One of the most important things to do when having a presence on the web is to have your information, your reputation, and your business safe from attack. There are many specific threats in the digital age, and all of them need to be addressed and guarded against. Particularly online, there is a need not to be complacent about security threats. There is a constant arms race between security experts and hackers, and if you are using software or systems with known vulnerabilities, you are at risk. Here are some reasons that you need to make sure that your digital presence is secure.

Decrease your liability. While there is not a clear-cut answer to who is liable, and how liable you could be if you are hacked and customer data is exposed, most small business owners have wondered about this. It can be stressful wondering if you are at risk of a large lawsuit or legal penalties. The best way to avoid this situation is to prevent a breach from happening in the first place. You don’t want to end up in that situation, so take steps now.

Help your customers be comfortable. Most of us are familiar with some of the large data breaches at major companies that have occurred. Regulations often require businesses to notify customers in the event of a breach. While this is necessary, you can see why sending your customers notification that you have allowed their private information to be leaked into the hands of hackers will not be a pleasant experience. Particularly if you have customer financial or health information, losing their information could be devastating to their trust in you. If you are unable to properly secure client information, then you are just playing a very dangerous game, and every day brings higher risk of disaster.

Protect yourself from the competition. While most of us do not have a large bank of valuable proprietary information, we could still be at risk if we do not properly protect our company secrets. If your methods, systems, and programs are exposed, then you will lose any edge that you have gained as a result of them. You don’t just want to protect customer information, you want to protect your own. As is always the case, knowledge is power. In any transaction, the person with more knowledge will have the upper hand. Protect yourself, and protect your future.