Protect Your Virtual Fitness Business

When moving operations online, fitness facilities must protect their data and reputation by addressing many cybersecurity considerations. Logan Kipp, director of SiteLock in Scottsdale, Arizona, shares these tips:

Protect account passwords. With the sudden shift to online classes, fitness studios should educate their instructors on best security practices, starting with password protection. Many studios reduce costs by sharing social media and teleconference passwords, which is risky. Kipp recommends using two-factor authentication in addition to a strong password.

Utilize VPN and website security tools. While some instructors still stream from studios, many are working from home and relying on external home networks. Because these may lack adequate security controls, it’s important to use a virtual private network. VPNs encrypt data, keeping sensitive information such as social security numbers, passwords and credit card numbers from being exposed. Kipp recommends that fitness studios routinely scan their websites for malware and vulnerabilities.

Use all Zoom security features. When using Zoom to teach classes, use a meeting pin and have the host admit attendees individually. This way, even if bad actors discover a meeting link, they won’t gain full access to the room.