As the world’s economy changes, businesses are also evolving. More companies are relying more on the internet and automated online platforms for their daily operations, data storage, as well as online selling and payment processing. Although the world wide web offers virtually infinite possibilities, especially in reaching more customers, this shift in how businesses work poses a risk for both large-scale companies and start-ups. Specifically, this exposes them to dangerous online security threats like phishing attacks and ransomware.
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Size Doesn’t Matter
Don’t fall victim to cyber security threats just because you downplayed the size of your start-up, thinking that online hackers only target big corporations and well-known business enterprises. Every entrepreneur is at risk of compromising their online security, particularly their data, which often includes sensitive information.
Better Safe Than Sorry
Every year, it’s estimated that the business industry loses up to USD$400 billion to online attacks. This huge amount of loss can cause businesses to go bankrupt and eventually close. Business owners who don’t want to learn the hard way understand the importance of cyber security and investing in it, making it an integral part of their company.
Professional cyber security companies offer expert services that can help you protect your business against online threats such as ransomware and data breach incidents. You may hire in-house IT specialists or outsource services through cyber security teams, such as this Cyber Security Company, to improve online business operations and develop recovery plans to reduce the impact of a cyberattack in case it occurs.
If you still feel undecided because your business is fairly new, here are 4 signs that will tell you it’s time to hire a cyber security team:
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Your Business Is Growing
When a company is scaling up, its risks grow with it. But it’s also true that when companies focus too much on growing their portfolio and expanding their reach, they tend to overlook online safety practices and cyber security.
For starters, you may create a cyber security program that will prevent your workers from accessing irrelevant sites or clicking on links that may contain malware. This may also help enhance your online system productivity. Then, invest in a reliable IT infrastructure that will help curb breach incidents and prevent confidential information from leaking. Look for antivirus software that can effectively detect computer viruses, so they can be blocked before they even cause harm.
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You Have Been A Victim Once
If you’ve had a cyber-attack before, chances are it’s going to happen again. It’s quite similar to getting your credit card information used by a fraudster: you’ll get your card replaced but fraudsters would still know your personal information, or in this case—your security vulnerability, thereby, allowing hackers to do it repeatedly. This is widely done in phishing scams where cybercriminals would attempt to get sensitive data such as passwords and bank account numbers.
While no one wants to be a victim, there may be times that slip-ups happen. In cases like this, although you might think it’s too late, it’s important to hire cyber security professionals. A team of experts will help you understand what happened, identify weak points, improve your security tools, and establish best practices in the office such as using strong passwords and avoiding malware. You can also talk to a consultant to come up with good prevention strategies such as creating online security awareness programs and a solid recovery plan.
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You Have No Recovery Plans
As they say: ‘failing to prepare is preparing to fail.’ This is especially true with the evolving nature of the IT industry and its tactical risks such as hacking and data leakage. Cyber hackers are also constantly looking for new schemes to get past security programs and steal sensitive information, so it’s ideal to establish a recovery plan to secure your data and mitigate losses in the event of a cyberattack.
Cyberattacks may create devastating effects such as losing your client’s trust and a significant decrease in profits. But your best option is to invest in a reliable recovery system. A recovery plan involves backing up critical data and regularly storing them in external drives or online cloud services.
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Your Business Keeps An Information Bank
Companies working with numerous systems that hold critical and confidential information are at higher risk of cyberattacks. Working with a cyber security team or IT consultant will help your company safeguard sensitive documents and private information by keeping your anti-malware software updated and by putting up a firewall system as an added layer of security. Encrypting your data when sending out messages or e-mails may also help in securing your information against online threats.
The Bottom Line
Business owners, especially start-ups, should invest in improving their security systems and tools to avoid cyberattacks and malware. Cybercrimes are evolving and hackers are constantly finding new ways to steal sensitive data from unknowing victims.
Fortunately, you can always rely on cyber security specialists to secure your business operation systems and lower the risks of data breaches and cyberattacks. It’s also best to align your company’s online security program with every employee and department, as each member plays an integral role in ensuring your business’s safety.
