Cyberthreats and Security

 

Within the Business World

The increasing incidences of cyber crime and the cyberthreats a business faces today is alarming. From the Internet of Things to irresponsible users, and the cloud to the policy of “Bring Your Own Devices”, all of these are paving the way for increased venues of cyber-security threats that if left unattended, can lead to major loss of important business data. While the implementation of new technologies helps in boosting the efficiency and productivity of a business, they also pave way for increased cyber-threats and attacks.

According to reports, the average data breach cost is feared to rise to $150 million by 2020. This should ring an alarm in the minds of all business owners. What is the catch then? What needs to be done by businesses to ensure they are not at the losing end of this cyber-war?

To win this cyber-battle, you need to be aware of the common cyber-threats you have. This will allow you to stand your ground against all these cyber-miscreants who are after your important business information.

Here are the common cyber-threats faced by businesses:

Ransomware and Malware

Coming in many forms, these programs install themselves on the system of the user and keep running in the background without the user knowing anything about them. Malware steals and hides important information while ransomware demands some amount to unlock the machine which has been encrypted by it. The files are only encrypted if the demands are fulfilled. You need to have ample system protection to stay safe from this.

Viruses

A virus program installs itself on to your system and keeps replicating just like real life viruses. They not only destroy data but also slow down systems, delete files and disable important software. Unless you have sufficient virus protection installed on your system, you are always at risk of installing a virus into your system which can lead to major issues for your business.

Spywares

Spyware, like other malwares, makes the maximum of your browser and software vulnerabilities. It not only gathers but also transmits important information from your system to unauthorized third party. Since it is undetectable, the user thinks of it as any other computer program, website or email which makes them click on unverified links and downloads. It increases pop-ups during browsing, slow down the systems and reroute the browsing searches to unexpected results. It may infect a single computer or the entire system making it miserable to work on them anymore. Hackers make use of this to take out your important information and use it against you on different levels.

Mitigating These Threats

The implementation of up-to-date security tools and utilities is the only way to tackle the problem of cyber-threats and attacks. Here are some things you can do to keep your business information safe:

  • Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) to help identify threats inside and outside of the network
  • Virus protection systems
  • Managed firewalls
  • Virtual Chief Security Officer (vCSO)

Installing these on all systems in your network will keep much of your business information safe from different kinds of cyber-threats and attacks. Remember, cyber-security issues are real and you need to do your best to safeguard your important business information from these hackers and software.