I also want them to be safe. Digital inclusion without digital safety simply moves risk from the street to the screen.
Attackers prefer easy targets
Small businesses often lack dedicated security staff, which makes them attractive to attackers. The good news is that a few habits stop most common attacks.
Six habits
- Turn on multi-factor authentication for email, banking and admin tools.
- Keep offline or immutable backups and test restoring them.
- Patch operating systems and software regularly.
- Train staff to spot phishing, fake invoices and payment-change requests.
- Limit admin rights and remove access when people leave.
- Keep a simple incident plan: whom to call and what to switch off.
For payments
Verify bank-detail changes by calling a known number, never by replying to the email. This one rule prevents a large share of payment fraud.
Maya's takeaway
Safety is a habit, not a purchase. Teach it in the same breath as teaching someone to use UPI or WhatsApp Business.
Frequently asked questions
What is multi-factor authentication?
A second check, such as a code on your phone, in addition to your password. It blocks most account takeovers.
Sources
This article is general information and a leadership perspective. It is not legal, financial, tax, medical or investment advice. Please consult a qualified professional for your situation. Facts and figures are taken from the public sources listed above and may change.
Maya Godara
Co-Founder & Managing Director, ATTPL HOLDCO / ATTPL GROUP, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.
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