Cyberattacks can disrupt your business. This cybersecurity guide will help you to avoid online threats.
61% of data breaches directly impact small businesses.
As part of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy, you must
- use strong passwords
- the most up-to-date antivirus software
- implement best practices.
There are many types of attacks. The most popular are distributed denial-of-service (DDoS), and man-in the-middle attacks (MitM).
Every second, the internet receives more than 77 Terabytes of traffic. The internet has evolved into a digital Silk Road, facilitating almost every aspect of modern life. Just as the Silk Road’s merchants had their troubles, so can today’s entrepreneurs be hounded by cyber-malcontents who seek to disrupt and steal your company’s assets.
Recent headlines have focused on crippling cyberattacks on major corporations. Although each cyberattack on a major corporation has resulted in massive damages in the millions, many stories neglect to mention smaller businesses that are also vulnerable. According to Verizon’s Data Breach Investigations Report 43% of breaches affected SMBs.
While you may not be able to predict when the next attack will occur, taking precautions can help stop hackers from gaining access or even completely block them. SpartanTec in Charleston SC information on how to prevent your SMB from falling prey to hackers.
Why cyberhackers target small businesses
New owners face many decisions when it comes to starting a business. Many neglect cybersecurity measures. If they don’t focus on strengthening their defenses, hackers may be able to gain entry points. This can pose a serious problem. According to the U.S. National Cyber Security Alliance, 60% of SMBs will fail within six months after a cyberattack.
Towergate Insurance found that SMB owners often underestimate their risk levels. 82% of SMB owners said they are not targets for attack. Researchers found that they believe this because they don’t feel they have anything to steal.
Stephen Cobb, senior security researcher at antivirus software firm ESET, stated that SMBs are in hackers’ cybersecurity sweet spot because they have “more digital assets to target than an individual consumer, but less security than larger enterprises.”
Add to that the cost of implementing effective defenses and you’ve got a recipe for intrusions. Security breaches can cause severe damage to SMBs, so owners will be more inclined to pay ransom to retrieve their data. SMBs are often used as a way for attackers to gain access into larger companies.
Cybersecurity attacks to be on the lookout for
Hackers, regardless of the target, aim to access sensitive information, such as credit card numbers, to gain access to companies. An attacker can exploit an individual’s identity in a variety of ways if they have enough information.
Understanding the various methods hackers use to access information is one of the best ways you can prepare for an attack. This is not an exhaustive list, but it is something that business owners need to be aware of in order to avoid cybercrime.
APT: APTs (advanced persistent threat) are long-term targeted attacks that allow hackers to penetrate networks in multiple stages in order to avoid detection. Once they gain access to the target network, the attackers work to stay undetected and maintain their control over the system. If an attack is detected and fixed, attackers will have other ways to gain access to the system.
DDoS is an acronym for distributed denial-of-service. DDoS attacks are when a server is deliberately overloaded with requests, and the server shuts down the target website or network system.
Inside attack: When someone with administrative privileges (usually from within the company) purposely misuses their credentials to gain confidential company information. If former employees leave the company on poor terms, they can pose a threat. It is important that your business has a procedure in place to immediately revoke access to company data if an employee is fired.
Malware: A generic term that refers to “malicious code” and includes any program installed on a target’s computer with an intent to damage it or gain unauthorized access. There are many types of malware, including viruses, trojans, ransomware, spyware, and worms. This information is crucial because it will help you decide what kind of cybersecurity software you require.
Man in the middle (MitM attack): In a normal transaction, two people exchange goods or, in the case e-commerce, digital data. Hackers who employ the man in the middle technique of intrusion use malware to interrupt the flow of data and steal sensitive data. This happens when one or more people conduct transactions over an unsecure public Wi-Fi network. Here, attackers have installed malware to help sort through data.
Password attack: There’s three types of password attacks. A brute-force attack involves guessing passwords until the hacker gains access; a dictionary attack uses a program that tries different combinations of words; and keylogging which tracks keystrokes of a user, including passwords and login IDs.
Phishing: Phishing is the most common form of cybertheft. It involves stealing sensitive information such as login credentials and credit cards information via a legitimate-looking website. These details are often sent to unsuspecting people in an email. Spear Phishing, a sophisticated form of this attack, requires deep knowledge about specific individuals and social engineering in order to gain their trust and penetrate the network.
Ransomware: Ransomware infects your computer with malware and demands payment. Ransomware can lock you out of your computer, demand money to gain access, or threaten to publish your private information if it doesn’t pay a certain amount. Ransomware is one the most popular security threats.
SQL injection attack: Web developers have used structured query language (SQL), as their main coding language, for more than 40 years. Although a standard language has been a huge benefit to the internet’s development it can also make it easy for malicious code or other code to get onto your website. SQL injection attacks on servers can allow bad actors to access sensitive information, modify databases, download files and manipulate devices.
Zero-day attack: Zero day attacks can be devastating for developers. These are exploits in software or systems that attackers discover before security personnel and developers become aware of them. These exploits may go undiscovered for many months or years before they are discovered and fixed.
How to protect your networks
As more businesses expand online, so will the demand for strong cybersecurity measures.
Small businesses need to make sure their networks are protected against all types of attacks. This generally means that they should install any of the basic security software on the market. Each one has a different level of effectiveness.
Antivirus software is the most popular and can protect against all types of malware.
An additional layer of protection can be provided by a hardware- or software-based firewall. It prevents unauthorized users from accessing computers or networks.
Cobb recommends that businesses take three additional security measures in addition to the more basic tools.
- The first is a backup solution that allows for easy recovery of any information lost or compromised during a breach.
- Encryption software is used to protect sensitive data such as financial statements and client/customer information.
- To reduce the risk of password cracking, the third option is two-step authentication.
- It’s a good idea, once you have started to think about your options, to do a risk assessment. This can be done either yourself or with help from an outside firm.
Best practices in cybersecurity
Small businesses must not only implement a software-based solution but also adopt certain technological best practices to protect themselves.
- Make sure your software is up-to-date. Cobb stated that hackers are always scanning for security flaws and that if they don’t find them quickly, it can greatly increase your chance of being targeted.
- Educate your employees. Your employees should be educated about the many ways cybercriminals could infiltrate your system. You can help them recognize the signs of a breach, and teach them how to keep safe while using your company’s network.
- Formal security policies should be implemented. To secure your system, it is important to establish and enforce security policies. Everyone should think about protecting the network as anyone who uses it could be an attacker’s endpoint. Seminars and meetings should be held regularly on cybersecurity best practices. These include using strong passwords and identifying and reporting suspicious email. Activating two-factor authentication and clicking links or downloading attachments.
- Practice your incident response plan. Your company may be the victim of a cyberattack, despite your best efforts. It’s crucial that your staff is prepared to deal with the aftermath of a cyberattack if it happens. Attacks can be identified quickly and stopped before they do too much damage.
All of this can be daunting for a small business owner or manager. SpartanTec in Charleston SC is here to assist you. Call SpartanTec, Inc. to discuss how you can protect your company from cyberattacks. It is not a matter of if but when an attack will happen.
SpartanTec, Inc.
Charleston, SC 29407
843-418-4792
https://manageditservicescharleston.com/
Serving: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Wilmington, Fayetteville, Florence, Charleston
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