10 Cyber Security Problems SMBs are Facing – Your Checklist to Help Stop Cyber Attacks
Despite potential catastrophic consequences of cyber attacks, organisations are not treating cyber security like an organisation-ending, bottom-line financial threat. Hackers now target organisations of all sizes and in all industries. Here are 10 cyber security questions you should ask yourself to help determine your level of risk.
1. Have you identified your organisation as a target?
It is not always obvious to small businesses that their assets and data are attractive to cyber criminals. Implementing even basic levels of cybersecurity can reduce the likelihood of attacks by up to 80% and would be a huge step in the right direction for many organisations. Recognising that cyber attackers might come after your company is step number one to developing a defence.
2. Does your business have remote workers?
With more people working from home and other locations than ever before, there is a greater chance of breaches from hackers. Multifactor authentication (MFA) and Conditional Access compliance policies which restrict what devices can access your data are examples of simple ways to add protective barriers from malicious attackers.
3. Are all of your corporate devices protected with antivirus and anti-malware software?
Any device used in your organisation, whether owned by the company or employees, should have the latest versions of antivirus and anti-malware software. This doesn’t always prevent attacks, but it’s the essential last layer of cybersecurity to protect your devices.
4. Do your employees know how to recognise phishing emails?
Phishing are a common type of attack designed to fool your users in to giving away sensitive data. Make sure your employees follow the major anti-phishing policy to not to click on links in phishing emails.
5. Do you back up your apps and data?
Its essential that your business has a rollback plan in place in the event the worst happens. Those backups need to be safe from ransomware attacks on site, and in the event your site is no longer available. Prevent human error shutting your business down with an effective backup strategy.
6. Do you have patch management process in place?
A patch management process consists of identifying, acquiring, installing, and verifying patches for products and systems. Keeping security patches up to date allows you to reduce exposure to cyber attacks. That’s not just for your operating system, but all of those 3rd party applications which are still running on vulnerable versions.
7. Are your employees cautious about providing sensitive information?
Hackers often impersonate other employees and request sensitive data. Make sure your employees are aware of the procedures to verify requests are authenticated via an approved source before providing information.
8. Are you treating cyber security like an IT issue instead of a financial issue?
Many business owners still treat cyber security like an IT issue. In 2022, the approach to security really about the bottom line. The average cost of a single record involved in a data breach and total cost both hit a seven-year high in 2022 (IBM report 2022). The cost of a cyber-attack is not only financial, but reputation and operations take a significant hit when your business is offline recovering from an avoidable attack.
9. Do you limit admin access to only those employees who truly need it?
The more people who have admin access, the greater your security risk. Make sure that your admins are well-trained in cyber-security, have their accounts protected with MFA, separate to their day to day user accounts and are never shared with other users.
10. Do you use WordPress platform for your business?
WordPress sites are frequently targeted by hackers. You can improve cyber security by only using the latest version of WP. Additionally, make sure any plugins you use are updated as well.
These are some essential cyber security questions to ask yourself and your employees to help you measure your safety when it comes to cyber security. If you answered “no” to any of these questions, it’s time to make some changes and upgrade your security. One of the first steps of the journey is to consider a security assessment. Galtec are pleased to boast a comprehensive array of security partners and associated resources designed to help you create an end-to-end cyber security plan – speak to an experts!
