Why are hackers targeting small to mid-size level businesses? There are two main reasons. One is that they are easier. Big companies have become privy to their need to protect customer data. This is not to say that it’s unlikely, as the Target and famous Apple hack leaking celebrity images has proven. But, it is a harder game to uphold. Hackers are digging around in smaller businesses because they are often naïve of the many vulnerabilities out there and they do not have the resources to combat them at a high level. It leaves a lot of small businesses open-wide to attack.
Small companies need to do a few things to immediately combat potential digital threats. This includes building a protective buffer and making sure the company can bounce back quick.
Backup business information and data for tomorrow
If a small business is hacked today, what is going to happen? If the business data is not backed up, it could be lost forever. This could not just cripple a company, but kill it. What a business needs to do, at a minimum, is to backup their data. If a breach occurs, they at least can remain functional for clients. Backing up the data is the first line of defense. As reactive as it is, it’s just a prerequisite for protection.
Build an effort of education
Once the data is backed up, which is the bare essential of business protection, the team should be educated. What is out there? What makes a threat? A threat won’t appear as an email with a skull attached to it. It may appear as a seemingly superfluous attachment. What could be hidden within is a private Trojan that can undermine data entries and root in the business. The team members should be educated on what to spot and what form it can take. The company should take proactive measures. Block certain programs at the backend.
People will steal data. It may not even be a targeted attack. These things have a way of getting out there and taking on a life all their own. Businesses need to backup their contents, firstly, and follow it up with a smart and tactical strategy of education.
