Based on numerous studies, the wealthiest countries are at a higher at risk of cyber-attack due to prevailing cyber threats. Countries such as Japan, the US and Britain are some of the biggest targets of cyber-crime. So, if you have a small or large business in London, you need to have effective measures to avoid any cyber-attack.
Cyber criminals can target any business if they find a security weakness. They can use the company computers, or the director’s smartphone to gain access. Therefore, for you to prevent cyber threats on your business, you need to have an effective cyber security plan.
Which are the Common types of Cyber threats?
For you to defend yourself from cyber-attacks, it is essential to know the common cyber threats. The common cyber threats include:
*Ransomware – this is a malicious program that threatens to publish someone’s sensitive data unless a ransom is paid. A simple ransomware attack can lock the entire company.
*Email phishing – this is where cyber criminals send a fake email, to direct you to a fake website that is similar to a genuine one. After opening the link, they quickly gain access to your sensitive information such as bank account details, credit cards, or passwords.
* Sextortion – this is a crime involving sexual materials. Someone can threaten to share private materials or sensitive data to the public if you do not provide sexual favors, such as sexual act or images to them. The crime has become common due to the rise of social media sites, messaging apps, and online dating.
How to avoid the biggest cyber threats on your business
Many businesses in London are well prepared for theft, fire, and other disasters, but very few have put in place measures to prevent cyber threats such as sextortion, email phishing, or ransomware. Even though safeguarding your company from natural disasters is critical, you should not ignore digital attacks. To help you protect your company data and clients sensitive information, below are some of the best measures you can put in place to protect your business from cyber-attack.
1. Protecting all your systems
The first step is to protect your systems. From the office computers, to the company’s mobile devices, you need to make sure everything is secure. You can hire professional London IT support to have the most recent security solutions installed in your systems. Some of the steps taken to protect the devices include:
* Your operating system controls your business activities. Therefore, you need to ensure it is well protected by having the latest versions. By engaging the best IT support company in London, you can be able to have automatic updates on your PC or Mac.
* The other way to ensure your company systems are well-protected is to install firewalls. They act as security guards to your business network. Therefore, it is essential to have powerful firewalls to prevent any cyber-attack.
* Even though most people are aware of antivirus, it is important to have the latest antivirus programs. Ensure all your company computers have been updated.
2. Cyber security training
After protecting all your company systems, you need to train your employees about cyber security. By teaching and educating them about the risks and the reasons for putting in place the above measures, you can be able to prevent the attacks. Both senior and junior staff should be trained on cyber security since everyone will be holding sensitive data about the business. Some of the tips to help employees understand cyber security include:
• Performing training exercises
• Creating awareness
• Conducting evaluations
• Documenting cyber security rules
• Offering continuous training and education
3. Two-factor Authentication
Another way to prevent cyber threats on your business is by having the two-factor authentication. It is a method that has been very effective on small and large organizations. Two-factor authentication prevents any authorized access to personal or business network. It is simple and straightforward to set up. It has numerous benefits that include:
1. It is very common for someone to forget his/her password. Writing it down or saving it somewhere exposes it to the hackers. Simply, two-factor authentication can enhance data security.
2. It helps to prevent various cyber-attacks that include identity theft, hacking, and others.
3. With two-factor authentication, employees may have access to the company’s network from any location. Thus, the strategy helps to increase productivity.
4. Be prepared for any attack
Whether you have trained your employees or protected all your companies systems, an attack can still happen. Hence, why you need to be ready for any attack. Keep in mind that cyber criminals are bright people and always inventing new tricks. Some of the techniques you can use include backups and having an attack detection program.
Final word
Any business in the world that has not been hacked is either well-protected, or very lucky. Therefore, it is essential to consider the above tips to ensure you do not fall victim of cyber-attack. Consider engaging a reliable IT support or cyber security company to ensure your business data is safe and secure.
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