The Definitive Guide to Cyber Security
Even the smallest businesses run the risk of a cyber attack, so avoid a breach by having the right security in place
As a small-business owner, you may be surprised to hear that your company runs the same risk of being hit by a cyber attack as a big-name brand. While larger enterprises make the headlines when there’s a security breach, because small businesses tend to have less security covering their useful digital assets, they are actually a more lucrative and straightforward target for hackers. Our guide to cybersecurity aims to help you put in place the best practices and security solutions for your business, whatever its size, to ensure it stays safe and secure – no matter what.
Advanced persistent threats, or APTs, aim to target a computer network over a period of time with subtle breaches that will go undetected. In comparison, a DDoS (distributed denial of service) attack performs in the opposite way, overloading a website or network system with requests, ultimately with the aim of shutting it down.
Malware, short for malicious software, is introduced to a network system in order to damage it with a virus or gain unauthorised access.
Ransomware is a type of malware, which can be used to lock your computer – typically a ransom is demanded in order to unlock it again. Hackers can also threaten to release sensitive information if you don’t pay a certain amount.
Email or phishing scams continue to offer the biggest cyber threat to small businesses. These emails typically deliver apparently innocuous Microsoft Word or Excel files that, when opened, download malicious payloads such as ransomware. Symantec’s technology strategist, Mark Shaw, explains the company’s recent findings regarding these scams. “Between 2016 and 2017, our data identified an increase of 44 percent in email threats. As well as software viruses, you can get hit with a ‘financial trojan’ that will steal banking credentials.”
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Malware, short for malicious software, is introduced to a network system in order to damage it with a virus or gain unauthorised access.
Ransomware is a type of malware, which can be used to lock your computer – typically a ransom is demanded in order to unlock it again. Hackers can also threaten to release sensitive information if you don’t pay a certain amount.
Email or phishing scams continue to offer the biggest cyber threat to small businesses. These emails typically deliver apparently innocuous Microsoft Word or Excel files that, when opened, download malicious payloads such as ransomware. Symantec’s technology strategist, Mark Shaw, explains the company’s recent findings regarding these scams. “Between 2016 and 2017, our data identified an increase of 44 percent in email threats. As well as software viruses, you can get hit with a ‘financial trojan’ that will steal banking credentials.”
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How to avoid phishing scams
Phishing scams have been around for about as long as the internet has existed and, with new techniques being developed all the time, they are a successful way for cyber criminals to make a huge amount of money.
Fortunately, you can avoid falling victim to a phishing scam by keeping the three basic guidelines below in mind.
Phishing scams have been around for about as long as the internet has existed and, with new techniques being developed all the time, they are a successful way for cyber criminals to make a huge amount of money.
Fortunately, you can avoid falling victim to a phishing scam by keeping the three basic guidelines below in mind.
1. Consider the source and think before you click: Is the email from someone you know? If not, take extra caution and avoid opening attachments or urgent requests. “The best defence is a wary employer,” says Shaw. “The age-old mantra applies: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”
2. Investigate a link by hovering over it to determine if it’s from a reputable or malicious website: Some links can direct you to a copycat website that looks exactly like the real one, and will try and entice you to give up your banking or other credentials. Don’t fall for it.
3. Install an Anti-Phishing Toolbar: It’s completely free and will run a quick check on the sites you are visiting and compare them to lists of known phishing sites, alerting you if anything’s malicious.
2. Investigate a link by hovering over it to determine if it’s from a reputable or malicious website: Some links can direct you to a copycat website that looks exactly like the real one, and will try and entice you to give up your banking or other credentials. Don’t fall for it.
3. Install an Anti-Phishing Toolbar: It’s completely free and will run a quick check on the sites you are visiting and compare them to lists of known phishing sites, alerting you if anything’s malicious.
Adopt these security solutions to help prevent attacks
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- Install anti-virus software: High-quality firewalls or anti-spyware protect your computer from outside intruders. A desktop firewall and a network firewall work hand-in-hand to reduce hackers’ and phishers’ ability to infiltrate your systems by scanning every file that comes through the internet to your computer. “Ensure you have reputable security software,” says Shaw. “And above all, ensure this software is up-to-date so it can offer suitable defence against ever-evolving cyber threats.”
- Check your online accounts regularly to ensure all transactions are legitimate: “Hackers could be having a field day with online accounts you don’t check into,” says Shaw. “Get into the habit of changing passwords on a regular basis.”
- Don’t ignore browser updates: These will have been released in response to security loopholes that phishers and hackers have discovered. So, the next time an update is available, download and install it straight away.
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Best business practises you can put in place straight away
Tell us
What cyber security measures have you put in place to prevent your business from coming under attack? Share your experiences in the Comments section, like and save this story, and share it with your employees to help safeguard your company’s cyber security.
- Train all employees regularly: Organise regular and ongoing cyber security awareness training for your employees so they stay up-to-date with advances and are alert to new scams.
- Never give out your personal information or any banking details: If you’re concerned about a request, call the company directly to check it out.
- Ensure you regularly backup all important data: “Often the only way to recover from a ransomware attack is to restore from backup,” says Shaw. “It’s also advisable to perform regular ‘test’ restores to confirm that backups are valid.”
Tell us
What cyber security measures have you put in place to prevent your business from coming under attack? Share your experiences in the Comments section, like and save this story, and share it with your employees to help safeguard your company’s cyber security.
As hackers and their technology continue to evolve and advance at pace, there’s always a new type of cyber threat lurking in the shadows. However, it’s worth being aware of the most frequently deployed cyber attacks so you can look out for them.