Most small businesses owners overlook the need for security, believing that cybercriminals only focus on large-scale businesses. On the contrary, smaller companies are vulnerable to cyberattacks because they lack the expertise and resources that major corporations have at their disposal. Normally, they don’t have an in-house team of cybersecurity experts to maintain secure systems.
So, if you’re managing a small business, consider investing in security. Doing so will guarantee that your company is safe from potential cybersecurity threats. The damage a data breach can cause will negatively impact your company’s reputation and result in a significant drop in profits. With this in mind, you should familiarize yourself with the potential threats you’ll encounter along the way and effective ways to stop them. Read on to learn more about them.
1. Phishing
One of the most common cybersecurity threats targeting small businesses is phishing. It’s considered the most destructive and is responsible for most cases of data breaches. A phishing attack happens when a cybercriminal pretends to be an authorized contact, enticing an employee to click a malicious link, access sensitive information, or download a malicious file. As one of the most damaging threats nowadays, it’s vital to prioritize the essentials of small business cybersecurity to ensure a good head start in protecting your company.
Phishing cases skyrocketed in recent years, as cybercriminals are becoming smarter in mimicking legitimate business contacts. An aspect that makes phishing damaging to any business is that an attack can be challenging to prevent. Essentially, social engineering is utilized to target employees within a company rather than focusing on any potential weak points in the technology.
However, phishing attacks can be avoided in several ways. For instance, you should invest in a superior email security gateway and implement multi-factor authentication (MFA). An email security gateway can prevent phishing emails from reaching your employees. Multi-factor authentication can also greatly help in mitigating the risks of phishing. It works by adding an extra layer of security to the authentication procedure when an employee logs into the company system. Usually, it takes the form of a tap notification on a trusted device or a text message with a code.
2. Malware
The next top cybersecurity threat among small businesses is malware. Generally, it encompasses an array of digital threats, such as viruses and trojans. Cybercriminals create malicious code to steal data, gain access or destroy data. In simple terms, malware originates from malicious website downloads, spam emails, or connection to a compromised device.
Sadly, small businesses face significant losses since malware is capable of rendering devices inoperable. Resuming operations typically necessitate expensive repairs or even replacements. Malware corrupts devices and gives hackers access to data, putting your business and customers at risk.
You can keep your company safe from malware by enforcing rules on Internet use and downloads and, at the same time, implement endpoint protection solutions for the security and management of devices in the workplace.
3. Ransomware
Ransomware is next on the list of top cybersecurity threats, affecting businesses annually. In recent years, it has become common since it’s a profitable form of attack. Ransomware encrypts data so that it can no longer be accessed or used. Paying a ransom to cybercriminals is the only way a company can regain access.
In most scenarios, it leaves companies with the difficult decision between disbursing the ransom at a high cost or putting operations on the sidelines with data loss. Most cybercriminals target small businesses, knowing they’re more likely to pay a ransom. Unfortunately, a lot of companies forget to back up their data.
Just like preventing malware, you need to provide superior endpoint protection on all devices in the workplace to lower chances of ransomware. Investing in a reliable cloud backup solution to securely store data in the cloud is also crucial.
4. Insider Threat
It can be daunting, but it’s a reality that threats can come from within your company. An insider threat is generally a risk to a company due to the activities of employees, associates, or former staff. Depending on how you authorize accessibility among your workforce, these actors can access sensitive data. Instances that involve greed, bad intention, or mere carelessness can negatively harm your company in one way or another, especially if it results in a data breach.
Insider threats have been an increasing concern over the years and can put employees and clients at risk or bring about financial damage to your company. The more employees have access to data, the more dangerous insider threats are to small businesses.
One of the ways to minimize this problem is to establish a strong culture of security awareness. This approach will help stop insider threats that are caused by ignorance or aid employees in identifying a potential attempt to compromise data.
Final Thoughts
Always lurking, cybersecurity threats continue to evolve. Therefore, small businesses should make an effort to level up their security. Knowing about the top cybersecurity threats and how to prevent them will go a long way to keeping your company secure.