No business is safe in today’s cyber world. As more cybercriminals depend on sophisticated technologies, some business owners often feel hopeless as their critical assets and confidential data fall prey to cyber-attacks.
Adopting emerging technologies, such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things, has also added complexity to existing risks, making businesses more vulnerable to cyber threats. Other than causing severe financial damage, cyber threats may result in lawsuits, regulatory penalties, business continuity disruptions, and reputational damage.
Fortunately, you can consider various solutions and practices to prevent the potential damage of cyber threats. If you don’t know where to start, understanding more about IT & cybersecurity from AT-net can help you determine the best possible solution for your online security needs.
At present, there are countless cybersecurity threats your business should be aware of, and these include the following:
- Malware Attacks
One of the common cybersecurity threats that you should know about is malware. This is another term for malicious code attackers use to steal data, access networks, or destroy systems. Typically, it comes from spam emails, malicious website downloads, and other infected devices.
Malware attacks can damage small businesses as they can cripple devices that require costly replacements or repairs. They may also provide hackers with a back door to steal your company’s data, putting your employees and customers at risk.
It’s essential to have a robust technological defense in place to prevent a malware attack and protect your business. For example, you can consider an endpoint protection solution to protect your devices from malicious downloads and provide your admins with a centralized panel to manage every device and ensure up-to-date security.
- Denial of Service (DoS)
It’s another cybersecurity threat that floods a network or device, so it can’t quickly respond to any request. It works the same as a distributed DoS (DDoS), but the only difference is that the attack originates from a computer network.
Cybercriminals must use a flood attack to disrupt when launching a DoS. Although you can use some techniques, other cyber attackers take advantage when a network is disabled to carry out a DoS.
- Phishing
In phishing attacks, cybercriminals steal data, such as social security numbers, bank details, and passwords. Generally, these attacks happen via text messages or emails that look legit and reliable.
Phishing can be disastrous for businesses, especially if you’re only starting in the market. So, to keep your business and customers safe, it’s crucial to create a cybersecurity plan and stay up-to-date with the current cybersecurity trends. This way, you can quickly determine a malicious email and avoid phishing attacks as much as possible.
- Man-In-The-Middle Attacks
In this cybersecurity threat, attackers listen to the user’s communication through your website. For instance, if your customer uses a mobile device with an unsecured wireless internet connection, attackers may intercept the internet communications and pretend to be your customers. Once it happens, the attackers can access your customer’s data, including their bank account information.
- Ransomware
As its name suggests, ransomware is a cyber threat that holds the confidential data of a business for ransom. It includes credit card details, passwords, and other personal information or valuable assets.
The ransom should be paid within a day or two to avoid losing confidential data. Usually, the cost of ransom may vary depending on the targets or how valuable the information is.
- Insider Threats
Another cybersecurity threat your business must be aware of is an insider threat. Unlike some cyber threats, an insider threat is due to the actions of your company’s associates, business contractors, former employees, or current employees. These individuals may access your data and cause harmful effects to your organization through carelessness, malice, greed, or ignorance.
Thus, investing in cybersecurity awareness training can make a difference in stopping attacks caused by ignorance. In addition, it may help your employees to spot early signs of attacks.
- Password Hacking
You’re probably aware of the risks of using common or easy-to-guess passwords. However, password theft is still an ongoing cybersecurity issue because not all make an effort to create complicated passwords. Hence, if you don’t want to be a victim of cybercriminals, it’s better to protect your account using smart password choices.
Remember that cyber attackers use high-speed programs that can retrieve passwords quickly. Such programs are often successful for accounts that use common passwords like birthdays or other personal information. Therefore, include a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols when creating a password.
Wrapping Up
These are only some cybersecurity threats you should know as a business owner. Although there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to combat cyber-attacks, it’s not impossible to protect your business against such threats.
Depending on your business needs, you can invest in regular cybersecurity awareness training and comprehensive sets of security tools. They will keep your valuable data secure and help you run a worry-free business.
