Cybersecurity is becoming more important with time. In the past, only large businesses were paying attention to it. However, now even small businesses need to protect their business from attackers. Most hackers are actually attacking small businesses as they are easy to hack. In 2018, more than 62% of businesses experienced social engineering and phishing attacks. More than 43% of these businesses were actually SMBs. Even small businesses are getting targeted.
The best way to protect your business is by taking preventative measures. Many companies wait for a cyber attack to happen first. They believe in a reactive approach. However, this can hurt your business. Hackers will steal your data easily if you are taking a reactive approach. You should focus on stopping the attacks before they even occur. In this article, we are going to talk about the top 10 cybersecurity threats that can affect your business.
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Malware
Malware is actually a very big term. It contains many types of cybersecurity threats. Malware like viruses and Trojans can cause a lot of problems for your IT systems. Hackers can use them for gaining access to your systems. It will eventually lead to data loss. Also, you can’t recover this data until you have a backup.
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Endpoint attacks
Companies are moving their resources to cloud platforms. Thus, endpoint attacks are increasing with time. SaaS services and BYOD policy is a boon for hackers. They have plenty of methods that they can use for attacking companies.
Companies need to ensure that their off-premise resources are safe. Every hacking attack actually starts from the endpoint. You need to secure your shadow IT applications from attackers. The endpoint is still a very big challenge for organizations.
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Phishing
Phishing is probably the most common hacking method. It is the cheapest way to compromise a target. You might think that you have received an email from your vendor. However, it can be actually a malware.
Employees are now using SaaS services like Salesforce, Office 365, Slack, and Dropbox. Hackers have improved their impersonation skills. They are using more complex attacks like social engineering attacks and credential stuffing. You should educate your employees if you want to protect your business from phishing attacks. They should know how to identify phishing emails.
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Ransomware
In 2019, ransomware attacks caused more than $11.5B in damages. Hackers can send ransomware on your computer by using phishing emails. Your employee might accidentally download it in your systems. This malware will lock your system and you need to pay a ransom for getting your system unlocked. If you are not paying the ransom, then attackers will wipe your system data. However, most companies are not worried about the ransom. Ransomware attacks can disrupt your entire network. Thus, you might face downtime due to these attacks.
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Cloud vulnerabilities
Cloud is a very important platform for companies. You can use cloud technology for reducing your costs. However, there are many security risks associated with cloud services. Cloud services are vulnerable to various hacking attacks. You need to worry about Denial of Service or DoS attacks. It can sometimes lead to data loss. Most companies think that they are safe if they are using cloud security technology. However, even cloud security technology can’t remove all the vulnerabilities. You need a holistic approach to protecting your business.
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Patch Management
Hackers will mostly look for outdated software first. Thus, you should ensure that your applications are up-to-date. You should download software patches in your system. If you are not downloading these software patches, then your business will remain vulnerable to various attacks. Hackers can easily exploit old vulnerabilities that are present in your system.
Most security breaches actually occur due to outdated software. In May 2018, many large companies were hacked by using Windows vulnerability. Microsoft had already released a security patch for the vulnerability. However, many organizations forgot to update their systems due to which they got compromised.
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Weak Passwords
This is another big issue for companies. Most employees are using weak passwords for accessing their accounts. They mostly choose passwords that are too easy to guess. Hackers can run a simple brute force attack for cracking these passwords. If you want to protect your organization, then you should ensure that your employees are using strong passwords. There are many password solutions available in the market. These solutions will ensure that your employees are using strong passwords. You should also use two-factor authentication for protecting your network. It will provide an extra layer of security to your network.
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BYOD problems
Most companies are now implementing BYOD or bring your own device policies. This policy will ensure that your employees can use their personal devices for accessing your network. Businesses can save a lot of money by using this policy. However, businesses don’t have control over these devices. If you are implementing BYOD policy, then you should ensure that every device is protected by firewall and antivirus.
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IoT or Internet of Things
IoT devices can connect to your network. These devices can send, receive, and store data. Most businesses are using IoT devices for decreasing their operational costs. However, they are also vulnerable to hacking attacks. Hackers can easily hack into these devices. Thus, you should ensure that all your IoT devices are secured.
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Mobile Security Threats
Mobile technology has slowly become a big asset for organizations. However, these devices are also vulnerable. According to a report from Crowd Research Partners, more than 20% of organizations have suffered from mobile security breaches. These attacks mostly come from public Wi-Fi networks and malware. Thus, you should ensure that your employee’s devices are secure.
Conclusion
These are the top cybersecurity threats that modern businesses are facing. If you don’t have an IT security strategy, then it will become very difficult to avoid these attacks. Experienced MSPs like Bleuwire can help you in creating your own IT security strategy. This strategy will help you in protecting your network and data from attackers. It will ensure that you don’t need to worry about security breaches. If you need more tips regarding IT security, then you can contact Bleuwire.
Contact us today to learn about Bleuwire™ services and solutions in how we can help your business.
