It is sometimes hard to believe that you might be the victim of a cyber attack. However, cyber attacks happen every day. Many of the victims placed their bets on the belief they would not be attacked in the first place.
Most internet users do not know much about the importance of cyber security, despite the fact that they make payments online. They probably have a Paypal account, and their credit card is linked to it, too.
Worst of all, they do not use any security system that protects their personal data from cyber attacks.
A report by AARP Fraud Watch Network noticed some behavior patterns in the behavior of internet users who ignore the importance of cyber security.
All the behavioral patterns are linked to convenience. It is more convenient to save all of the passwords on all of your devices instead of typing them every time.
Also, most of the participants also had the same password for all of their accounts, simply because it is easier to remember one password.
We crafted a guide on how you can protect yourself from cyber attacks and what the most common targets of attacks are.
Small businesses are the most vulnerable
There are many people out there who believe that only NASA should worry about cyber attacks.
The irony lies in the fact that the ones who ignore the importance of cyber security get attacked more often, simply because they are walking targets.
What makes them walking targets?
Most small business owners believe they are insignificant. But they do hold a lot of valuable information without even knowing it.
If you have the Paypal information of your clients and of your workers, then you should start worrying about cyber attacks.
If you avoid doing anything for the security of your website, you should know you are at risk of becoming a target. Not only will you be affected, but your clients and employee too.
Not to mention that you might have to face some legal issues due to negligence. In some cases, people can lose large amounts of money after shopping on your website.
You do not know about the importance of cyber security until you get attacked
Some lessons are better off not learned the hard way.
What most business owners do not know is that a large part of the attacks come from the inside of the company.
As shocking as it sounds, some attackers are easily tempted by easy prey.
Make sure you train your employee not to share important information over the phones, in voicemails or emails that are not secure.
If you still believe you have the Irish’s luck, you should look at the odds of being the next victim.
According to Forbes, over 10 millions of cyber attacks happen every day.
How to protect your business from cyber attacks
You will be surprised by the things people do just because it is more convenient. Besides, everyone does it, right?
Make sure you make a list of don’t’s when training your new employee on the job.
We made a small list of the most common mistakes people make that get both them and the company they work for in big trouble.
1. Watch out for con artists online
Some people connect their devices to public wifi all the time, especially remote workers who enjoy working in coffee shops and other public spaces.
The problem arises when your computer contains vital information, such as your credit card password and the password of a website you own.
This can be extremely dangerous. In public spaces, some people make a “twin” network. You might think you are connecting yourself to the coffee shop’s wi-fi, but you are not.
Someone else carries a small wireless device and renames the network with a name similar as the coffee shop to get access to your information.
Some even purchase from online stores using public wi-fi. This is an open invitation for hackers to access their bank accounts.
What is the moral of the story?
Keep your work laptop away from public wi-fi.
2. Do not save the passwords or use the same password everywhere
Some of us actually use the same password when we subscribe to a newsletter too.
If the owner of the website has bad intentions, he can easily get into your email. Worst of all, he may be able to get into your bank account, simply because you use the same password everywhere.
Make sure you use a password for your smartphone too. Many people get hacked after their smartphone is stolen. Make sure you never use the same password for different devices.
3. Use numbers and symbols in your password
Out of convenience, many users keep the same password over the years. Many use the name of their loved ones in their passwords too. Plus, let us not forget about the “old trick” with your birth date and year as your password.
The importance of cyber security is often set aside just because passwords such as “admin123” are easier to remember.
If you want to stay out of trouble, make sure you change your password every 90 days. Use numbers and symbols, too.
Your should train your employees to aways use sophisticated passwords at their workplace too.
Also, no important information of any kind should be transmitted over unsecured emails and phones.
Wrapping up
Adding an extra layer of security to your business is up to you.
But keep in mind that you are exposing yourself to a huge risk every day by not doing so.
It only gets more complicated when you own a business. If your website gets attacked, your clients might be attacked too, because they shared important information with you while making a purchase.
If you want to find out more about the importance of cyber security and how to defend yourself from attacks, do not hesitate to take a look at our blog.
If you are thinking about improving the security of your business, feel free to contact us with any questions you might have.
