If you think your system and network are safe after installing a traditional antivirus software application, think again. Today, it's all about the exploit. Hackers are getting more creative. The workforce is more distributed than ever. And, small businesses need to be prepared.
For hackers, American small business culture represents a target-rich environment. Small businesses don’t often possess robust protocols in place to deter attackers. They might not use commercial-grade antivirus, and may not consistently employ strong password policies or two-factor authentication.
As a result, attackers have a huge opportunity when it comes to small businesses – and it’s an opportunity that they usually take. Here are a few startling statistics as of 2021:
Many different types of businesses (and industries) rely on the support of trained specialists to ensure that IT and security infrastructure is up to speed. There are a variety of subcategories within the field of IT that require advanced training and expertise.
Small businesses underestimate cyber-attack protection believing in the false idea that cyber criminals only target large enterprises. In fact, the opposite is true.
While the days of downloading new antivirus software from floppy disks or CDs are long gone, having up-to-date protection against cyber threats is still a very present reality. Even if the way we protect our computer systems looks different than it did in decades past, the need for protecting valuable data is more important than ever.
Imagine that you’ve spent many years and thousands of dollars building up the IT infrastructure of your small business. Lately, you’ve started to notice that your computer connections are lagging or moving slowly, and you’re increasingly worried about outside cybersecurity threats that your basic managed services provider (MSP) doesn’t cover.
Technology is now at the core of most business operations. Be it family-owned shops, small startups, or large enterprises, every business leverages technology to run its business activities. With such increased IT adoption, a data security plan is essential to safeguard businesses against cyber incidents.
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Think about how much your business has changed in a short period and how much business we all do in the cloud these days. Most of us have moved from software to cloud resources. Our networks are used to connect to third-party providers like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Office 365, or Google Docs. Many accounting systems and payroll services are online. CRMs like HubSpot or Zendesk are in the cloud. Each one of these connections can help you be more productive, but they can also create greater threat exposure.
Technology has become an essential ingredient for successful business operations, regardless of size. It is seen as an effective way of building your company, sharing information, and transforming productivity that extends beyond company boundaries. But with how quickly technology is advancing, many small businesses find it hard to figure out what technology to use, when to invest in new tech, and how to prioritize their investment to reap the greatest reward.
A ransomware attack on a gasoline transport company in the United States is driving a surge in gas hoarding and potentially gasoline prices just as the country’s recovery from the pandemic and summer travel heat up. Naturally, the attack is also raising the public and businesses’ interest in ransomware and cybersecurity.