Frustration, that’s a word many business owners have at the tip of their tongue many times these days. Well, you can’t really blame them. Not only are they under attack from the invisible clutches of the coronavirus from the outside, but their businesses are also attacked from the inside by cyber-attack. Take note that cyber-attacks are a global thing. Just in the year, 2017 alone cybercrime cost the global economy around $600 billion. And it gets even more interesting. Cyber-attacks are targeting 43% of small businesses. The odd thing is just 14% of small businesses today are prepping themselves for these eventualities.
Of course, there’s a spike in attention. Many business owners now pay close attention to their security. And you could be too. With the large blows that cybercrime gives companies, you simply can’t afford to risk the security system of your company. Needless to say, one of the major effects of cyber-crime on a company is indefinite closure due to loss of information, not to mention hard-earned money. And that should never be something you would allow. Below are some steps you should avoid if you’re serious about taking this cyber-monster down.
1. Not having a strong cybersecurity system
This is the first security mistake any business owner can make. One necessity when starting your business is making plans to have a strong security system. Why? Simply because the security system of your company protects the assets of your company.
For instance, popular software these days when it comes to online security includes Comodo, ESET, and Cloud Flare. ; Certainly, there is a host of options small businesses can opt for. And yet, even if these are good software, many of them may fail short in protecting your business.
In time, many business owners have been asking what is the way forward. Well, to solve a drastic problem like cyber-attacks, you need a drastic solution. And there may not be a better solution than what a man named John Kindervag, a key principal analyst at the company Forrester Research Inc. started. In his pursuit of helping businesses attain the best security from cybercrimes, John developed the concept of Zero Trust Network.
The thing with the Zero-Trust security service is that it is as thorough as you can get. As it is based on the concept of not trusting anything that’s outside or inside a company, Zero Trust checks and verifies all entities, programs or humans, attempting to connect to the system. The concept is a resounding success and has greatly reduced the risk of cyber-attack for many companies over the years.
2. Assuming you are immune to cyber attacks
This is a mistake that many small business owners make. Thinking that you don’t have that much data to protect is a dangerous thought that can cost you a lot. Because when you do, you won’t lift a finger to protect yourself. And that can be your doom.
Can you really afford to let your guard down? It is estimated that half of those small businesses that experience a data breach only six months to close. How much can your organization take? If you want to grow bigger, then you have to take steps to protect yourself.
Guard the information of your employees and customers with all your might. For one, information like name, phone number, address, social security numbers, credit card details should be handled with the highest level of security sensitivity.
3. Not doing cybersecurity training for your workers
Here’s another area where you could be laying a trap for yourself: cyber training for your employees. Yes, it’s easy to think such a step would be an overreaction. But, it’s certainly not. Think of your employees as your first line of defense.
For one, when a cybercriminal initiates a data breach, he needs a point of entry. For instance, he can do this by phishing emails. Once the personal data of one of your employees like social security number and log-in details are captured, a criminal could have access to your system. And everything about your business could be history.
Moreover, such training may not be something you can handle on your own. So getting experts in that field who would give the right training is wise. The long-term gain far outweighs short-term costs.
4. Not opting for a safe and secure cloud
Cloud is a blessing. You can access our files from just about anywhere. It’s a no-brainer. You can be in the comfort of your home and still be able to do office work. But as good as cloud computing is, it has its downsides.
All a cybercriminal needs to get to your data is your log-in access details. Once he gets that, your data is compromised. How do you think those revealing photos of Jennifer Lawrence and a long list of celebrities got leaked? It was through the cloud. As these A-listers took their pictures, these photos were saved in the cloud, a seemingly helpful act for the uninitiated. So up your cloud security. It may cost you some but in the long run, it’s all well worth it.
Come to think of it, the security system of your company is not one to be taken lightly. It’s key to the survival of your small business. And all that starts with staying your course away from the four mistakes laid out above. Then you can sleep tight knowing your small enterprise is on the right path to not just grow but to grow well by leaps and bounds.
