When you think of hackers targeting businesses, you probably picture a large corporation like Target, from whom millions of customer credit card numbers could be stolen. Unfortunately, the reality is that hackers are increasingly targeting small businesses like yours, for several important reasons.
You might not have the proper defenses. Due to the notoriety caused by large-scale hacking crimes, most larger businesses have tightened up on their online security. In contrast, many small businesses lack the resources, like a large IT department, to address this problem.
You’re not on guard. With so much media attention given to large-scale hacking incidents, you might not even consider the fact that criminals also target smaller businesses. You might believe that hackers aren’t interested in you anyway, so you skimp on security. Because you’re not on guard against hacking problems, you might not notice right away if something does go wrong.
You’re an entry point. If hackers can’t gain entry to a database directly, they may be able to find an open back door through a smaller, associated company. For example, the 2013 Target hackers actually got into the system through its HVAC vendor, not through Target itself. By attacking a smaller, associated company first, the criminals gained access to sensitive data on 40 million customers.
You might do business on a smart phone or tablet. Many small business owners work remotely, from home or even on vacation. While you might install protections on your office computers, you’ve forgotten that malware and ransomware can also attack mobile devices. Hackers know this, and will often target you in unsuspected ways.
Even video cameras can be targets. If you have security cameras that are internet-accessible, even these devices can be targeted in an attack. That’s something you might not consider until it’s too late.
The FBI has warned that cyber attacks are on the rise, and small businesses are particularly at high risk. New mutating viruses have been released just this year, such as Locky and CryptoLocker, and they are spreading rapidly through email in particular. Making matters worse, many large businesses are now holding small businesses accountable for security mistakes. Not only can a data breach affect your daily business operations, it can also get you sued by larger companies with whom you are associated.
Luckily, you don’t need your own internal IT department to enjoy a high level of security. Give us a call at 888-RING-MY-TECH. We can help you secure your network, back up important data to a cloud system, and even give you tips to train your employees on proper internet security protocol.
