If you run a small business and are thinking about security planning , these are some of the first questions that will come to your mind.
The crisis has led to an increasing number of cyber attacks on companies: not only in large companies, but also in SMEs. What about cyber attacks on German companies? In Capterra's IT security study from December 2020, 44% of SMEs say they have already fallen victim to a cyber attack. For the study, we surveyed 200 IT decision-makers (the full methodology can be found at the end of the article).
What does a hacker attack on German companies look like? 77% of the companies surveyed have already received a phishing email. Of these companies, 44% say they are receiving more phishing emails than usual during the crisis. Even 23% of IT managers say they have already clicked on a link in a phishing email.
Hacker attack on German companies through phishing
So the threat to your small business is very real. It is better to be safe than sorry and take preventative measures immediately to protect your business from future attacks and the resulting losses.
In this article, we will show you eight simple methods that can be used to prevent cyber attacks on companies and show you the state of IT security in German SMEs. But first, let's take a look at what a hacker attack actually is.
What is a hacker attack
A hacking attack is an unauthorized attempt to gain access to a computer system, resource, or device within a corporate network. Cybercriminals use various attack methods such as malware, phishing, and ransomware.
For example, hackers send fake emails asking for bank details, recommending software downloads, asking for donations, etc. If the target responds, the hacker steals the information stored on the device used or restricts access to it.
Those who do not put in place security mechanisms against such cyber threats risk losing money (e.g. through ransom demands or fraudulent transfers) or having confidential data compromised (e.g. patents, trade secrets or research and development data). Serious cyber attacks on companies can even lead to permanent business closure.
To avoid such threats to your business, we recommend eight simple methods that can prevent a hacker attack on companies. To implement them, you don't necessarily have to acquire new technologies: most focus on raising awareness among staff and internal controls.
8 Methods to Protect Your Business from Cyberattacks
1. Educate your employees about cybersecurity
One of the main reasons companies are hacked is a lack of cybersecurity awareness among employees. If your staff doesn't know how companies are hacked, what they're targeting, and how to identify them, they're more likely to make mistakes like downloading a file infected with a virus.
Prevent these costly mistakes by training your staff on cybersecurity, enabling them to proactively detect attack attempts and take the right preventative measures to limit losses.
Training on the following topics is recommended:
Passwords and authentication: Tips for setting strong security codes and passwords, and the benefits of multi-factor authentication.
Mobile security: Ways to protect mobile devices that store sensitive data from malicious apps.
Social media privacy: Social media privacy controls that prevent accounts from being hacked.
Safe remote work practices: Secure remote work practices that prevent data breaches.
Internet and email usage: Ways to identify suspicious emails, websites, and ads.
Recommendations for Security Awareness Training
Start training during onboarding. Don't wait for a security incident to happen. Instead, train your employees from the beginning, before they gain access to business-critical systems and resources.
Enable hands-on learning. Long theory sessions can be boring. Training sessions that allow learners to gain their own experience and make observations are much more interesting. This is where safety training software comes in handy.
Only 51% of the German companies surveyed offer training in cybersecurity. This number is very low considering how many SMEs have already been the victim of an attack and the serious damage attacks can cause.
Most training is offered in the areas of data protection, social engineering, cybersecurity usa telegram data and on-site security and building access. The majority of companies (58%) that offer training do so in person.
methods for safety training
Email phishing is one of the biggest threats. Companies can conduct phishing tests and send suspicious emails to their employees to see how many would click on them. This test allows managers to identify who needs further training and education. 44% of the companies in our study say they conduct such a test.
2. Update software, systems and devices regularly
During development, software, operating systems and devices are encrypted with security codes according to the latest security trends to prevent unauthorized access. Therefore, you should update them regularly: outdated security mechanisms are more vulnerable to cyberattacks.
Attackers are always looking for vulnerabilities in the security system and a missed security update can give them the opportunity to launch an attack. Outdated mechanisms make it easy for attackers to spy on or hack a software program or system and steal information this way.
When managing updates for multiple systems becomes complicated, here's how to keep track:
Invest in a patch management system to keep track of all software and system updates. Here are some free tools to try.
Enable automatic updates for all software platforms, systems, devices and web browsers.
Keep browser plugins like Flash or Java up to date.