Critical Cyber Security features that your business needs to survive

May 15, 2019  |  Karoline Gore

Recent statistics show that 60% of businesses are forced to suspend operations after a cyber-attack are never able to reopen for business. This is largely due to revenue lost due to downtime as well as damage to the company’s reputation. The good news is that most of these threats can be mitigated with reliable cybersecurity. When it comes to cyberattacks, time is of the essence. Businesses should install systems that will enable them to detect potential threats so as to respond in a timely manner. One of the recommended solutions is a combination of services and products from AT&T Cybersecurity, which provides edge-to-edge protection to enable businesses stay ahead of threats.

Data Breach Prevention

Data breaches happen when cyber criminals successfully attack systems that hold sensitive information. In the case of businesses, this may include crucial information such as employee and customer records. The exfiltration of such data outside organizational boundaries can lead to costly fines and massive monetary losses. This is evident by the fining of Equifax after it experienced a breach that exposed data belonging to 146 million people. However, businesses can employ standard security software such as antivirus and intrusion detection systems to defend against data leakages by monitoring sensitive files and data transfers.

Phishing prevention

Phishing involves the use of digital messages by cyber criminals to steal credit card information, user logins and other types of sensitive data. Cases of phishing attacks have been on the rise and any business on the web can be targeted. As more businesses are aware of the risks posed by suspicious emails and links, hackers have upped the ante by using machine learning to distribute malicious messages with the aim of targeting frail businesses.

Sensitive data can also be compromised by third parties, such as partners and contractors. Businesses should employ effective strategies for finding partners and contractors so as to reduce security risks posed by them. Employee training, installation of security systems and updating of all software are essential methods to greatly reduce phishing attacks.

Ransomware prevention & detection

For many businesses around the world, ransomware can be a nightmare. The average ransomware attack costs a company a whopping $133,000. Cyber criminals make use of malicious software to encrypt a victim’s data and then demand ransoms in order to decrypt the data. Paying these ransoms doesn’t always guarantee access, since criminals cannot be trusted and so businesses should take measures to avoid such situations. One of the measures is to use updated security software, have a good backup and restore plan and also to train employees on how to avoid emails that may carry ransomware.

The importance of cybersecurity cannot be stressed enough. Companies have been reduced to rubble because of inadequate security to their systems. Cyber criminals are employing sophisticated methods to attack businesses. Therefore don’t wait until it's too late, protect your business now.

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