Cybersecurity

A high level of communication is the cornerstone of any successful business. Whether you are trying to communicate with employees or clients, having the right tech tools is essential. While technology is a great thing, the digital landscape is littered with hazards.

Oftentimes, these hazards come in the form of viruses or data hacks. Nearly 55 percent of businesses in the United States claim to have been the victim of a cyber-attack in the last year. It is your job as a business owner to educate yourself and your team about these threats.

Remaining blissfully unaware of these dangers is a recipe for disaster. The following are just some of the most common cyber-security threats you need to be aware of.

#1. Phishing Scams are Very Effective

One of the main things hackers use against their victims is their lack of tech-related knowledge. This is why phishing attacks have become so popular in the past few years.

These types of attacks use things like misleading links or email file attachments to fool users. Hackers also use phishing scams to get people to enter in important information like their email address, physical address, and even their Social Security number. Instead of waiting until one of these attacks is successful to act, you need to start spreading the word about phishing now.

Educating your employees about how these attacks work and the methods a hacker may use to fool them can be helpful. If your team knows what to look for, they are far less likely to fall victim to this common scam.

#2. The Danger of Malware

If hackers are successful in their phishing attempts, they may get you or a team member to download a piece of malware. Typically, this type of virus will be distributed via an email attachment.

Malware is designed to infiltrate a network and steal all of the sensitive information on it. Many malware programs can send out spam emails from company addresses. These viruses are often extremely hard to remove, which is why avoiding them altogether is your best bet.

Having a firewall and the help of an IT management consulting firm is essential when trying to keep your network safe. An IT professional will be able to help do things like establish cloud-based backups. In most cases, these professionals will also recommend comprehensive network monitoring software as well.

Related : 15 Online Free Tools to Scan Website Security Vulnerabilities & Malware

#3. Denial of Service Attacks

While most business owners have heard about distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, they are not really sure how they work. In essence, these viruses are designed to overload the servers used to power a business computer network. A DDoS attack will send requests from multiple IP addresses all at once, which leads to the servers getting overwhelmed.

In most cases, these attacks are used to bring a website to its knees or to crash a network. The only way to diagnose and remove this problem is with the help of an IT professional. The longer you wait to get this type of professional help, the harder you will find it to avoid extensive damage to your servers. Trying to handle this complicated problem alone will only make it worse, which is why hiring an IT professional is crucial.

Finding the Right Professionals to Help

Most business owners don’t have the time or the skill needed to keep their network secure. This is why hiring a reputable and experienced IT company is a good idea. The money paid to these professionals will be worth it considering the results they can produce.