It’s well into the new year, and many of us have forgotten our New Years resolutions. Studies show about 2/3 of people actually stop doing their resolutions by February of any new year. Whether its exercise, avoiding sugar, or eating less, one resolution small to medium sized businesses don’t have the luxury of giving up on are their Cyber security goals.
Cybercrime – phishing, hacking, malware, identity theft, ransomware and more – are among the greatest challenges facing businesses today. According to a report from Kaspersky Lab, the average cost of a data breach in North America is $1.6 million for enterprises and $149,000 for small and medium-size businesses. It is more important than ever to create a cyber security plan and stick to it. Here are a few mistakes businesses don’t want to make when it comes to cyber security.
4 Cyber Security Mistakes Businesses Should Avoid
- Assume you aren’t the target – Many businesses justify not protecting themselves against cyber crime because they don’t feel like the bad guys would go after someone their size. This couldn’t be further from the truth. We have talked with many business owners that have been taken advantage of and one thing is for sure. Hackers will do anything to anyone to get business data or access to financial information. Meet with trusted IT service provider and develop a plan that will keep your business safe.
- Use only one type of security in your business – Most businesses feel like if they have a strong firewall, they are safe. When it comes to cyber security, it is best to take a layered approach to protect yourself. At Protek, we look at three areas of security. Physical, administrative, and technical. Each area is important and should not be overlooked. Making sure the endpoints of your business are protected is important. But training your end users is also important. Email continues to be one of the easiest ways for hackers to get into your network.
- Forget the personal aspect of security – If there is one thing you must include in your cyber security strategy, it is education. Your employees need to know how hackers are targeting them to get to your business data. The security of your network is only as good as your users. Hackers have become more sophisticated in their approach to lure your team to click on links or share confidential business data with them. Social engineering is a real thing and the best hackers have mastered it.
- Don’t update your cyber security threat plan – Business security is moving target. As more people use the internet for their business infrastructure and to store their personal information, this becomes an enticing place for criminals to hang out. Given the complex nature of modern technology and the sophistication of cyber criminals, more businesses are outsourcing the management of their security rather than attempting to deal with it internally. At Protek, we meet with our clients regularly to review the security of their network. Security is top of mind for us and we do everything we can to educate our clients on what they should be doing to protect themselves.
If you have made a resolution to improve the security in your business this year, call Protek at 844.796.1717. We can help you create a layered approach to security that will ensure you are doing everything you can to protect your business. We look forward to helping you create and maintain a plan that will keep your business safe.