While it may seem that only the biggest bear the wrath of cyber threats, the reality is truly scary. According to recent reports, more than 40% of cyberattacks are aimed at small businesses. As if the pandemic Covid-19 wasn’t enough to sabotage your business, the presence of cyberattacks are both larger and bolder than ever.
Now more than ever, small businesses do not have the luxury of having their vital operations jeopardized. Spending on cybersecurity infrastructure now would mean big savings in the near future, and as an organization, you must be aware of what you’re up against. Understanding the most common type of cyber attacks out there is the best way to secure yourself and your business.
Here are some of the cyber threats that you cannot afford to unsee.
Phishing
Every year we read reports from some of the biggest companies warning about a massive phishing scheme. Well, that is when you should pay attention. Phishing is one of the most common methods of obtaining personal, sensitive information, posing as another user, and it is largely uncontrolled in today’s online world. The best way to guard against phishing attacks is to protect all internal communications within your organization.
Insider Job
Not all cyber threats are caused by outside parties. Some of the world’s most momentous hacking incident from Ashley Madison to Sony came from inside the company. These scandals weren’t caused by any outside party. You may trust your team, but nothing can stop a frustrated employee from spilling the beans and exposing your company’s most sensitive information to the outside world.
Unlike other threats in this article, the solution to this problem is more about personal care than digital protection. You must communicate with your team members about the vulnerability of the information they have access to, and ensure you listen to the business and personal problems your employees may be going through.
Ransomware
Ransomware is when the hackers threaten to publish your private data if you do not pay them. This Is one of the biggest threats to small firms. Generally, business owners are tempted to pay a ransom, get done with it and return to normal. But as a business owner, you must know that a business that’s attacked once can be attacked again. While antivirus software is crucial to preventing such attacks, keeping your system updated with the latest OS updates can go a long way.
Email-based cyber attacks
According to reports, over 91% of cyber attacks are carried out from emails. Hence, it is vital you keep your inbox locked down. Ensure your emails are encrypted; all your employees are well aware to not click on any attachments from emails outside your company. Employees must check for email addresses written in a similar fashion to the ones used within your organization.
SQL Injection
This is more of the sophisticated side of cyber threats. However, last year it was reported that more than 26% of small firms have suffered at the hands of SQL injection. It is about inserting code from database-focused language SQL into a site, hence, maneuvering data retrieval during the process. Sites and apps that are not regularly updated are prone to SQL injection, as are older languages like PHP – especially older versions. SQL injection is best if left to the professionals, but keeping applications and site updates will hurt no one.
The threat to business cybersecurity is all over the place today, but that shouldn’t keep you from doing something about it. Investing in digital security now will bear fruits in the future - an investment you cannot afford to unsee or not to make.
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