Cybersecurity: What Small Businesses Need to Know.

Cybersecurity is a hot topic at the moment — more importantly, it should be a hot topic for all businesses big and small. Whether you're an e-commerce startup, an accounting firm, a development studio or any other business it does not matter. The truth is if you operate online, you are at significant risk of cyberattack.

A Significant Rise in Cyber Crimes

Cyberattacks are growing increasingly common, specialized, and sophisticated. We no longer live in a world where security can be ignored without consequence. It is difficult to communicate the risk a given organization faces in this highly connected world. However, as disclosing breaches becomes more compulsory due to regulations, we do have a more data on previous successful attack which can help inform businesses of their risk. Spoiler cyber criminals are not decreasing their efforts. Mostly due to one fact. Cyber crime can be an effective way to make lots of money.

Understanding some of the different kinds of cyberattacks and their effect

Website Defacement

Hosting a static site does not protect you from attackers. Just because a website has limited functionality does not mean it is immune to compromise.

Ransomware

Ransomware is likely the most prolific and well covered attack for good reason. For an attack this is usually the best way to monetize a compromise. Disrupting your business ability to operate has proven to be a excellent motivator for ransom payments.

Denial of service

Often low in complexity DOS attacks can interrupt a business’s ability to operate. Typically executed against internet facing applications and devices it’s imperative to have a strategy to mitigate against DOS.

Person In the Middle

Trusting the data being sent from your business to your customer is fundamental to all the interactions you have online. An attacker who has compromised your systems in such a way to allow them to view, modify or block certain data being transmitted can have devastating results.

Social Engineering

One of the more difficult attack types to protect against has to be Social Engineering. Hacking a person as apposed to a system has proved to be an effective means to compromise a business. It is extremely important to communicate the importance every employee plays in the continued security of an organization. That communication must come from top level leadership to be effective.

Why is Cyber Security a Basic Need for every SMB?

When we talk about Cybersecurity, we're talking about protecting your company's assets — information, data, money, and reputation — from cyberattacks. These attacks can come in many forms as previously discussed. But where does that leave and SMB? What can be done in defense given the constraints small businesses deal with?

What can SMBs do to prepare themselves for cyberattacks

• Regular Penetration testing/Security assessments – Normally relegated to large corporations and institutions with large budgets regular penetration testing is the only way to truly test your security. Tests like this when regularly performed increases awareness of exposed assets and risks to an organization from a hackers perspective. As well as highlighting the highest level of risks an organization faces.

• Increases client loyalty and trust by demonstrating to them your commitment to Cybersecurity – In many industries this has be come crucial in order to retain businesses. Providing evidence of you commitment to securing your business can set you apart from your competitors. Having an up to date executive summary of a recent pentest is hugely powerful for presenting to executive leadership, Boards and highly valued clients.

• Instils confidence that the proper security protections are in place to protect a business’s client.

• Decreases downtime due to resolvable security flaws and misconfigurations.

Cybersecurity Understanding your risk

It is difficult to understand your cyber related risk, however this is an essential step in securing your business. Think of this like the first step on your way to securing your business. Without knowing your risk, it is impossible to make informed decisions about how to best secure your business.

Some of the best ways in which to begin defining your cyber risk.

1. Penetration testing

2. Security assessments/audits

3. Red team engagements

4. Attack surface mapping

5. Vulnerability scanning

6. Asset management

7. Threat feeds

Lovik Security - Cybersecurity at its best

Small businesses must consider cyber security or risk losses. That is why Lovik Security partners with SMBs because we know the average team does not have adequate resources in defense of a cyberattack. Taylor making our products to each client is how Lovik Security sets itself apart from others in the security space. We do hope you consider us for your cyber related needs.