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Cybersecurity: how to protect your data?

<h2>Cybersecurity for Self-Employed Workers: How to Protect Your Data</h2> You might think that hackers are only interested in large companies. Why would they waste their time on a freelancer? In reality, the opposite is often true: smaller structures are attractive targets precisely because they are usually less protected. The good news is that a few concrete measures can significantly reduce your risks. Here is how to strengthen your business’s cybersecurity without spending a fortune. <h3>Small Businesses: Targets Just Like Large Companies</h3> Many small business owners and self-employed workers believe they are relatively safe from cyberattacks, thinking their revenue is too modest to interest cybercriminals. Yet they are prime targets, because their digital environment is often less protected than that of large organizations. This makes it easier for fraudsters to get in and obtain what they are looking for. Their motivations vary: making quick profits, stealing personal information, or gaining access to your clients’ or business partners’ systems, such as an accountant or supplier with whom you share access or sensitive files. The consequences of a cyberattack are very real, regardless of the size of the business affected. Financially, losses can be significant, and legal consequences may follow, including fines or lawsuits if client data has been compromised. Your reputation also takes a hit: clients who doubt your ability to protect their personal information will not hesitate to turn to the competition, which can jeopardize both your current mandates and future contracts. <h3>The Most Common Cyberthreats</h3> Self-employed workers and businesses are more likely to be targeted by two types of digital threats. <ul> <li> Ransomware: this malicious software installs itself on your device or system, blocks access to your data, and demands money to unlock it. Paying the ransom is rarely a good solution, because fraudsters take note that you are willing to pay to get rid of the problem, making you an ideal target for future attacks. </li> <li> Phishing: through emails, text messages, phone calls, and fraudulent QR codes, malicious individuals try to convince you that their communications are legitimate in order to get you to disclose sensitive information, such as login credentials or banking details. </li> </ul> <h3>How to Spot a Fraudulent Message</h3> Digital scammers have refined their techniques over the years, and it can sometimes be difficult to expose them. However, several elements can help you determine whether a message is legitimate or not. <ul> <li> The domain name: fraudsters often use a domain name similar to that of an existing company, modifying it subtly. Check the spelling of each word and the domain extension to make sure they match the expected source. </li> <li> The message text: multiple spelling or grammar mistakes from someone who usually writes well are a warning sign you should not ignore. </li> <li> Attachments: cybercriminals often use them to get into your system. Be cautious with files ending in .exe, .iso, .zip, .rar, and .msi, as these formats are frequently used in attacks. </li> <li> The sense of urgency: if a message pressures you to act immediately, it is often meant to create panic so you react without thinking. </li> </ul> In all cases, if a message asks you for confidential information, take a step back before taking action. <h3>Concrete Measures to Protect Your Business</h3> Secure Your Accounts and Devices When choosing a password, opt instead for a passphrase made up of four random words, with uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters to strengthen its security. In addition, every account and every device should have a unique one. Otherwise, cybercriminals only need to find a single password to access all your platforms. Several tools and applications are available to store all these passwords securely. Secure Your Network As a freelancer, you probably work from home most of the time. It is important to know that residential Internet networks are generally less secure than business networks. To improve yours, you can install a firewall and antivirus software on each of your devices. If you work from a café or a <a href="https://www.momenteo.com/blog/9-benefits-of-working-from-a-coworking-space">coworking space</a>, avoid public Wi-Fi networks for any sensitive professional activity. If you have no other choice, use a virtual private network (VPN): it encrypts your connection and prevents others from monitoring your exchanges. Secure Your Website Not all web hosts offer the same level of security. Choose one with a proactive security plan, regular backups, and protocols that are updated before an incident occurs. Also make sure it offers an SSL certificate, which ensures that the data exchanged on your site is encrypted. On your end, always complete the updates suggested by your software and operating system: they often fix security vulnerabilities before you have even heard about them. If you sell online, make sure your clients’ payment information is strongly encrypted to prevent it from being accessible in the event of a cyberattack. If the platform you use offers different security levels, always choose the highest one. A good option to secure your website and the data that passes through it is two-factor authentication (2FA). It requires users to verify their identity with something other than just a password. This may include a unique verification code sent by email, an answer to a security question, or biometric identifiers. At Momenteo, we added this feature in early 2026 to bring an additional level of confidentiality to our platform. Develop a Backup System You should never keep your important documents in just one place. In the event of a cyberattack, you could lose years of work and data. Fortunately, several options are available: cloud storage, which saves your files remotely on a cloud, and an external hard drive or USB key, which gives you a physical copy. Combining both gives you optimal protection. In all cases, protect access to your backups with a complex password. If you choose a physical backup, make sure it is kept in a safe place and protected from natural disasters, such as flooding. Create an Incident Response Plan Determining the steps to follow in the event of a cyberattack before one happens will allow you to react effectively if the situation occurs. To build your plan, identify your resource people, list your main assets, and establish your priorities. You can also use the services of a specialized company to develop a plan adapted to your reality. This is especially useful if you have employees, since each person will need to know their role when the time comes. Cybersecurity can seem complex, but every small action matters. Updating your software, choosing strong passphrases, backing up your data regularly: these simple actions make a real difference. And if an incident still occurs, know that the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre are there to support you. In Quebec, Law 25 also governs your obligations regarding the protection of personal information, which is a good reason to look into it if you have not already done so. <h3>Cybersecurity in Canada: Numbers That Speak for Themselves</h3> <ul> <li> Businesses that have been operating for less than five years are the most likely to be targeted by cyberattacks (<a href="https://www.mastercard.us/content/dam/public/mastercardcom/na/us/en/documents/Mastercard-NAM-Insights-Securing-the-digital-economy.pdf">source</a>). </li> <li> The average cost of a data breach for a Canadian business is seven million dollars (<a href="https://www.bdc.ca/en/articles-tools/blog/cybersecurity-for-entrepreneurs-how-to-help-secure-your-business-against-fraud">source</a>). </li> <li> Only 55% of businesses have staff trained to respond to potential cyberattacks (<a href="https://www.bdc.ca/en/about/analysis-research/tech-industry-outlook">source</a>). </li> </ul> <h2>About the Author</h2> Roxane has been writing for as long as she can remember and always dreamed of making a living from her words. Today, as a web writer, editor, and author, she can proudly say: mission accomplished.

Roxane