Being completely blindsided by a cyber attack can be devastating for any business, no matter how large or small they are. While it’s impossible to predict if or when you’ll experience an attack, having a proactive IT security management strategy can provide an extra level of protection. Business owners often think they are protected enough with just basic anti-virus and malware protection software, but the truth is cyber criminals know how to easily get around or through these products. There are plenty of ways these cyber criminals can get into your network and steal your information, and here are the top three methods to know about and protect yourself from.
Ransomware Attacks
Several large companies have had to put their disaster recovery plan into action after experiencing ransomware attacks in recent years. A ransomware attack can happen in different ways, such as attacking systems that haven’t been updated in a while, not having the latest software patches or through other methods. The hackers will encrypt all of your files and demand a ransom in order for them to be decrypted and given back to you. There’s no guarantee the hacker will give the files back even if you pay the ransom, so it’s best to invest that money into the best IT security services upfront to ensure you’re not put in that position.
Phishing
Phishing is always going to be a popular method for cyber criminals until it becomes ineffective. The most common phishing techniques include emails with malicious links or attachments embedded in them. When a user clicks on them, a virus gets downloaded onto your system and can potentially give the hacker access to sensitive information. The best proactive IT management strategy you can have for your small business is to educate your employees on how to identify these emails and what to do when they see a suspicious email.
Giving Out Too Much Information
Businesses today use many different services to help them operate more efficiently. In each situation, the business owner should do their due diligence to ensure they can trust the provider, since the provider will have access to highly sensitive information. The provider themselves may be trustworthy, but it’s always important to ask them what IT security services they have in place to prevent cyber attacks as well. Only allow those providers to have access to the information they need and nothing else.
Single Point of Contact helps small and midsize businesses protect their systems and networks around the clock. We help organizations develop a proactive IT management strategy in order to bring them peace of mind knowing they are always protected as much as possible. Cyber criminals never take a day off, and we will never take a day off when it comes to protecting your data either. Be sure to contact us to learn about our services and how we can tailor a strategy around your specific business needs.
