Cybersecurity Is Essential For Businesses
In recent years, there’s been a steady increase in the number of cybersecurity attacks taking place nationwide. According to the annual Norton report, last year, over 60% of companies worldwide experienced phishing and social engineering attacks. Unfortunately, as a result of the global pandemic, the financial motivation behind these cybercrimes is more prevalent than ever before.
Cybercriminals are constantly developing new ways to trick their victims and systems alike, leading to data breaches. The AME Group studies indicated that almost 70% of business owners expressed concern that they felt they were becoming more vulnerable to cybercrime, and 2020 statistics revealed that only 10% of businesses were properly protected.
Today, cybersecurity should be the number one IT priority for businesses no matter how big or small. In an ever-changing digital world, technological threats are constantly advancing and proliferating. Cyber security is notoriously misunderstood and unfortunately, no business is immune to breaches in security. Here at Nutbourne, we offer extensive cybersecurity support in London, and further afield. We wanted to look at the issue in more detail.
Rising Ransomware
Ransomware is just as unfavourable as it sounds. It’s malware is designed to threaten and access your data, or perpetually block access to it, unless a ransom is paid. This can put your business in a stressful and financially difficult predicament; leaving you out of control and at the instruction of cybercriminals.
Breaches of privacy within a company can cause a lot of problems and cybercriminals know this, hence why they often get their asking price. A fundamental, legal requirement that every company must adhere to is the most recent GDPR regulations. Disregarding reputable cybersecurity not only makes you an easy target but could make you non-compliant. Even before a cyber-attack, this places you at risk of losing staff and clients but incurring substantial fines from the ICO. There is a lot at stake, so specialist help is essential to reduce complexity and ensure optimum results.
Protecting your business against such attacks is not impossible, but you must be diligent. Regular data backups should be mandatory. It’s imperative that you use an offline or cloud-based backup, otherwise the ransomware can spread to those backups over the network in the same way they did your original files. Additionally, simple strategies such as two-step authentications can limit the spread of harmful malware and if user information is stolen, it can’t then be reused.
Phishing Attacks
As society becomes more digitally educated and financially driven, phishing attacks and spam tactics are evolving and increasing with each day. It is the most common way in which harmful malware, like ransomware, can latch on and spread throughout business systems.
Phishing takes place in a number of ways, but most commonly gains access to a business through emails. In 2019, it was revealed that 92% of malware was delivered via email. In light of this extremely high statistic, it’s worth noting that legitimate companies will never request sensitive data via email and any URLs sent will match their actual site, as opposed to the slightly different URLs spammers use.
Although most common in the form of emails, phishing can take place outside of this field. Hackers are now using punycode, a lookalike method which sees remarkably similar domain names linking to a fraudulent, malware-infested site, gaining access to your private information in seconds. It’s important to be vigilant and if something looks suspicious, it probably is.
Having standard anti-virus software within your business could certainly help you maintain security short term, but with consistent new threats ready to strike at any time, it’s no longer enough to keep your systems secure. At Nutbourne, we work with specialist providers such as Barracuda, Mimecast and Microsoft ATP to implement and manage the correct cybersecurity solutions London for your business.
Educating To Prevent User Error
Most commonly, it is in fact user error that allows malware threats to find their way into a business. A staggering 95% of cybersecurity London attacks are a result of some kind of human error. We all make mistakes, and the likelihood is more so if the threat is presenting itself in disguise. It could be a simple click on a deceiving link, or not updating your systems as soon as required.
Surprisingly, standard protocols like passwords are still not being implemented in companies. This offers cybercriminals an all access route into your business’ systems. A simple security measure is to make sure all company passwords are strong and cannot be easily guessed.
Time and again, these mistakes are made, but it is clear that these issues stem from a lack of awareness as opposed to a lack of professionalism. In order to tackle growing cybercrime numbers, training on the importance of cybersecurity solutions is crucial to the modern-day workplace.
The Power Of Proactivity
Unfortunately, you can’t stop a cyber attack once it’s happened. At Nutbourne, we recommend proactiveness. You need to be prepared should something like this ever happen to your business. Realistically, our digital world is only going to become increasingly prone to cybercriminals and hackers, so take the correct preventative measures now.
Often, things go wrong when companies don’t seek the help they require from the get go. London cybersecurity specialists can, not only guide you in the right direction with the protection you may need, but their expertise in such a complex sector will prove a valuable investment to your company. We aim to educate and support all our clients, to ensure not only maximum security but greater customer satisfaction.
Proactive security monitoring is a critical component of a fully functioning IT facility. By having the security in place, you automatically minimise the risks against emerging cyber threats. Our monitoring services can oversee your systems 24/7 and react to threats immediately to mitigate damage. Our team of experts will respond to alerts quickly and efficiently, providing you with ultimate peace of mind.
Contact Us
A successful and reputable business is one that prioritises its cybersecurity. If you’d like more information about London-based cybersecurity solutions, please contact us or call us on 02031377273 to speak to one of our experts today.