The one thing that he’s recently added to the top of his list? Making cyber security a priority for his small business.
Underground Spirits specialises in the distilling of white spirits, such as gin and vodka, through a patented cryofiltration process, which allows them to achieve the purity and cleanliness for which their spirits have become renowned.
Despite their small size, the distillery is well aware of cyber security threats. Having worked in larger organisations in a past corporate life, Nick is familiar with the damage a cyber attack can cause.
“I’ve seen first-hand what happens with cyber attacks, and how crippling it is for a business,” he says. “More importantly, I’m well aware of the damage it could cause to a small business such as ours.”
In addition to the threat of crippling the business financially or compromising their trade secrets and marketing databases, Nick’s biggest worry when it comes to cyber attacks is the potential impact it could have on their customers.
“It’s not just about the immediate financial impact, but also the breach of trust with our customers. Once that’s damaged, it’s hard to recover.” Nicks says.
With their customers’ best interest in mind, Underground Spirits have put some simple practices in place to reduce the risk of being exposed to a cyber attack, and to ensure they are prepared for any threat that might come their way.
For one, they have implemented strict cyber security policies that every staff member must adhere to, including sound password management, setting up multi-factor authentication, and limiting access to sensitive information.
Despite implementing strict policies, Nick acknowledges that human error remains a risk. That’s why ensuring his workforce is armed with the knowledge and skills to protect his business is paramount.
“People are still a factor,” he said. “If they don’t understand the behaviours that might put our business at risk, even simple things like not sharing passwords with colleagues, they can leave us open to mistakes or third-party exploitation.”
To avoid costly mistakes and reputational damage, Underground Spirits is empowering its team members to contribute to the business’ cyber safety by encouraging them to complete the Cyber Wardens training.
“We use the Cyber Wardens program to train our staff on how to spot a potential cyber attack, and how to prevent them from happening in the first place,” Nick says.
“The plain language and straightforward approach make it accessible to both senior management and frontline staff.
Since offering the 45-minute Cyber Wardens training to his team, Nick has noticed there is a lot more awareness and conversation about cyber security in the distillery.
“I’d urge every small business owner to think about cyber security and encourage staff to do the training,” he says.
“We can’t afford not to make cyber security a priority.”
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