43% of cyberattacks are aimed at small- and medium-sized businesses – American City Business Journals
Cybersecurity threats loom large for small and medium-sized businesses, and this alarming statistic highlights the need to prioritize cybersecurity measures to safeguard your sensitive data. Without adequate protection, you are vulnerable to financial loss and damage to your reputation, jeopardizing the trust of clients and partners.
Only 14% of small- and medium-sized businesses are prepared to defend themselves. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, investing in cybersecurity frameworks is imperative to the health of your business. – American City Business Journals
There are several types of threats to your cybersecurity. Here are a few common threats and tips for preventing them.
What Is Malware?
Malware, short for malicious software, is defined as software that is specifically designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to a computer system. Examples of malware include viruses, worms, Trojan horses and spyware. 92% of malware is delivered via email.
Tips for Preventing Malware
Here are just a few things you can do to prevent malware:
- Keep your devices and software updated
- Avoid suspicious websites
- Only download files from trusted sources
- Use anti-virus software
What Is Phishing?
Phishing is defined as the fraudulent practice of sending emails or other messages purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers. Common types include vishing (fraudulent voice mails, phone calls, and text messages), spear phishing (emails targeting a specific audience, such as customers at a bank), and smishing (short message service or text messages).
Tips for Preventing Phishing
Here are a few tips to protect yourself from phishing:
- Use strong passwords and two-factor authentication
- Never provide your passwords over the phone
- Don’t be intimidated by an unsolicited call or email. If you believe the contact to be legitimate, call the institution directly.
- Review your accounts regularly for suspicious activity
What Is a DDoS Attack?
A Distributed Denial-of-Service attack, DDoS for short, is a malicious attempt to disrupt the normal traffic of a targeted server, service or network by overwhelming the target or its surrounding infrastructure with a flood of Internet traffic. DDoS attacks are common because they are fairly easy to perform.
Tips For Preventing a DDoS Attack
Here are a few tips to safeguard your network from DDoS attacks:
- Follow cybersecurity best practices, which include the tips already mentioned, to minimize vulnerabilities.
- Know your network’s traffic and monitor it for unusual activity, which could be a sign of an attack
- Keep redundant backups in different locations so your data is not lost in the event of an attack
- Consider software that can detect and help mitigate attacks
Securing Your System: Now What?
According to Netscout, there were approximately 13 million phishing attacks in 2023, which is an average of 36,000 attacks per day.
Are you prepared to handle a cybersecurity threat? Don’t panic! Familiarize yourself with malware, phishing, DDoS, and other methods of online fraud. Additionally, if you have specific questions, your local IT company would be a great resource.
Simply stated, if you don’t take the bait, the phishing fails.