87% of Businesses Hit By Cyber Attacks Last Year
You might assume that only larger businesses are the targets of cyberattacks. However, it’s sadly not the case. 87% of businesses hit by cyber attacks last year. Small businesses included.
Nearly two-thirds of all small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) experienced at least one cyber attack in the past year. That is a startling amount that should stand as a warning to businesses everywhere.
And it gets worse.
More and more businesses are reporting repeat attacks, with 87% experiencing at least two successful attacks in the last year. And on average, a business will face around five successful cyber incidents.
Scary.
The question is, why are these attacks taking place, and what can we do to stop them?
Malware and ransomware are the two most common cyberattacks that businesses experience.
Malware is malicious software that infiltrates your system and can lead to a variety of issues, including slowing down your operations and data theft.
Ransomware encrypts your data and holds it hostage, making it impossible to access unless you pay a ransom fee. The results are sometimes disastrous for businesses of all sizes, resulting in huge losses and downtime.
What contributes to a more successful attack?
One reason is this push for BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) in recent years. This involves employees accessing company information on their own devices, which can be risky.
Another concern is the increase in productivity apps. Which can lead to security vulnerabilities if not adequately secured.
Finally, the number of devices indicates how many points of entry cybercriminals have to enter.
The good news is that you can still take precautions to safeguard your business. Follow these five reliable security measures.
Use Strong & Unique Passwords:
Make sure to use passwords that are strong and unique because they are your first line of security. Use a password manager that can generate and remember randomly generated passwords for maximum effectiveness.
Update Your Software:
Make sure you are constantly using the newest version of the software because security patches are often included in these updates. This applies to your operating system as well as all applications.
Train Your Employees:
Educate your staff on recognizing phishing emails and other scams. To keep everyone up to date, you can also conduct routine security awareness training.
Backup Your Data:
Back up your data so that if you suffer a cyber attack, you will face minimal disruption and quickly restore your systems.
Use Antivirus Software:
Using antivirus software shield your computers from virus risk. Verify that you are using a reliable and up-to-date solution.
Keep in mind that prevention is always better than a cure. Take action today to keep yourself safe.
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