Could you be a victim of a cyber attack?

With more and more businesses storing confidential information and data on cloud services, there is a greater need for more robust security practices and strategies.  While security breaches have plagued many of the country’s largest retailers, the threat of cybercrime is now even more real for small businesses.

Small businesses often lack the resources and security policies to protect against attacks, making them an easier target for hackers.  Additionally, because cyber criminals techniques are evolving quickly business is always at risk of an attack.

 Manage email security

Look to deter break-ins from theft by encrypting your company emails and communications. This will force a hacker to fight through another layer of protection, and that generally isn’t worth their time when they can steal other information elsewhere without the hassle. Email encryption is the equivalent to locking your car doors or your home as a deterrent to burglars.

 Enforce strict password policies.

Another step to prevent cyber crime starts with training your staff on the importance of using smarter passwords, which are crucial to upgrading cyber security. Although more complex passwords may seem like a hassle you should still create a company policy to mandate them.

Passwords should never be the same across multiple platforms, and it’s best to change them every three months at a minimum.

Train your employees on the warning signs of cyber attacks

Employees should be trained on understanding the warning signs of a harmful email or phishing scam. While email providers are continually improving their detection procedures and doing a better job at spotting these potential threats before you receive them, some of the trickier schemes still find their way into in boxes. These emails may be disguised as a trusted client’s email or a recognizable brand, but these scams tend to have a few similarities.  Some red flags include emails that ask for personal or credit card information, requests for immediate action regarding unfamiliar situations and emails that include suspicious attachments.

Take advantage of malware, spyware and firewall software programs

Mandate that each computer used for company business have malware, spyware and firewall software installed to help catch and eliminate threats before they become problematic.

While it is not possible to be absolutely secure there are a number of ways small businesses can better protect themselves to mitigate the potential impact of cyber attacks.

By Anne Capps
Executive Vice President - American Receivable