As we move towards an increasing weightless economy and see a continuing rise in online businesses, so too do we see a rise in the security risks that businesses are now exposed to. The vast majority of, if not all businesses, now rely on technology in some way, shape or form.  Regardless of whether your business uses technology for storing customer information, for accounting purposes or running a fully e-commerce site, the threat of cyber attacks are real and the results of which can not only be costly to a business but completely devastating.

What is a Cyber Threat?

According to the Oxford dictionary definition a cyber threat is: “the possibility of a malicious attempt to damage or disrupt a computer network or system.” This rather simplistic definition fails to convey the numerous categories and methods that come under this umbrella definition and the consequent severity of them.

Cyber threats come in many forms from hacking, infiltration and theft of information or data, ransomware, authentication attacks, phishing and malware to name but a few. These examples are only the tip of the cyber threat iceberg. There are hundreds of different threats existing and new ones created daily and it is not just big businesses that are affected.

How Can I Protect my Business from Cyber attacks?

Be Prepared

The worst thing a business owner can do is to believe that a cyber attack will never happen to them. Whilst you may feel confident that you have put all measure in place to avoid cyber attacks from occurring, it is always best to be prepared by insuring your business against the worst case scenario. Cyber liability insurance is a vital investment for every modern day business, providing protection against financial loss and data recovery.

Install a Firewall

Installing a firewall will protect your computers from malware, a commonly used method that is used to steal important data. Once malware is installed your computer will be at risk of large amounts of data being taken from or even implanted onto your network. A firewall will detect any unusual activity and shut it down immediately.

Change Passwords Regularly

Passwords should be changed regularly – at least every 60 days. A mixture of letters, numbers and symbols is recommended but do ensure that care is taken over where they are noted. Keeping a note by your PC is not recommended!

Want to know more on keeping your business safe from cyber threats? Speak to the experts on the best ways to keep your business safe from online attacks.

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