Major corporations all around the world have been victims of cybercrime in recent years, ranging from data breaches to unauthorized access to financial accounts, to digital impersonations of CEOs, and everything in between. Companies of all types, sizes and industries are at risk, from new small-to-medium-sized businesses to established organizations.
Cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated and strategic, but many businesses are not doing enough to protect themselves from these threats, which may have a catastrophic effect on their reputation and finances. If you’re a small business owner or leader of a large organization, you must choose to protect your organization. Nuvera Business IT can help guide you on where to invest in cybersecurity.
Phishing & Spoofing Attacks
We’ve covered phishing & spoofing attacks in more detail in this post, but they are worth mentioning again as they are two of the most sophisticated email techniques cybercriminals use to breach business networks.
Phishing is the most likely way cybercriminals will be able to breach your network. They rely
a lot on employee error, as these emails appear to be legitimate requests from banks, subscription sites and any other well-known businesses the email recipient may use. Hackers send phishing emails to steal confidential emails such as passwords and account details to help breach your business’ important data.
Spoofing is a type of phishing scam that appears to be sent from a high-ranking official within the company. Hackers will research your company for names and email addresses of CEOs and other members of the management team to try and trick employees into clicking links, attachments or sending confidential information.
Ransomware Threats
For numerous years, businesses have been afflicted by ransomware. Companies have lost millions of dollars in ransom payments as a result of successful attacks, motivating hackers to keep utilizing and perfecting these tactics. Unfortunately, businesses of all sizes are subject to Ransomware attacks, as even Kaseya and Garmin were recently affected.
Ransomware is becoming increasingly more sophisticated and poses a great threat to your business, as you may never recover from the downtime, recovery and money lost.
Remote Worker Security
Professionals that operate remotely, from traveling salesman to telework professionals, may
be vulnerable due to insufficient network perimeter and endpoint protection. As more workers prep to work remotely following COVID-19, these security vulnerabilities will become more of a target for hackers.
Many of the security protections in place at your company are typically absent in remote work locations. Securing your computer network and its links to various computers, phones, tablets, servers, databases, and more will be of the utmost importance.
Social Engineering
Social engineering is a deception method that takes advantage of human error to acquire access to private information, goods, or both. These “human hacking” scams are commonly used in cybercrime to trick unsuspecting individuals into disclosing data, spreading malware infections, or granting access to restricted systems. Attacks might take place online, in person, or through other means.
This process can be completed in a single email or over the course of several months through a series of social media chats. It might even be a face-to-face encounter. However, it all comes down to a decision your employee makes, such as providing business information or exposing themselves to infection. Many employees are unaware that hackers can gain access to many networks and accounts with only a few pieces of information.
Weak Passwords
Employees that use weak or readily guessed passwords are another major hazard to small businesses. Companies use a variety of cloud-based services, each of which requires a separate account. Sensitive data and financial information are frequently stored in these platforms, and this data can be compromised if you use passwords that are easily guessed or the same password for many accounts.
How Your Business Can Stay Protected
Staying protected from these sophisticated attacks takes a mixture of hardware, software and employee due diligence. There are a number of products and services Nuvera offers to protect your business from threats and simplify security management.
Firewalls
Ensure your network is protected with a top-of-the-line defense that quickly identifies and eliminates threats before they jeopardize your business.
Endpoint & VPN Security
Protect yourself against sophisticated attacks at every endpoint, regardless of where users connect to your network, including traveling salesmen and other remote teleworkers.
Cloud Security
Secure your cloud computing platforms by ensuring the privacy and security of data across internet infrastructure, apps, and platforms.
Password Security
Using multi-factor authentication, easily secure access to a Virtual Private Network (VPN), email, and any other software that employees may use.
Email Security
Business owners and managers need to control email security. Breaches through malicious phishing and spoofing attacks are becoming more prevalent across industries of all sizes.
Protecting your business from cybercriminals is a full-time job that should be handled by an employee with IT expertise. If you don’t have the time and resources to stay informed about the latest network security threats and trends, you should outsource your IT to Nuvera. We provide local industry experts who will fully manage your IT in-person or remotely. Let’s connect with a free consultation.