Cybersecurity 101: 5 Pitfalls Your Business Should Watch Out For
Aside from the advancing digital technology, the current pandemic has propelled more people from working from home or launching their online businesses. The situation has resulted in online transactions rising and criminals are on the move to exploit such circumstances. With such a scenario growing, businesses are experiencing greater cybercrime and security issues.
It has become common for companies to encounter problems such as system breaches, malware, financial and identity fraud, or phishing scams for the past years. Note that it doesn’t matter if the organization is an established institution or a start-up company. Cybersecurity is an issue of concern for businesses of all forms and sizes.
Please note that while criminals are constantly changing techniques, companies are also updating their methods of fighting digital crimes. Hence, it’s up to business owners to highly invest in their protection and safeguard their company.
Nonetheless, before contacting a cyber expert, it’s also best to keep yourself up-to-date with common cybersecurity pitfalls. Here are five mistakes business owners must avoid in securing their company.
Hiring Unqualified Professionals To Manage Cybersecurity
A leading misstep every business owner should avoid when dealing with cybersecurity is hiring unqualified professionals to manage it. Whether you’re starting a small e-commerce store or own a large company, enlisting the services of expert cyber security consultants is preferable. Indeed, you can study and explore some aspects of the business along the way. However, cybersecurity matters must be left with professionals. In doing so, they can provide your company with a suitable technical and security solution your business needs.
Leveraging Free Antivirus Software
Another mistake organizations should watch for is to leverage free antivirus software in their business. Of course, similar to your home, you wouldn’t use cheap locks to secure your residence. So, why leverage free software to protect your primary source of income?
For one thing, various free antivirus software contains disruptive ads that restrain your company’s performance. Also, most free software captures your data usage that may result in a privacy violation. Other programs likewise deliver poor detection rates or provide incorrect results to make it seem valuable.
Please take note that installing and maintaining a reliable security system to safeguard your organization from countless cyber threats like ransomware will require a considerable investment. Relying on cheap and free solutions will only cost more and harm your business reputation in the long run.
Delaying Software Updates
On the other hand, software manufacturers designed continuous updates to your programs for an excellent reason. Some may find them annoying, thus delaying the download of upgraded versions of programs. Remember, even with a firewall and other premium software applications, constant updates are your company’s defense against hackers. As online criminals keep themselves updated with current techniques or technology, manufacturers likewise see to it they provide their clients with updated programs.
Implementing Poor Passwords
Likewise, business owners should watch out for implementing poor passwords in their systems. Some commonly apply details such as birthdays or anniversaries in their passwords. Doing so isn’t a sensible move since the practice may result in a data breach.
Hackers can quickly collect personal information and sign in to your company system. Besides personal details, other examples of poor passwords are typically used phrases and words without symbols or numerals. Using short expressions isn’t also conducive since criminals can immediately penetrate your network.
Similarly, hackers can easily browse your social media and obtain information like your pet’s name, favorite restaurant, or car nickname. So always keep in mind to implement strong passwords in your system.
Neglecting To Back-Up Business Database
Finally, while you will find current data management software more sophisticated than previous solutions, it doesn’t mean you can already neglect backing up your files. Most often, organizations place their security and files in danger when they don’t perform a system backup. Eventually, when your business encounters a problem, you can immediately return to normal operations by using your backup data.
The Bottom Line
Given the above points, business owners must remember to treat cybersecurity with urgency. Today’s advanced technology enables cybercriminals to penetrate any network if you show even a slight vulnerability. Keep in mind that once hackers access your system, they can get hold of your network and steal valuable client information.
Take note of the recommendations given in this guide, and you can be sure to safeguard your business despite the rising online crimes. To ensure you protect your company and valued customers, consult experts on the best strategy to prevent cybersecurity threats.
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