As a small business owner, you’ve spent a whole lot of blood, sweat and tears into getting your start-up off the ground. It’s been six months in, and things seem to be going alright. But there’s one thing you haven’t given much thought to, and that is cybersecurity for your business.
Did you know that 60% of small businesses shut down within a year following a cyberattack? If you don’t have a cybersecurity plan in place, you’re putting your business in harm’s way.
Cybercriminals don’t discriminate. You may be tempted to think that since you aren’t running your operations on a large scale, you won’t come under their radar. But that’s a fool’s paradise you don’t want to be living in—statistics indicate that 516,380 small businesses in Australia have fallen victim to cybercrime in recent years.
In order to protect your business, you need to know what cybercriminals are looking for, how they attack your businesses, and devise a strategy to protect your business.
What are they looking for?
Cybercriminals usually look for data that can benefit them, in direct and indirect ways. Below are a few things online attackers will be looking for in your business:
· Financial information
· Intellectual property
· Customer records
· Business correspondence
How do they do it?
All that cybercriminals need is a small window or opening into your online data to cripple your business. Here are some strategies they use to attack your small business:
Zero-day attacks: Simply put, this method introduces vulnerabilities in software and operating systems to create security holes that are then exploited by cybercriminals.
Web-based attacks: These affect the availability of your apps and/or website and breach the integrity and confidentiality of your data.
Ransomeware: This prevents you from accessing your system and files, following which the cybercriminal demands a ransom payment to allow you to regain access to your data.
General Malware: This includes viruses, spyware, rootkits, etc.
How to protect your business from cyberattack
Now that you know what online attackers may be looking for and the methods that they’ll employ, the next step is to come up with defensive strategies. Here are some measures you can take.
1- Make use of Antispyware and Antivirus Software
When it comes to downloading antivirus software and antispyware, you have a variety to choose from. Some popular ones are McAfee, Norton as well as Webroot.
Make sure your software systems are updated so they function efficiently.
2- Use stronger passwords
This is fairly straightforward. Make sure your password is doing its job: keeping unauthorized parties out. If you choose a fairly obvious password such as YourBusinessName123 then cybercriminals will be granted access easily.
3- Be mindful of mobile phone security
People usually choose to store sensitive information on their phones, which makes them a target for cybercriminals. Ensure that all your employees have password-protected phones with software that allows them to encrypt data and locate and wipe lost phones.
One breach of confidential data and your business loses the trust of its customers and employees. If you’re a business owner in Australia and need help protecting sensitive information, reach out to Lean Security. We provide advanced penetration testing services for websites and mobile apps to ensure our clients enjoy a safe online presence.
To avail our services, call us at +61 (2) 8078 6952 or email us at info@leansecurity.com.au.