Protecting your gym business: Passwords, 2FA and more

Weak logins and shared accounts put your gym at risk. Learn how to build better habits and boost digital security.

Let’s face it, password security isn’t the most exciting of topics. But when your gym business runs on digital tools, it quickly becomes one of the most important.

Almost all gyms and fitness clubs rely on gym management software to keep everything running smoothly. With convenience comes risk. Cybersecurity threats are very real.

Your software partner will have all the right precautions in place to keep your business safe.

Yet, risk still exists if your team fail to follow best practices for managing passwords and accounts. This could open the door to data breaches, unauthorised access, and even expensive downtime.

In this post, we’ll explore:

Let’s get stuck in!

Why is password and account security so important for gyms?

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) throughout the UK are reported to lose £3.4bn every year due to cyber incidents. And the average cost of a cyberattack is £3,400 for businesses with under 50 employees.

Beyond financial costs, data breaches and cyberattacks can disrupt business, damage your reputation, and leave you facing legal consequences.

As attackers use smarter tools (including AI) to automate scams and mimic trusted communications, the risk of being impacted by a cyberattack is growing.

Whether you run an independent gym or chain of gyms, your business could be a target. A single compromised account could unlock your entire business. So, treating password and account security as an afterthought is not a risk you want to take.

It’s essential to have strong defences in place, so there are no gaps to be exploited.

Understanding the modern cyberthreat landscape

Cyberthreats are constantly evolving. Let’s start by looking at a few specific types of attacks that gym and fitness club businesses should be aware of:

Phishing

Fraudulent emails, text messages, or even phone calls that trick staff into revealing passwords or clicking dangerous links.

Your gym software partner. A manager. An official organisation like the police. Phishing attempts are sophisticated – they can look, and even sound, like they’re from trusted sources.

Precautions to take:

Social engineering

This is when attackers manipulate others into giving up sensitive information. Often, they do this by pretending to be someone trusted.

For example, a caller poses as a software support engineer and asks for login details to fix an issue.

Precautions to take:

Man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks

This is when attackers secretly listen in and capture login details or data you’re sending without you knowing.

If you or your staff use unsecured Wi-Fi (e.g. in a coffee shop or on public transport) to log into systems and work, you could be at risk.

Precautions to take:

Insider threats

Whether accidental or intentional, current or former team members can cause harm if they have unnecessary or lingering access to systems.

Precautions to take:

Email compromise

If a staff member’s email account is hacked, attackers can impersonate them to send malicious links or request data.

Precautions to take:

AI-powered attacks

Artificial intelligence (AI) is being exploited by cybercriminals to create highly convincing fake messages, deepfake audio, and even automated spear phishing emails that are targeted to your business.

Precautions to take:

Keeping your business secure

Let’s cover some of those precautions in more detail.

Risks of shared accounts

A surprising number of gyms use one shared login for reception/front desk staff or instructor teams.

Unlike Xplor Gym, some systems do charge on a per user basis which can encourage shared logins. And it can feel easier to have a shared login, especially if staff are sharing a PC or laptop.

However, this approach can come at a high cost:

Use individual logins and assign role-based permissions. So, access can be traced, and team members only get access to the features they need.

Password best practices

Avoidable mistakes when setting passwords can quickly put your business at risk:

Here’s how to get your team using stronger, more secure passwords:

Why two-factor authentication (2FA) is a must

Even if a password is compromised, 2FA is there to protect your business. It requires a second step for login – sending a code to the user by email or text message.

2FA matters as:

Xplor Gym supports 2FA for all staff users. Every fortnight your team members will need to login with their password. Plus, a unique code sent to them by email or text message. This helps stop bad actors, even if a password is stolen.

Just like with passwords, you should train your team to know that they should never share this code. And if they receive a code out of the blue, it’s smart to take action to secure their login by changing the password.

Create a culture of security for your gym business

Security isn’t only about systems. It’s about people and habits. Make account safety part of your culture by:

Prevention is always better than recovery!

Some of the ways Xplor Gym keeps your business secure

At Xplor Gym, we’re serious about helping you protect your business with:

The wrap up…

Strong passwords and 2FA. Individual accounts, An aware team. These are your best defence against the digital threats all businesses face today.

Start by taking five minutes to check:

If the answer’s no, now’s the time to fix it.

Need help? Let us show you how Xplor Gym can help secure your business while making day-to-day operations easier than ever.