Cybercrime: Is Your Business At Risk?

Businesses announcing a cyber attack or breach is becoming more and more common. The impact of cybercrime on a business can be catastrophic, ranging anywhere from bringing down a website, causing damage to your brand’s reputation and even obtaining all of your customer’s data. Considering UK law states that you are required to protect the data you have on your customers and employees, you can face the risk of a hefty lawsuit if you’re not taking the right steps in trying to prevent such a cyber attack.

How Do You Know If Your Business Is At Risk?

Well, this might sound like a silly answer, but the truth is, we’re all at risk. All you can do is make it as difficult as possible for hackers, ensuring they don’t exploit you for your vulnerabilities.

Smaller businesses especially are at risk as there is a misconception that it takes a lot of money to protect yourself and your business against these cyber criminals, when in fact, there are plenty of protocols you should be following that won’t break the bank. Follow our top tips below on preventing cybercrime:

Update Your Software

There’s a reason your apps are constantly sending you notifications to update them. These minor bug fixes and improvements are there to help protect you and your data. Cyber criminals target the weaknesses of apps and software to find a way in, but these updates are designed to fix any gaps before they can. Update your apps and software as soon as one becomes available.

Use A Password Manager

Are you someone that uses the same password for everything? Despite how strong that password may be, if it becomes known, all of your data, across every platform, is at risk. Consider using a password manager to keep track of all your login information and to generate unique passwords for all of your accounts that will be stored safely so you don’t have to memorise every single one. Make sure you use a strong master password to access your password manager.

“Always use different passwords and never use the same one twice. Use a password manager like Lastpass or Dashlane to keep all of your passwords in a safe place” – Josh Barber, Digital Specialist

Encrypt And Back-Up Data

Encrypting your data will ensure that even if it does end up in the wrong hands, it is rendered practically useless. The majority of operating systems have full-disk encryption software included, so there’s no excuse.

Backing up your data and storing it separately will also ensure that even if a cyber attack occurred and your stored data was deleted or held for ransom, you have all that information still readily available. This will help to bring your website and accounts back to normal more quickly and you can stay one step ahead of the hackers.

Educate Employees

Employees can be one of the biggest causes of data breaches, simply because businesses don’t take the time to explain certain security procedures. Using personal devices for work should be a no-go, but it’s unlikely to stop happening, so instead, make sure your employees understand the importance of using secure networks and websites. Also try to discourage the sharing of passwords with guests and clients.

Use Anti-Malware And Firewall Software

This might seem obvious, but it still gets overlooked. Robust anti-malware tools will catch any viruses when they strike, but you should always ensure you also install a firewall which can prevent the malware from entering your site in the first place. Keep on top of updates and you’ll have a strong chance of preventing cyber attacks.

As a digital agency, we take the security of our clients’ websites and data very seriously. For more information on how you can protect your site and the security procedures we put in place during the web development process, contact us here.