Top cybersecurity threats must be at the forefront of business owners' minds. In today's digital landscape, we increasingly rely on technology to connect with customers and streamline operations. Sadly, not all business owners appreciate its value, especially those operating at a much smaller scale. Doing this creates unnecessary risks of falling prey to various cybersecurity threats. As a small business owner, you must proactively protect your company's sensitive information. Here are some of the threats you need to be aware of and how to combat them.
Top Cybersecurity Threats and how to protect your business
- Phishing attacks. This has been one of the most common threats in the world of cybersecurity. Attackers or hackers try to impersonate somebody in authority and manipulate your employees into giving vital information that can cause them to reveal confidential information. Always train your people to recognize suspicious emails and make it a habit to double-check shared links and ensure that requests for sensitive data are verified.
- Weak passwords. Weak passwords invite cybercriminals to invade your privacy. Using unique passwords coupled with a multi-factor authentication (MFA) whenever possible.
- Ransomware. A ransomware attack can bring your operation at a standstill. Hackers will encrypt important files and demand a ransom for the file's release. To combat this, you must regularly create a backup on your data and these backups should be in a secure cloud storage of stored offline. This is the only way that you will not be at the mercy of hackers.
- Insider Threats. Believe it or not, inside jobs by employees who hold a grudge is a common threat. Make sure that sensitive date can only be accessed by a limited no. of people.
- Third-party risks. Partnering with vendors can create vulnerabilities. This is specially true if your partners don't take cybersecurity seriously. So, select your partners wisely and make sure that they value information technology security seriously.
Be proactive when it comes to cybersecurity
To help you combat these threats, invest in a robust antivirus and firewall software. Before allowing partners to be part of your system, make sure that they are on the same page as you when it comes to cybersecurity. Your
company's cybersecurity policy should outline the necessary measures you expect not only from your employees, but with anybody who does business with you. Make sure that your system is updated and secure. Train your people regularly to win against the top cybersecurity threats.
