There are many priorities that a business owner has to juggle. They have to worry about leads and sales generation, ensuring customers are getting taken care of, and keeping their business operating efficiently.
One of the priorities that needs to be at the top of the priority list is cybersecurity.
In today’s world just having an antivirus isn’t enough. Hackers are attacking business networks from all angles. They use phishing, mobile malware, credential hacking, and more.
Just one data breach or ransomware infection can end up impacting a business for years to come.
There are multiple layers to a good business IT security strategy, many of which can be covered easily by using managed IT services. Each layer is designed to build a strong protection against all types of cyberthreats.
Recommended IT security layers include:
- Update and patch management
- Network monitoring
- Managed antivirus/anti-malware
- Web protection/DNS filtering
- Data backup and recovery
- Endpoint device management
- Next-gen firewall
- User cybersecurity awareness training
- Anti-phishing/anti-spam protection
- Password/credential security
Why You Can’t Let Your Guard Down On IT Security
Why should your Framingham area business put IT security at the top of your priority list? Here are several reasons.
Small Businesses are Targets in Nearly Half of Data Breaches
Many companies think they’re “too small” for a hacker to worry about. But hackers often go after small businesses because their networks tend to be less secure than those of larger companies.
All they need are some user login credentials, bank or credit card details, or something else they can sell on the Dark Web and the hack is well worth their time.
Small businesses make up 43% of data breach victims.
Cybercrime is Increasing at an Alarming Rate
The pandemic has caused a big rise in cybercrime as criminals look for new ways to take advantage of individuals and businesses during the crisis. The FBI reported a 400% increase in reports of cybercrime since the pandemic began.
If you haven’t been the victim of a virus attack or data breach in the past, the chances that you will be soon just increased four-fold.
The Average Data Breach Costs a Small Business $149,000
Small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) often underestimate the cost of a data breach. They may think it will just cost them a few thousand in IT costs, but they typically end up paying much more than that.
The average cost to an SMB hit by a data breach is $149,000. Those costs can also often continue years after the breach has occurred. Costs involve things like:
- Immediate IT costs to contain the breach
- Cost of remediation to keep it from happening again
- Cost of lost productivity and downtime
- Loss of business and customer trust
- Cost of breach notifications
- Costs of any data privacy compliance penalties
Cyberattacks Often Cause Small Businesses to Close for Good
Data breaches and ransomware attacks aren’t just costly, they can put a small company out of business for good because they’re never able to recover from all the expenses and lost business.
Statistics show that 60% of small companies end up going out of business within six months of falling victim to a cyberattack or data breach.
Remote Working Has Made Business Networks More Vulnerable
The COVID-19 shutdowns caused many Framingham area businesses to have to quickly switch to a remote workforce to keep their companies in operation, and according to many businesses, they’re going to continue using remote workers even after the pandemic has passed.
This can lower costs and keep businesses more productive. It also makes their IT security infrastructure more complicated and at risk.
36% of organizations say they’ve experienced a security incident due to a remote worker.
This means that companies need to prioritize IT security for remote workers to ensure they’re not leaving their network at risk due to an unsecure connection or home computer.
Attacks Against Small Businesses Increased 5x in 2019
Not only are small businesses a target of hackers, they’re being breached much more often. In 2019, data breaches of small businesses grew over 5x compared to the previous year.
There are a number of reasons for this sharp rise in data breaches. These include:
- Overall rise in cybercrime
- Too many small businesses not prioritizing cybersecurity
- Hacking “kits” being sold on the Dark Web, making hacking easier for novices
- Growing use of cloud applications, which makes small business hacks into a cloud accounts a valuable score
- Small businesses not securing employee mobile devices used for work
Sign Up for Managed IT Services & Keep Your Business Protected
Managed IT services through Pro Tech Guy can ensure you’re not leaving your small business unprotected and can keep you from getting hit with a costly data breach.
Contact us today to sign up and learn more. Call 508-364-8189 or reach us online.