Marriot Starwood Hotels. Saks Fifth Avenue. Facebook. What do these companies have in common? They all had their security breached in the last year.
And they’re not the only ones. You can add MyFitnessPal, Google+, and T-Mobile to the list and these are just a few of the high profile companies that have had their customers’ personally identifiable information (PII) or payment data stolen. However, large companies are not the only targets for cyber criminals, they are just the ones that make the news. Small and mid-size businesses are especially vulnerable. Consider these statistics:
In 2015, the cost of cyber-crime damage worldwide was approximately $3 trillion dollars. It is estimated that will be as much as $6 trillion by 2021.
Over 50% of cyber-attacks target small business.
60% of small and mid-size businesses will no longer exist 6 months after a cyber-attack.
As the threat of cyber-crime grows, it is not a question of “if” a business will be hit, but “when”.
So what can you do to protect your business?
Know Where Your Risks Are: In addition to the computers and laptops employees may be using, there are mobile devices that are likely synced to your network. Beyond that, if you have an e-commerce site, there is an additional entry point that needs to be protected. You need to know where the access points are in your network and systems.
Protect Yourself: Be sure that any malware, spyware, and firewall programs are installed and kept up to date. This will help to catch any threats before they become bigger issues. Email should be encrypted. This forces a hacker to go through another line of security and may cause them to seek an easier target.
Educate Your Employees: Be sure your employees are informed not only on the risks but how their behavior can help mitigate those risks. One way is to enforce a strict password policy. No one likes to remember long complicated passwords, but ensuring that the same password isn’t used on multiple platforms, changing them at a minimum of every three months, and using a two-factor authentication feature can better secure your accounts.
The frequency of cyber-attacks is increasing exponentially. Taking a proactive approach toward system security protects your business, customers, and clients. Here at Zinman we remain vigilant in protecting our clients’ data. If you have concerns, please call us at 215-357-2250.