Following recent high-profile cyberattacks, the world has woken up to the dangers of cybercrime and the disruption it can cause.
The WannaCry ransomeware attack in May 2017 raised the issue from the dark web into the light of public awareness. However, what’s important is not that business owners recognise the threat, but that they are galvanised into making substantial improvements to their security set-up.
Reports suggest that small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are less likely to be proactive in defending against cyberattacks, even though the effect on them is disproportionally greater than for larger organsisations. Indeed, for many SMBs, the threat is existential, with 60% of small companies going out of business within six months of a cyberattack.
The unfortunate truth is that few SMBs fully understand the risks, either because they lack awareness or are being complacent about the immediacy of the threat. What makes matters worse is that cybercriminals are increasingly looking to exploit this. 43% of all cyberattacks are targeted at small businesses.
So, what can be done?
First, it is important to understand the threat, what it entails and how it is changing. Then, business owners need to be proactive – there are several actions you can take to improve your business’ cybersecurity.
Our recent issue of Business Talk will answer these questions – You can sign up for future additions below.
Some highlights below for you:
Understanding the threat
The cybersecurity landscape is always evolving. Cybercriminals continue to seek out new ways to exploit vulnerabilities and security specialists release new patches and protocols to counter or mitigate threats.
We look at three areas of concern, namely;
- How workplace trends inadvertently create new risks
- How risks are caused by poor or outdated cybersecurity practise
- How inaction and complacency are increasing the risks
5 steps to better cybersecurity
- Better leadership – through their research on the topic
- Better education – to keep employees informed
- Better technology – but without training, technology can be redundant
- Better procedures – standardise procedures and role out
- Better support – use the experts, specialists in IT security
If you’d like to talk more about cybersecurity and how it may affect your business, call for a chat on: 0333 241 9301 of click the link below:
