Staying safe from online threats requires planning and coordination at every level of your business. Even a small mistake can lead to a serious data breach, so every business can benefit from learning about a few of the most common mistakes. Here is an overview of four cybersecurity pitfalls your business should avoid.
1. Underestimating Risk
If you think that cyber attacks do not pose a serious threat to your business, you are not alone. A recent study found that 43 percent of small business owners do not have a comprehensive cybersecurity plan. Business owners may think they are safe because their business is not a valuable enough target, but this line of thinking doesn't hold up in the face of modern online threats.
Attackers have realized that no matter how valuable a company's data is, that data is immeasurably valuable to the company itself. Ransomware attacks take advantage of this by wiping or encrypting data and forcing the victim to pay a hefty sum to retrieve it. Any business can be the target of a ransomware attack regardless of its size.
2. Forgetting to Back Up Data
Ransomware attackers do not have as much leverage when you aren't at their mercy to recover your data. Well-prepared companies will have multiple copies of sensitive data that they can access quickly and easily when a security incident occurs. This is especially pertinent if you are storing data for customers or clients who may bring litigation against your company if the data is lost.
The most effective data redundancy plans will make use of multiple storage options. In addition to copies on local machines, consider taking advantage of a business cloud storage plan from a trusted provider. Make sure local copies are stored on separate networks so an attacker cannot gain access to all of your backups at the same time.
3. Failing to Educate Employees
Cybersecurity management policies only work if everyone at your company is following protocol. Negligence by a single employee or user could be all the opportunity that a malicious third party needs to gain access. Company-wide security training programs are an invaluable asset for your business to ensure that all users on your network are on the same page.
Quality network security training programs will touch on several topics that are important to businesses in every industry. Employees will learn techniques to keep their login credentials safe, avoid phishing emails, and identify social engineering attempts. Your users will also learn technical safety precautions like keeping software up-to-date and never connecting foreign devices to the company network.
4. Neglecting Managed Security
Working with a managed cybersecurity provider is the best investment any business can make for its online security. Managed cybersecurity providers are companies dedicated to keeping other businesses safe on the web. These kinds of companies can handle all of the overhead of protecting your data and your company network so you can focus on the operations of your business.
Managed security providers can perform 24/7 monitoring on your network to identify suspicious traffic and alert you to possible intrusion attempts. Many providers give clients access to secure, off-site servers for additional data backups. Security providers can update all software on your network, control which applications and websites can be used, and even provide phone and online technical support for your customers.
If your business follows a cybersecurity management plan and avoids the most common pitfalls, you can have peace of mind that your data is safe. Remember to stay vigilant about cybersecurity and keep an eye out for these security risks at your company or organization.