Running a business can be tough. There are a lot of things to juggle for SMEs nowadays, but have you considered to what extent you are cyber-secure?
Over the last few years, especially with the rise of home working, businesses have been left vulnerable to all manner of cyber-attacks. A cyber-attack is whereby an attacker maliciously disables computers, steals data or uses a breached computer to launch further attacks. There are two different types – targeted and untargeted. According to the NCSC, a targeted cyber attack poses a more severe threat to businesses.
Whilst it can be easy to believe that you are unlikely to be a victim of a cyber-attack as a relatively small business – think again. According to research, 88% of UK companies have suffered breaches in the last 12 months, and 33% of organisations have been said to have lost customers due to a data breach.
So it’s important to take cyber-security seriously. A small investment today can prevent a considerable loss of time, money and potentially irreplaceable data tomorrow. To help you on your way to being cybersecure, we’ve put together some top tips to improve your cybersecurity.
Top Tips to Improve Your Cyber Security
1. Seek Expert Help
Whilst you may think you know enough about cybersecurity; it never harms to be extra prepared. When considering your cybersecurity, think about what each member of the team can take on, but be prepared to work with an expert. An expert can help you find the right software and put systems in place to protect your business.
It may seem costly at first, but it pays to be prepared.
2. Back Up Your Data
Make sure that all sensitive data is backed up on a regular basis should you fall victim to a cyber-attack. Then, if for any reason, data is removed maliciously from your devices, it can be restored quickly and easily. This back up should always be stored somewhere employees can’t access such as on a cloud. Having restricted access to this is key.
3. Protect Your Business from Email Hackers
Whilst scammers will continue to send phishing emails, you can minimise the chances of your employees falling for them. One way to do this is to provide robust training with your employees to help them identify phishing emails. As a rule of thumb, think about whether you would expect an email from that company? If not, it could be a scam.
By following these simple tips, you can greatly decrease your chance of cyber-attacks. However, if as a business you accept digital payments, use computers or store confidential data, you’ll need to purchase good business insurance. This covers you for things such as breach costs, cyber extortion, business interruption and data recovery to name a few. Whilst we hope you’ll never need it, it’s always best to be prepared.
