If you own a small business, your business is a target for hackers. According to a report by 4iQ, a cyber security analysts firm, from 2017 to 2019, there was 424% increase in the number of attacks on small businesses.
At the same time, a survey by the Manifest, a business analyst firm, found that 64% of small businesses make up 64% of small businesses intended to put more time and money into their IT security in 2021. Many business owners also noted an increase in attacks against their businesses and websites and were ready to do more to protect themselves.
Cybercriminals love to go after small businesses. Since small businesses make up 99.7% of all employers in the United States, you can see why it makes sense. Hackers know that attacking small businesses can be worth the time and effort because they know they will eventually find a small business than can extort or steal from.
It all comes down to cyber security. If you have inferior network security (or not at all), you are a prize for hackers. They have all kinds of tools at their disposal to get what they want. If you are not careful, and if you have not invested in good network security, you may quickly find yourself becoming a victim of those tools.
Some of the hacker tools are much sneakier than many people realize. Here is one major example.
Phishing Scams
Hackers know one of the easiest ways to break into a network is to bypass practical security altogether. Instead, they go after the human element. They send e-mails to unsuspecting recipients in the hope that those recipients will open the e-mail and follow the false instructions.
The criminal may include an attachment. When clicked, the attachment installs malware on the victim’s computer. The malware might look for private information, like financial numbers or personal information, or it may lock the computer down until the victim pays an exorbitant sum.
The criminal may include a link to another website. Phishing e-mails can look like legitimate messages from well-known companies, such as Chase, PayPal, or Amazon. These e-mails often tell you that your account has been compromised, a phrase that is designed to scare victims into clicking the link and providing their personal information to protect the account. Put that information in and you hand over that information to the criminal. Therefore, employee cyber security training is a must!
Do you have concerns about the security of your network? Contact Computer Depot Business to discuss the how secure your network is. We offer a free 10- minute discovery call. To schedule your discovery
