With the help of the Internet, entrepreneurs are building successful businesses of all sizes all over the world. In today’s electronically connected world, businesses are no longer limited to those in their geographic area. Consumers from every corner of the globe can purchase your products online and become lifelong customers. Unfortunately, these opportunities also leave many small businesses at risk for cyberattacks, making it even more necessary for companies to have some type of cybersecurity in place before disaster strikes.
Most Common Types of Cyberattacks
A cyberattack refers to several ways in which a criminal may damage or access sensitive information from a networked device or computer. In order to protect your business, you should be familiar with the most common types of cyberattacks.
•Spyware – Criminals may place spyware on a computer, even without your knowledge. Such software collects sensitive information through recording of the keystrokes, often including social security and credit card numbers. This is a common method for those in the business of identity theft or credit card fraud.
•Viruses – The most common type of cyberattack, these are loaded onto a phone or computer without the user’s knowledge. Often, the user is enticed to download the virus through an attachment in an email. Viruses may corrupt or delete files once they are downloaded, and new ones pop up every day.
•Bots, Trojans and Keyloggers – These applications may seem benign or even useful to the user, who is typically encouraged to download some type of attachment that carries malware or viruses. Applications such as these can compromise data security by sending sensitive information to another party, and may also destroy computer files.
•Phishing – Phishing is the process of using a fake website or a site consistently mistyped by users in order to obtain personal information from an individual. In business terms, phishers may try to get one of your employees to give up sensitive information or passwords.
•Pharming – When a website is accessed, a pharming attack may redirect the user to a fraudulent website that looks similar to the intended one. Criminals install malware on the fraudulent site and download any personal information given by users to what they believe is a credible site.
These are the most common and basic types of cyberattacks in the small business world. While you are building your business, you are particularly susceptible to these types of attacks, and should always be aware of the best ways to prepare for them.
Cybersecurity Tips for Small Businesses
The FCC has a few cybersecurity tips that will help to protect your business:
•Keep employees trained in company security practices
•Include firewall security with your Internet connection
•Use secure Wi-Fi networks
•Always have a backup of all relevant, important business information and data
•Create a specific user account for each employee
•Control all physical access to your network or computers
•Update software regularly and keep machines as clean as possible
•Have a mobile device action plan in place
•Limit authority for employees who can access sensitive information and data
•Have employees change their passwords regularly, and always have each employee create a unique password
As the Internet evolves and continues to change, so do the criminals who use cyberattacks to target businesses. It may seem like each time you put a plan into place, it has to be updated in order to prevent future attacks. This is because of the constantly changing nature of the Internet and the criminals themselves.
Don’t Take Chances With Your Small Business
As you work hard to build your business and create unique products that your customers are passionate about, don’t take chances with your future. Put a plan in place to deal with cyberattacks early, and stay updated on the latest in trends regarding cybersecurity.
The content on our website is only meant to provide general information and is not legal advice. We make our best efforts to make sure the information is accurate, but we cannot guarantee it. Do not rely on the content as legal advice. For assistance with legal problems or for a legal inquiry please contact you attorney.