Why cyber security is important
In today’s climate of ever-increasing cyber crime, all small business owners have to be vigilant about protecting their confidential information. This means that it’s more important than ever to make sure your company’s cyber security is up to date for the following reasons:
What does cyber security involve?
Cyber security consists primarily of technologies and practices that keep computer systems safe from viruses or other types of information theft. This type of crime is committed by hackers who want access to your personal data so they can take control over what you do on the internet- whether it’s doing your accounts online or communicating with clients via email. In this modern age where so much that we do happens through cyberspace, including sensitive activities such as banking, making sure that yours and your clients’ private information stays protected has become essential.
While Exi-Go can provide comprehensive and up-to-date support packages, the vast majority of cyber attacks result from human error so cyber security technology must work in tandem with education. For this reason, the first step is always to educate your employees on ways to prevent letting hackers in. Here at Exi-Go, we have a series of free and easy to follow training videos to support you in this.
We can even provide a 24-hour surveillance solution providing a powerful two-pronged approach to cyber security.
Types of cyber attacks
Cyber attacks come in the following forms:
Malware: Malicious software designed to steal access to data by disrupting computers or servers.
Phishing: The sending of fraudulent messages, usually by email, to try and fool recipients into providing passwords to install malware. Phishing scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated and harder to spot.
Ransomware: A form of malware that encrypts files and systems, making them unusable. The perpetrators then demand ransom in exchange for decryption or getting your devices back to normal.
Viruses: The most common form of cyber attack is a harmful program intended to spread from one computer or device to another to give the attacker access to the systems. Many viruses masquerade as authentic applications or websites but damage the computer system, steal data and disrupt downloads or services.
The importance of cyber security for businesses
Financial and reputational cost
Recovering from a cyber breach can be costly in terms of the money and time needed to get systems up and running as usual again. However, the true (and potentially far more damaging) cost can involve your reputation. Once your clients and the wider public become aware your business has become the victim of a cyber attack, it can be very difficult to reassure them that their sensitive data will be safe in your hands in the future.
Smarter hackers
Just as phishing emails have become harder to identify by potential victims, malware attacks on companies have become increasingly sophisticated and prevalent, meaning it’s crucial to invest in a fit for purpose cyber security system that evolves with the ever-changing threat. Not only that, businesses need to have to have a robust response strategy in place in the event that a data breach does happen. The government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2021 which showed that 2 in 5 UK businesses (39%) had experienced a cyber attack in the last 12 months, starkly illustrates the extent of the issue. Unfortunately, due to the human error factor, data breaches will always be a possibility, but ensuring you have the best possible cyber security measures in place will significantly slash the odds of your business falling victim to cyber crime.
Vulnerabilities
Put simply, the more activities that are done online, the more opportunities are given to cyber criminals. While technology has made our lives easier, conducting so much of our working lives online has made us more vulnerable to being watched, and our movements tracked.
If not managed and monitored by those with the expertise to do so, everything connected to the internet, even if it is password-protected, can expose weaknesses in the security system and cause a breach. For that reason, investing in thorough and frequent checks and installing software to safeguard against problems should always be a top priority for any SME business owner.
Legal obligations
Ever since the Data Protection Act 2018 was introduced, business owners have been aware of their important legal duties when storing, handling and using customer information. Again, the reputational and financial cost of a data breach cannot be underestimated, so educating employees about GDPR and backing it up with fit for purpose systems is essential.
Cyber security support you can trust
Here at Exi-Go, our clients trust us to install and manage the anti cyber crime security systems they need to hold their clients’ data securely and run their businesses with peace of mind.
As over 75% of cyber attacks start with an email, we offer a free email audit so that you can take the first steps towards making your business cyber secure. To find out more about this or to talk to us in more detail about the cyber security support we offer, please contact us here.