Cyber Security Threats
Cyber threats aren’t just something that huge conglomerates have to account for. Even if you run a tiny startup, you’re still potentially a sitting duck. In fact, in 2019, over half of British firms reported experiencing some sort of cyber-attack, indicating just how big a problem this is.
Therefore, focusing on how secure the tech is within a company is crucial. Taking the right steps early on can prevent data breaches that see both information and money falling into the wrong hands.
Cybercriminals launch attacks on businesses of all sizes, so it’s important that you’re aware of the things that could be a threat for your business. Here is a look at the most common cyber security threats to be aware of and how you can tackle them.
Phishing attacks
These are the most common and the most damaging attacks on small businesses. Here, fake emails are sent disguised as a legitimate source. These emails usually contain a link or attachment that, when clicked on or accessed, allow attackers access to sensitive information.
If this happens via company emails, everything from company accounts to personnel details could be open and ready for the attackers to access.
To tackle this type of attack, investing in security measures that are designed to check for malicious emails and catch anything that looks suspicious can prevent these fake communications getting through. Take the time to ensure your email security gateway is robust in order to stop things getting through.
Weak passwords
If you always use the same passwords for everything or you’ve happily shared passwords with people you think you can trust, you could be placing your company at risk of a breach. By having a weak or easy-to-guess password, hackers can use their knowhow to gain access to your systems. This could be catastrophic, specially if they’re able to not only get to the business’ money, but into your employees’ bank accounts too.
The first basic step you can take is to set up passwords that are strong and tough to crack. Use a mixture of symbols and numbers and play around with deliberately misspelling things to make things tougher to crack. For added peace of mind, think about bringing in a password management system that will suggest strong passwords for you.
Malware attacks
Trojans and viruses, known as malware, are another huge threat. This is a malicious set of coding that, once accessed, can damage your computer systems and allow hackers access to your data and sensitive information.
By downloading the damaging coding, you could find that you have to pay out for replacement tech, as well as deal with the fallout of any information that’s been accessed.
Investing in defence software can protect devices. In addition, adding security by not allowing certain web pages to be accessed can also be a key preventative measure.
Should things get out of hand and you need to seek legal advice, there are dedicated legal teams that are there to handle cyber-attacks. You don’t have to be a huge corporation to seek legal advice from firms like Withers. These skilled professionals understand cyber security threats and will work with you if you find you’ve encountered a breach.
However, taking preventative measures is a good first step towards protecting yourself and your company.
