Cyber attacks are on the rise. If the U.S. Government and large corporations such as Target can be hit, you better believe small businesses are also prime targets for these criminals. In fact, many small business owners are not taking the proper precautions to prevent attacks, leaving their company vulnerable to an attack. Internet criminals are aware of this which is why statistics gathered by Forbes show that 71% of cyber-attacks happen to companies with 100 or fewer employees.
If you own a small business, you cannot let your company suffer by ignoring these statistics and not protecting your proprietary information from outsiders. Here are a few things you can do to help prevent a cyber attack.
Cyber Security Insurance
You have insurance on your vehicles and property, but do you have cyber security insurance? As a small business, if you do not, then you are leaving yourself vulnerable in the event a security breach occurs. Cyber security insurance is designed to protect your business and prevent you from potentially having to pay large sums of money if a breach does occur and you are involved in a lawsuit. Hackers are getting better and better which is why cyber liability insurance is a wonderful safety net if all your efforts to stop an attack fall short.
Firewall
It is imperative to put a security system on your computer just as it is on your office. In essence, a firewall is a security system for your computer and prevents access to your network by unauthorized users. There a few types of firewall options and many times it is best to add more than one type of firewall to your company’s network.
Password Protection
Sometimes protecting your company can be as simple as a password. Ensure your Wi-Fi network is not accessible without a password. Select passwords that are not simple and easy to hack by requiring uppercase letters, numbers and symbols. Furthermore, protect your company’s reputation by changing the password every 30-60 days to prevent breaches. It is also smart to setup your router so that broadcast your network name.
Internal Attacks
Did you know that 55 percent of all cyber-attacks come from inside the organization and 31.5 percent are done by malicious employees, according to Small Business Trends? Only 23.5 percent are done by company insiders who manage to leave the company vulnerable inadvertently. These are surprising statistics that call for small business owners be on alert. Employees need to shop online and play video poker wisely when using office equipment during breaks. In addition to protecting your company from outside attacks, you need to be vigilant on possible threats coming from the inside by watching your staff.
Most companies won’t know they have been hacked until it is too late. This is why it is vital to your company’s assets and reputation that potential cyber threats are stopped in their tracks. Following a precautionary, instead of reactionary, plan will save your small business investments, and consumer data.