More than 67% of small and medium-sized businesses have experienced cyber attacks. Running a business is hard enough without having to worry about personal data being stolen or your systems being offline.
Yet, many small business owners don’t consider themselves a target or at risk of a cyber attack. There are many types of cyber attacks that a business could fall victim to, and if you aren’t prepared, your business is vulnerable.
Here are five signs that your small business may have cyber attack vulnerabilities.
1. You Haven’t Updated Anti-Virus Software
It’s tempting to hit the button that says “Remind Me Later” when prompted to update any anti-virus software. But putting off updates can make you vulnerable to many kinds of cyber attacks.
Malware and viruses are ever-evolving. What old anti-virus software once protected may not protect your system in the future. Stay on top of all prompted updates to reduce your risk of falling victim to a cyber attack.
2. Your Operating System Is Old
Not only do you have to update anti-virus software, but you also have to keep up with updates on your operating system, too.
The operating system manages all the hardware and software for your devices. An issue with the operating system could put all data and other device systems at risk.
Be sure to keep your operating systems up to date, so you’re able to receive support from providers and any future updates.
3. You Don’t Have Cyber Security Policies
Have you ever thought, “What’s the likelihood of a cyber attack on my company?” If you don’t have good cyber security policies, your risk of being a victim of cybercrime increases dramatically.
These policies can be as simple as creating secure passwords or introducing two-factor authentication. Or it can be more complicated, like knowing how to correctly secure customer data.
Provide your staff with initial cyber security training and have ongoing training to keep them familiar with policies and any changes.
4. You Use Personal Devices
Nearly everyone has access to technology like phones and computers, so it may seem like a cost-saving option to allow your staff to use their personal devices for work.
But unless you track each device, you may not have the protections in place to secure the operating systems or confidential data.
With a personal device, you also can’t control who else has access to the device or what other software your staff downloads to the device.
5. You Don’t Have a Cyber Security Strategy
What will make you the most vulnerable is not having a cyber security strategy and not updating the strategy often. Start by doing a cyber assessment to see if you have any current security issues and address them immediately.
Then you can employ strategies like dark web monitoring to ensure no secure data has been stolen. Employ attack surface reduction strategies to know where to make your business less vulnerable.
Get Your Business Prepared for a Cyber Attack
You put a lot of time, energy, and work into your business, and it would be a shame to lose all that because you weren’t prepared for a cyber attack. Small and medium-sized business owners should protect themselves the same way large corporations do.
All business owners should take these five common signs seriously. Cybercriminals can exploit these vulnerabilities when small businesses are careless.
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