As a business owner, you must protect your staff and client information. Cyber attacks cost businesses money, but they can cost your clients, staff and others. It can also cost your business if someone files a lawsuit against you for negligence.
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, the cost of cybercrime was about $2.7 billion in 2020. Understanding how to prevent cyber attacks begins with understanding how cybercrime happens.
Types of cyberattacks
There are various ways cybercrime occurs. Some common threats include:
- Viruses
- Ransomeware
- Malware
- Phishing
To protect against viruses and malware, you need to know how to protect your servers and computers. Viruses can spread from computer to computer and give cybercriminals access to your system. Protecting your system may involve installing anti-virus and anti-malware software, installing a firewall and upholding a strong security system.
However, when it comes to phishing, this happens if you open up a website that installs malware or collects information. For example, an email may look official and ask clients or staff to input personal login credentials. The form allows the criminals to gather the information.
Educate your staff
If you want to prevent cyberattacks, you have to be able to assess your overall risk. Many small businesses do not recognize the risk of cyberattacks until it happens. Sometimes, cyberattacks happen because the staff does not have the education necessary. For example, you may have a staff member open an email that downloads malware onto your network. Teach your staff what to look for and how to create strong passwords to keep people from guessing them.
Always protect your data and back up all files to protect your system.