1. Confirm who has access to business systems
List active users for email, accounting, HR, cloud storage, line-of-business applications and administrator accounts. Remove leavers, shared accounts and unnecessary admin rights.
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Cybersecurity Readiness
10 IT Security Checks Every Growing Ghanaian Business Should Complete Before a Cyber Incident
A practical, founder-friendly guide for strengthening basic IT security before an incident disrupts operations, customers, data or cash flow.
Cybersecurity does not have to start with fear. For many growing Ghanaian businesses, the best first step is simply to know what is in place, what is missing and what needs attention before there is pressure from a live incident.
A cyber incident can affect email, payments, customer service, stock control, files, finance operations and management decision-making. The aim is not to panic business owners. The aim is to make sensible checks early, close obvious gaps and create a clear response plan.
Below are ten practical IT security checks that founders, directors, administrators and operations leaders can complete with their internal team or IT support partner.
Downloadable checklist
Print or share the 10-point IT security checklist
Use the PDF checklist during a management meeting, internal review or discussion with your IT support provider.
Download the checklist PDF →The 10 checks
2. Turn on multi-factor authentication for key accounts
Prioritise Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, banking portals, accounting systems, remote access, domain hosting and administrator accounts. MFA is one of the highest-value controls for reducing account compromise.
3. Check that backups are running and can be restored
A backup that has never been restored is only an assumption. Confirm what is backed up, where it is stored, who receives failure alerts and when the last restore test was completed.
4. Review endpoint protection on laptops and desktops
Check that every business device has active antivirus or endpoint protection, current updates and no expired security software. Unmanaged laptops are often the easiest way into a business network.
5. Patch operating systems and common applications
Confirm Windows, macOS, browsers, Microsoft Office, PDF tools, VPN clients and other daily-use applications are up to date. Attackers often exploit known weaknesses that already have fixes available.
6. Secure email against impersonation and spoofing
Check SPF, DKIM and DMARC records for the business domain. These controls help reduce fake emails pretending to come from your organisation and improve trust in your email delivery.
7. Control remote access and VPN use
Review who can connect remotely, whether MFA is enforced, whether old VPN accounts still exist and whether remote access is logged. Remote access should be intentional, monitored and limited to those who need it.
8. Know what devices are connected to the business network
Maintain a simple asset list covering laptops, desktops, servers, printers, routers, firewalls, Wi-Fi equipment and critical software. You cannot protect what nobody can see or account for.
9. Brief staff on suspicious emails and payment changes
Most incidents start with a human moment: a link, attachment, fake supplier email or urgent payment request. Give staff a simple process for pausing, checking and reporting anything suspicious.
10. Prepare a simple incident contact plan
Decide who must be contacted if email is compromised, data is lost, devices are stolen or systems stop working. Include management, IT support, key suppliers, legal/compliance contacts and recovery priorities.
Where to start if time is limited
If your business cannot complete everything in one day, start with the controls that reduce the most common risks quickly. These are practical actions that make a meaningful difference without turning the business upside down.
- ✓Enable MFA for directors, finance staff, administrators and email users.
- ✓Remove accounts for staff who have left the organisation.
- ✓Check yesterday's backup result and schedule a restore test.
- ✓Update laptops, browsers, Office applications and endpoint protection.
- ✓Confirm the business has SPF, DKIM and DMARC configured for its domain.
- ✓Write down who to call first if email, data or systems are compromised.
Make it a regular management habit
These checks should not be a one-off exercise. A growing business changes constantly: staff join and leave, new laptops are purchased, new cloud services are adopted, suppliers change and remote work patterns evolve.
A simple quarterly IT security review helps management stay aware of risks before they become expensive surprises. It also creates better conversations between leadership, finance, operations and IT support.
Free IT Health Check
Would you like an independent view of your current IT risk?
Bernsys Ltd can review key areas such as endpoints, backups, Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, patching, account hygiene and basic cyber readiness, then provide a plain-English findings report.
Request your free IT Health Check →Final thought
Good cybersecurity is not only about tools. It is about visibility, discipline and clear ownership. When a Ghanaian business knows its users, devices, backups, updates, access controls and incident contacts, it is already in a stronger position than many organisations that wait until something goes wrong.
Bernsys Ltd helps growing organisations turn these checks into a practical support and security baseline that can be monitored, documented and improved over time.