Security in 2020 is about more than your store alarm system, your back-room safe, and the guard at the door.  Nowadays, security breaches are majorly evident in the digital world as well.  Statistics show that over 60% of small businesses that have been the victim of a cybersecurity attack go out of business within 6 months!  Keep reading to find out 4 surprising ways that your small business may be at risk.

1. Humans Are the Weakest Link

Solely depending on technology to mitigate cyber-attack risks is naive, to say the least.  It’s surprising how much we lean technology to reduce the possibility of security threats, rather than making employees aware of the risks by educating them.  Make sure your employees understand even the simplest defense tactics, and that they know exactly what information is sacred to your business.

Not being informed is one way to ensure that your business is at risk of being hacked.

2. Weak Passwords

A weak password one of the greatest security risks facing any company.  The fact that we often ask employees to manage their own passwords makes this the one security element most difficult to manage.

Some password behaviors that need to be stopped are:

• Re-using passwords
• Password patterns
• Non-expiring passwords
• Sharing of passwords

If you can stop this behavior, then you’re well on your way to curbing the cyber threat.

3. Social Engineering

Not all hacking attempts are technical, there are large groups of cybercriminals whose sole aim is to attempt to obtain information such as passwords and other privileged information.  These hackers use other ways to extract information, such as social engineering.

Some may call pretending to be a representative from a service provider, a third-party app commonly in use, or even the company’s HR department. Using fear and doubt tactics they work hard to elicit information from the user, at times asking the user to reset and share new passwords or share the second factor PIN.

Don’t leave your small business at risk, curb these efforts by ensuring that even calls can be screened and confirmed.

4. Out of Date Anti-Virus Software

Many think that simply having anti-virus software on your computer is enough protection, but there’s more to it than that.   Your workforce needs to make sure that the anti-virus software is up to date on their computers. If it isn’t, it can leave gaps where cybercriminals can creep through.

Small Businesses Can Beat Hackers

It’s important to know that any small business can take measures to beat the threat of a cyber-attack. By combining different tactics, your security can become multi-layered, and almost impossible to breach.

Do you need help making sure you’re covered from cybersecurity attacks? Contact us to start the discussion today.