By William Benetton
When thinking about cybersecurity and data breaches, most of us tend to agree that’s something that targets big companies. With victims such as Twitter, EasyJet, Zoom, or Nintendo, you may think cyber criminals never go for small businesses. Well, we hate to break it to you, but that’s wrong. Any small business is just as likely to get targeted by hackers, and the success rate is much higher compared to established names that invest heavily in protection.
What does Cybersecurity Mean for a Small Business?
Cybersecurity has the same meaning and importance, no matter the size of your company. It’s the process of applying protective layers to keep your computers, networks, and programs safe from any type of digital attack. There are various ways to achieve a good level of cybersecurity, and this topic goes hand in hand with the one of small business and entrepreneurship.
Cybercrime can have a dramatic impact on a small business with effects in all the important departments. The economic costs are obviously the ones that worry entrepreneurs the most. However, reputational and regulatory costs are just as real and could do even more damage in the long run.
Protecting Your Small Business Against Cybercrime
In recent years, the concepts of small business and technology have gone hand in hand. And while technology is a great means of progress, it can come with downsides as well if not used properly. Here’s where cybersecurity jumps in and helps entrepreneurs transform those small business ideas into great companies that help make the world better. But how do you actually protect your business against cybercrime?
Staff Education
There are lots of small business examples out there that get hit by hackers, be it the industry or domain. No matter if we talk about a small business vs startup, the main threat for data breaches in any company is human error. For hackers to be able to access your system, someone from the network has to run an app or click a link they received via email or any other means of digital communication.
That’s why staff education is vital to protect your company from cybercrime. No matter if you go for a meeting or a workshop to explain the threats, it’s imperative that you raise awareness among your employees.
Focus on clickjacking and phishing attacks as these are the most common among cybersecurity breaches in a small business. However, it won’t hurt exploring topics like social engineering, typosquatting, DDoS attack, and ransomware as well.
Implement a TPRM Solution
Lots of small business grants include funds for implementing third-party risk management solutions. Similar to what the people over at free bingo are doing when assessing the risks and benefits. A risk management solution will help you handle risk and keep your company safe. Various solutions are available, and you won’t spend a fortune either, depending on your needs. However, when it comes to small business management, these risk management solutions offer accessible packs that include all aspects for strong protection.
Know the Tools to Protect Your Business
If you don’t have the budget for a TPRM solution, you should work with your IT department to make sure you’re taking all the measures needed to keep your company safe. Even if it’s mostly technical stuff, you’ll have to familiarize yourself with things like:
- Web app firewall
- Log Manager
- Content Delivery Network (useful against DDoS attacks)
- Week Passwords Detection
- Vulnerability Scans
- Software to Monitor Data Breach
Final Thoughts on Cybersecurity for Small Businesses
Trying to run a small business is hard enough without cybersecurity and other digital threats. However, it’s a reality that can’t be overlooked if you want to be successful. The digital world brings lots of small business opportunities but also comes with many challenges.
The good news is that cybersecurity awareness reached record levels in 2021, and this culture will continue to spread. The array of online solutions to keep your company safe is getting wider, and this means it’s becoming more affordable to get the best tools to protect your valuable data.
If you’ve dealt with cybercrime and want to share your experience, we’re inviting you to the comments section right away. There are endless ways to address this topic, and all your input will help readers get a better idea of what to expect.
About the Author
William Benetton is a famous writer, professional photographer and web-designer. Last few months he has been creating interesting, informative blogs and websites. If you want to contact William, please check his Facebook. He can’t imagine his life without sport, travel and morning coffee.