Today’s bustling business world sees more cyber attacks than ever before. Is your business safe, or is your information at risk?
Now more than ever, you must protect your business from cybercriminals. Unfortunately, even small businesses are targets for devastating attacks! Hackers can put your livelihood at risk with just a few clicks–but you can take precautions to bolster your security and avoid a significant cybersecurity incident at your company.
This article discusses cybercrime and the most critical steps to securing your business.
1. Why Is Cyber Crime Such a Concern?
As technology advances, so does cybercrime. In 2000, a 15-year-old hacked into eBay, Yahoo, E*Trade, and CNN. If a hack of this magnitude was possible back then, imagine how easily it could be done now that people have access to modern technology.
Additionally, a hack can be devastating for a company of any size. Imagine a stranger having access to your company’s bank account or knowing each of your passwords. Unfortunately, this is a real possibility with how prevalent cyber-attacks are in today’s business landscape.
The outcomes of cybercrime are what make it such a concern. With a relatively unsophisticated and straightforward virus, a hacker can destroy a company from the inside out. Therefore, every business owner should know how to protect their business against these threats.
2. Types of Cyber Crime
Before understanding how to prevent cybercrime, you must know what threats you face. Here are the most common types of cyber attacks businesses face:
Phishing
Phishing scams involve a hacker pretending to be a legitimate organisation to trick people into giving away their personal information.
Imagine receiving an email that your bank account has been put on hold due to an issue. You click the link and try to sign in to a website that looks legitimate, only to find that your password was stolen and your account was drained in a matter of seconds. This is the reality of a phishing scam.
The most impersonated sites include Facebook, Microsoft, Google, and PayPal. Hackers copy the websites of established businesses like these to look as legitimate as possible, which is why phishing scams can be challenging to spot.
Ransomware
Ransomware is malware that encrypts every file on the computer, meaning that files are no longer accessible and can only be unlocked with a specific key. The hacker usually requires payment in the form of cryptocurrency in exchange for the key.
There’s no limit to how much hackers can charge–ransomware attacks have cost companies millions of dollars or caused them to lose everything.
Trojan Horse
Trojan Horse malware refers to a virus that looks like a legitimate file or program but is actually a virus in disguise.
Once the Trojan Horse program is run, it can wreak havoc. This malware can delete files, install other malware, spread itself to other computers, steal information, and more.
3. How to Prevent Cyber Crime
Here’s how you can strengthen your business cyber security:
Educate Your Employees
The first, and perhaps the most important, way to mitigate the risk of cyber attacks is to educate your employees about the issue.
You should ensure your employees know about the types of cybercrime, then warn about clicking links in emails or downloading programs from websites that don’t look 100% legitimate. You can start by instructing employees to look for spelling errors and files that seem too large, as these are often signs that something’s wrong.
Install Cyber Security Software on All Devices
Sometimes, an email or a website looks too genuine to raise any red flags for your employees. This is where cyber security software comes in.
Cyber security software ensures business email security by scanning emails and files for viruses so that even if your employees don’t realise it’s a phishing scam, you’ll still be protected. The software can also scan your computer for viruses and ensure any links you might click are safe so that you’re never caught off guard.
If you would like to know more about cyber security software, follow us on LinkedIn. We’re also here to answer any questions you may have about business IT support or cyber security. Don’t hesitate to contact us!
Conclusion
Cyber attacks are growing in prevalence and pose a genuine risk to businesses everywhere, regardless of size. If you haven’t taken the time to bolster your security, your business is at risk of a devastating hack!
With the tips in this article, you’re ready to ensure your business is protected against cybercrime. But don’t wait–the difference between starting your security plan today and tomorrow could be destructive.
