Businesses have been at the receiving end of cyber related attacks for years; however, this really came to culmination last year with the huge ransomware attacks that targeted many businesses, including the NHS.
For small businesses, this is a risk that must be avoided. Having your systems attacked and all of your data/ client information effected can seriously slow down the productivity, if not cause permanent damage, to a small business.
So, how can you protect your small business from cyber-attacks?
Secure your hardware. Without the proper security and protection, anyone can access your systems and steal your data. It is always worth investing in sophisticated security keys or hardware-based encryption
Back up your data. This will make it much harder for anyone to access your files. Your IT support provider will be able to help you achieve this.
Educate your staff. Ranging from having unique passwords to knowing what kind of files to download, your staff need to be educated to ensure your companies data is inaccessible to an outsider.
Spot the initial threat on websites and emails. Many threats will come in the form on an email scam. Possibly an email claiming to be the DVLA or GOV.CO.UK, these are always popular. They may pretend you are owed money from the establishment or need to change a password and they will ask you to ‘follow this link’. This is a threat and once you have clicked the link and filled in the details you have welcomed a cyber-attack. Educate yourself and staff to spot these emails and never follow an uncertain/ un-secure link.
As a business owner, you must think about the threat of cyber-attacks on a regular basis. Give yourself some piece of mind and educate your staff and review and update your security settings. A trusted IT support company will know the best practices to input onto your small business to ensure it is fully protected and you can avoid cyber- attacks.