Vince Plaza, Forbes.com

Cyber threats come in many shapes and sizes and can affect all companies, large or small. Information technology disasters, even if minor in scope, can cost business owners thousands of dollars and often leave them wondering where they went wrong. As threats become more complex and diverse, companies must do the same with their defenses. Vulnerability can be measured through simple and preventative actions such as a layered approach to security, which can help minimize risk.

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Here are six ways to protect your business from cyber threats.

• Protecting the internal network, at the external level: E-mail has become a primary communication tool for companies both internally and externally, which makes it a primary target of cyber threats. Everyday, employees’ email accounts are inundated with spam, much of which is encrypted with viruses and other nefarious beings. Having hosted anti-spam and/or hosted e-mail services will protect your business against most, if not all, e-mail-borne threats.
• Protecting the gateway layer: Arguably one of the most vulnerable spots in a network is the point at which the company connects to the Internet. It is here where viruses can enter unseen, until the damage is done. An up-to-date security appliance with gateway anti-virus and Web content filtering is absolutely necessary to curbing threats at this level.
• Protecting the endpoint, the computer: This can be one of the most frustrating aspects of cyber security for business owners, as they can only partially control how company computers are used. Downloading and keeping spyware and anti-virus software up-to-date on all in-network computers will minimize risk, despite frequent employee error. In addition, the proper patch management is critical to ensure that security holes are fixed by the operation system and application vendors.
• Vulnerability and penetration testing: It is easy to become complacent about cyber security if you have employed the seemingly necessary steps for protection. However, you only know how strong it is if you test it. Performing vulnerability and penetration testing on your security systems monthly or quarterly can catch kinks in the armor.
• Vendor diversity: Relying on only one vendor for security exposes a business to the weaknesses of that vendor. Much like a mutual fund, by diversifying security tasks, risk is minimized. If one vendor does not have the necessary tools to eliminate a threat, chances are another does.
• Training, training, training: Employee training is a simple and necessary step in the layered security approach. Having annual or bi-annual security practices training that highlights rules, regulation, and tips can prevent disaster down the road.