Keeping business data secure is the number one concern for businesses today. Due to increasing security breaches in various companies, data security against unwanted intrusions is on everyone’s mind. No matter how big or small, IT security is the biggest challenge facing organizations. When it comes to small or medium-sized businesses, the impact of the security threat is even more severe. Cyber ​​criminals love to target small businesses largely due to the fact that SMBs cannot afford to implement strong security protocols. Nothing can be 100 percent secure, but at the same time, SMBs can improve the protection environment by gaining a solid understanding of their external web presence and ensuring it is secure by conducting penetration testing and minimizing exposure by adoption of measures, such as the periodic update of security patches.

What is a data breach and how does it happen?

A data breach is an incident in which a person not authorized to do so can view, steal or use sensitive, protected or confidential data. The most common concept of a data breach is an attacker hacking into a network to steal sensitive data. A number of industry guidelines and government compliance regulations require strict control of sensitive or personal data to prevent data breaches. It is a scenario where the data of your company or organizations is stolen. When we go through the company folder and discover that all the information is gone, customer files, records, and billing information have been compromised. So it is clear that your company is becoming the victim of a data breach cyberattack.

Most common causes of data breaches

Protecting sensitive data is critical to the livelihood of a business. What can be the most common causes of data breaches?

• Physical loss or theft of devices is one of the most common causes of data breaches: This is arguably the simplest cause of data breaches. However, there are many different ways this can occur. It could be that some part of your laptop, external hard drive, or flash drive has been damaged, stolen, or misplaced.

• Insider threats such as accidental breach (employee error) or intentional breach (employee misuse): This can occur when employees handling sensitive data do not clearly understand security protocols and procedures. A data breach can also occur from a mental mistake, when an employee sends documents to the wrong recipient.

• Weak security controls are often the top concerns in protecting an organization’s data: Improperly managing access to applications and different types of data can leave employees seeing and carrying information they don’t need to do their jobs. Weak or stolen password has been another main concern. When devices like laptops, tablets, cell phones, computers, and email systems are protected with weak passwords, hackers can easily gain access to the system. This exposes subscription information, personal and financial information, as well as sensitive business data.

• Operating system and application vulnerabilities: Having outdated software or web browsers is a serious security issue.

Tips to prevent cyber threat

In the midst of the chaos and hype, it can be difficult to get clear and accurate information about what really happens when a data breach occurs. While data breaches are certainly a complex problem, equipping yourself with basic knowledge about them can help you navigate the news, manage the consequences, and protect your data to the best of your ability. The increasing frequency and magnitude of data breaches is a clear sign that organizations must prioritize the security of personal data.

The latest developments such as cloud adoption, BYOD implementation, etc. increases the risk of cyber threats. Employee ignorance is also a major concern. Hackers are well aware of these vulnerabilities and are organizing to exploit them. There is no need to panic, especially if you are a small business, but it is imperative to make a decision. Make yourself hard to identify and keep your business safe with these top 5 tips.

These are the top 5 tips to prevent cyber threat.

1. Encrypt your data – Data encryption is a great preventative control mechanism. If you encrypt a database or a file, you can’t decrypt it unless you have or guess the correct keys, and guessing the correct keys can take a long time. Managing encryption keys requires the same effort as managing other preventive controls in the digital world, such as access control lists, for example. Someone must regularly review who has access to what data and revoke access for those who no longer need it.

2. Choose a value that suits your business: Cracking even the most secure companies with elaborate schemes is now better than ever. Therefore, adopt a managed security service provider that can provide a flexible solution in a cost-effective manner and provide a seamless upgrade path.

3. Educate Employees: Educate employees on the proper handling and protection of sensitive data. Keep employees informed about threats through short emails or regular meetings led by an IT expert.

4. Implement a security management strategy: Cyberattacks today are highly organized, so organizations need to establish a strategic approach so that their entire environment works as an integrated defense, detecting, preventing, and responding to attacks. attacks transparently and instantly.

5. Install antivirus software: Antivirus software can protect your systems from attacks. Virus protection scans your computer and incoming email for viruses and then removes them. You should keep your antivirus software up to date to deal with the latest “bugs” circulating on the Internet. Most antivirus software includes a feature to download updates automatically when you are online. Also, make sure the software is running continuously and check your system for viruses, especially if you’re downloading files from the Web or checking your email.

Actions or measures that can be taken in case of suspected malicious attack on your network

• If when you download an unknown file, the first step is to delete the file. Disconnect the computer from the network and have IT run a full system scan to ensure no traces remain.

• Whenever a keylogger is detected on a computer, IT must immediately reset the password on all related accounts.

• Companies must have central administration capabilities on their local server and in the cloud. Controlling which users have access to which files/folders on the server ensures that only authorized people can access essential business data.

• Have all business files backed up on a remote server in the cloud. If disaster recovery is required, all files backed up to the cloud can be imported back to the local server to prevent complete data loss.

Perfect Cyber ​​Security involves:

• Determine which assets need to be protected

• Identify threats and risks that could affect those assets or the entire business

• Identify what security measures need to be implemented to deal with threats and protect assets.

• Supervision of safeguards and assets to prevent or manage security breaches

• Respond to cybersecurity issues as they occur

• Update and adjust safeguards as needed

Every day, businesses are under attack on multiple fronts, and realizing that data breaches can come from a number of different sources allows for a more comprehensive protection and response plan. Never assume your data is safe because you have the best electronic protection or because you don’t use POS terminals. Criminals want your data and will try anything to get it.