Why Every Small Business Should Care About Cybersecurity
By Alicia Solis - eGuide Chief of Staff
What is Cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity is THAT topic that is still not as prevalent among businesses as it should be. To many, cybersecurity is viewed as a ‘big company’ problem, however, over the years, and with more opportunities, cyber attackers have shown that smaller organizations are the easier target. Smaller businesses typically don’t put aside the same type of budget that larger organizations do, but a small budget is better than having no budget. Not to mention that most of your customers are increasingly aware of the cybersecurity risks and their expectation is to have their data protected at all costs.
Cybersecurity falls into three main categories: network, cloud, and physical security. While many would argue “I don’t have an office space, we work remotely”, the need for cloud and network security are still a necessity.
To an attacker, ANY data can be valuable and our jobs as the gatekeepers, are to secure the bridges!
What this means is that your network which includes firewalls, servers, and wireless access points still needs securing along with encryption of all your data whether it is in motion, in use, or at rest (cloud security). Regardless of where or how you do business, you WILL need a form of threat protection.
The cyber threat landscape has evolved so much over the past 5 years that there has been a huge boom in job positions related to securing and locking companies down. If you would have said to me in 1998 that there was a computer virus out there that disguises itself as a legitimate software application, I would have probably scoffed and said something along the lines of “yeah, sure! That’s something you see in the movies”. But that virus that disguises itself as legitimate software to an unsuspecting user is called a Trojan and unfortunately, it is so prevalent now that the media hardly ever reports it unless it happens to a Fortune 500 company.
How to Protect Your Small Business from a Cyber Attack
Now that you know what you should be protecting and a little about what you’re protecting your organization and clients from, we can share a bit more about what else you can expect along this dark and murky road. With every new day spawning new threats and attacks, it is important to have anti-virus software that provides security from ransomware, trojans (as mentioned above), remote access trojans, and viruses and worms.
Smarter Team, Less Attacks
Because attackers don’t stop with one method of attack, you also want to be sure you are providing education and resources to your staff so that they can also help in the prevention of phishing attacks. For instance, many attackers create very elaborate schemes sending fake emails or letters to people within an organization pretending to be a CEO, COO, VP, or another upper-level employee. When sending these communications, the attackers typically ask for private information or ask users to click a link that is loaded with malware ready to infect the entire network. If employees are not aware of attacks like this the chances of them falling for them are high! Be ready by educating your staff on how phishing attacks happen and what to look out for.
Password Protection
If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a million times; password security is KEY. For any online platform we use whether we are logging into our bank to check a deposit, or logging into our email to respond to new inquiries, we are prompted to insert our password. What most users do is choose one easy-to-remember password and then use it to protect all of their accounts. Ultimately, while you may have made your job easier by not having to remember all of your passwords, you have also made it extremely easy for an attacker to access not just one of your accounts, but MANY. If this doesn’t make you physically ill, then you have a stomach of steel.
At eGuide security is taken very seriously. A simple way to elevate your current security status if you fall into the category mentioned above is to at least sign up with a free version of LastPass. LastPass allows you to create secure passwords all while remembering them FOR you. All you have to remember is the password to get in and LastPass essentially does the rest for you. No more sticky notes underneath the keyboards or a notebook with a long list of passwords that don’t even work anymore.
Updating Passwords Regularly
Also, remember to change your passwords every 90 days and use multi-factor authentication whenever you are given the option. I can’t tell you how many times I have gotten a notification on my cell phone with my authentication code even though I was not the one that triggered it. What this told me was that someone found my password (Yes, even though I am a password safety fanatic, hackers find a way!) and I immediately changed my password to something more secure. Knowing I thwarted the enemy's attempt sits great with my soul on so many levels.
Small Changes Now Can Save You Thousands Later
I would like to leave you with this; yes, cybersecurity can seem like a daunting task even on a personal level, and seems even more daunting when implementing it on the business side of things, but think of what you stand to lose. If you decide to start somewhere then start with LastPass to protect those secure passwords you are creating and changing every 90 days, and anti-virus software such as Datto that protects you from viruses and ransomware and any other ridiculous creation that comes along.
No one ever intentionally goes into battle underprepared. I believe it goes without saying that no one enjoys any battle, but the legal battles typically hurt the most! We have seen many smaller businesses lose credibility and become buried in legal fees. Proactively is the name of the game and certainly the way to go. If you are unsure on how to proceed or would just like a bit more information, please reach out and we would be happy to help!
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