When hearing the word “cyberattack,” it’s hard not to imagine a group of hacking geniuses holed inside a basement somewhere in Russia, plotting to steal millions of personal information from a well-known company.
Like Adobe, which in 2013 had the biggest cyberhacking attack of its life. Personal details of 2.9 million accounts were stolen (names, logins, passwords, credit card numbers, and expiration dates).
But large companies aren’t the only ones being targeted. In fact, 43% of all cyberattacks target small businesses as shown by the latest SCORE report. Scary statistics, but there are ways you can protect your business and your clients from cybercriminals.
1. Be wary of e-mails.
The same SCORE report found that in 2017, small businesses were affected by 113,000 incidents of macro malware. One of the top culprits of the spread of macro malware is Microsoft files, which are often sent as e-mail attachments. Spam messages are still prevalent, with 39% of 269 billion emails sent in 2017 identified as spam.
To protect yourself from macro malware, do not download e-mail attachments from unknown e-mail addresses. You should also disable macros in Microsoft applications.
2. Be careful with online banking.
Online banking, as much as it is convenient, is also risky and exposes your business to a whole range of threats. According to SCORE, 66,000 online banking malware attacks were launched against small companies in 2017. It’s alarming since 71% of customers use online banking, and thieves only need 9 minutes to use stolen data.
If not doing online banking isn’t an option for your business, you have to have top security measures to secure your business from phishing and malware attacks. To avoid falling prey to phishing e-mails, always directly type the bank’s website address in your search address bar. You should also enable multi-step authentication as another layer of protection.
3. Have the best IT talent.
Of course, protecting yourself from highly technologically advanced cybercriminals takes the best IT talent on your side. Getting top IT services, whether in-house or outsourced, is key to protecting your business. IT professionals know how to configure computers, network connections, and databases for maximum security. They also conduct regular maintenance and security checkups. If you need help with a sticky situation, you can always seek advice from companies that offer IT consulting services in New Jersey.
4. Train all your staff with basic security measures.
Keeping all your staff trained in basic data security measures is central to keeping your business secure. If you’re going to implement new data-related policies, be sure to explain to your staff why. They need to understand the importance of following the rules. It’s also a good idea to print and post your general data security policies somewhere everyone can easily see it to serve as a reminder.
Protecting your business from cyberhackers is not only up to you but to your entire team as well. With the help of your IT staff and the rest of your employees, your business can stay secure.
