Cyber-attacks have become a widespread problem in today’s digital environment. Even the most well-defended organisations and establishments are not immune to security breaches. Cyber-attacks can occur at any time, with varying levels of sophistication and persistence. Although the risk of cyber attacks can never be eliminated, it is important that you put in as many mitigations as possible in place to reduce the risk to your business.
Out of Date Hardware and Software
By using technology that has out of date hardware or software, you are putting your business at risk of cyber security breaches. Hardware and software are constantly evolving as technology becomes more advanced, but also to increase security against cyber threats as they are discovered. Every day, thousands of vulnerabilities and threats are discovered, and cyber security professionals work constantly to create updates to protect your technology against these threats. By keeping your software up to date, you are ensuring your business is as protected as possible against these threats. Over time, hardware will also become outdated. Older technology will not be compatible with new software, and manufactures will stop providing support and updates, putting your business at risk of security breaches. It is important that you keep both your hardware and software up to date to protect your business against the latest cyber security threats.
Human Error
It is common knowledge that one of the biggest risks to cyber security, and the biggest cause of security breaches is due to human error. Whether this is falling victim to realistic phishing scams, or using weak passwords, it is often little mistakes that can lead to your business’s biggest security breaches. With technology and scams becoming more sophisticated, mistakes like these are becoming more common. It is important that you and your staff are educated on the latest cyber security risks, and scam tactics, to reduce the risk of human error leading to cyber security breaches.
Phishing
Phishing scams are one of the most damaging and widespread cyber security threats. Phishing attacks occur when someone pretends to be someone you or your business knows and contacts your business usually by email. The aim is to gain access to customer details, business information, or financial data. Technology such as antispam software can prevent many phishing emails from reaching your inbox, but for the ones that are sophisticated and look realistic, some may still make it through the spam filter. One of the best ways to combat this is to make sure your staff are educated on the risks of phishing attacks and learn how to spot phishing emails. You can find out how to spot phishing emails here.
Physical Threats
With most of the focus on software or online threats, it is often easy to forget the physical factors that may affect the cyber security of your business. Internal threats such as hardware failure and damage can cause a loss of business data. This can also be caused by disasters including fires and floods. It is essential that you have an effective backup system in place to prevent loss of data. You can find out about effective backup systems for your business here. External threats such as burglary can lead to your company data being in unsafe hands. Your data should be backed up as well as encrypted and protected with strong passwords to prevent loss and misuse of data.
Find out how you can protect your business against cyber security threats by speaking to our expert team.
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About Carrera UK
Carrera UK provide IT support, IT services, and telecoms to small businesses in Portsmouth & Southampton in Hampshire, and across the South of England.
We offer a complete suite of IT and telecoms service solutions for small and medium-sized businesses, including IT support, website design, social media management and cyber security.
We know how important IT is to your business and we will work hard as your trusted IT and telecom service provider to find the best solutions for you. Our IT support and solutions give you the assurance that your business technology will be robust, reliable, and cost-effective.
