A decade ago any cyber related issue was passed on to the IT department since they were only deemed suitable to handle it. As with all things, the nature of cyber-attacks has also evolved drastically and it is no longer confined to be configured by your IT department. Almost all of your online business operations are susceptible to this threat. With new inventive tools at their disposal, cyber criminals are posing major risks to everyone around especially those dealing with online operations and digital data.
As it sounds, the scenario is quite bleak, especially if it involves everything that you have invested in your online entity. However, there are some important measures that you can take to control the damage level. But before you do that you must be wondering that why should cyber threats be a concern for a business owner in the first place? If you never got attacked by a cyber-attack, you are probably never going to have it because of the nature of your business. Right? Wrong.
Cyber-attacks are pretty much your concern as much as they are IT department’s headache.
Here’s why:
Digital Age And Its Challenges
While the digital age has opened doors for immense opportunities, it has also presented modern-day businesses with challenges they had not encountered earlier. With most of the businesses with a some degree of online operations, they are a direct target for cyber criminals. And then there are some business that entirely run online and generate huge revenue from their sales.
But this is only one side of the coin. On the flip side, if you pause to notice you will get to know that most of your actions are performed through online portals. From your online banking information to your social media accounts, everything about you is being stored in cloud servers and that too with your consent. Considering the magnitude of the information that is being saved up and can be accessed by cyber criminals is what makes online security a foremost priority.
A little negligence here or there and it can play havoc for you. Whether it’s breach of contract or some loss of valuable information, some spilled beans is all you need for your reputation and hard work to go down the drain.
Lost customers, bad reputation and monetary losses are the foremost repercussions of this cardinal sin in the digital world.
Let’s Look At Some Real Facts
To have a better understanding of the magnitude of problems mishandled cyber-security brings for us, let’s talk about some hard-hitting facts. Findings from a report by Telstra Cyber Security shows that nearly 60 percent of Asian enterprises were faced with the problem of security breaches every month. This is a little eye-opener for those who doubt the frequency of cyber-related crimes.
And this doesn’t end here.
The more we embrace the digital wave, the more we give away our information to a multitude of gadgets and devices. For instance, you don’t simply rely on your desktop to perform your business. You consider using your laptop, mobile and even smartwatch to occasionally perform some tasks. This way you are sharing your business information on multiple devices, which may be a great way for an attacker to access them with spiteful intentions.
Whether your website is small or large, it is vulnerable to a cyber-attack. This information alone makes us realize the importance of cyber security.
In 2017 a software named WannaCry ransom infected more than 200,000 computers around 150 countries, causing a loss of millions of dollars. This makes cyber-security everyone’s problem.
The Ground Reality
With our information spread everywhere on the web and the rapid advances in the digital realm, it is very challenging to keep your data secure. To make matters worse, while digital advancement is helping businesses to grow, it is also providing new technologies to cybercriminals that enables to penetrate easily in to your most guarded systems. The nature of these attacks vary as well; most often cybercriminals are hired by competitors for breaking into your trade secrets to disrupt your business functions.
Cybercrime Is A Worldwide Concern
With more and more businesses embracing the opportunities of the digital world, they have become increasingly aware of the risks that they are faced with online. There are many cybersecurity firms that provide specialized softwares in keeping the security of your organization intact. Now, most of the companies consider investing in a sound security system as an absolute must.
It’s not just the businesses that are becoming more cybercrime aware. In fact most of the customers who shop online are acknowledge the fact that their information is at risk if the shopping portal they are using is not safeguarded against cyber-attacks. It would be surprising for many businesses to know that cybersecurity is an integral factor that helps decide the customer whether he should make the purchase from a particular business or not.
Dealing online business keeps your credibility and investment on stake. Despite efforts to safeguard your business online, there are many examples of companies being attacked such as Yahoo, Equifax and Sony causing them damage beyond repair. Therefore, when it comes to the security of your business, it is important that you include everyone in your team to be fully equipped to face this global problem.
What Can You Do About It?
As a business, it is no longer an option to consider suitable measures to safeguard your business. While opting for a strong security system for your online operations is a good way to protect your data, it is very important that you educate your employees to be fully prepared to deal with possible threats in a professional manner.
For instance, if some of your employees are entitled to access sensitive information, they should make sure that all the devices they use to access the information should be password protected.
In order to make sure that you recover your lost devices, it is very important to use remote tracking software. Employees should also be wary of the threats that come along with social media e.g. faulty links with malicious software.
When your employees access websites on work desktops, they may visit sites that contain viruses that can affect the internal network of your business. Therefore, it is absolutely essential that you use strong authentication and strong passwords to make your online functions safe from cyber threats.
Summing It Up
When it comes to dealing with hazards of cyber-attacks, education is the key to deal with them appropriately. If you and your employees aren’t aware about how to deal with the cybercriminals, then you can always being the journey by first learning about cyber security and its potential hazards.
Though dealing with a cyber threats is not a one-day task, being equipped will help you go a long way.
Safe selling online!
