As IT support specialists, we’re often approached with assumptions about cyber security. It’s very common for people to underestimate the risks that come with running a business, especially if IT isn’t your forte. Here we’re going to debunk some of the most common cyber security myths, to educate and protect business owners who could be inadvertently putting themselves and their employees in danger.
Myth #1: We’re too small for it to happen to us
We thought we’d start off strong with this one. Every 19 seconds, a small business in the United Kingdom is successfully hacked. The reality is, no business is too small for hackers. Cybercriminals aren’t picky and they’re aware that smaller businesses don’t have the same advanced level of security solutions that large corporations do, making them an easier target.
Often, we hear about huge companies losing large sums of money and data, giving smaller business owners the impression that it won’t happen to them. These big corporations often recover quickly as they have solid stakeholders and a PR team behind them. If a SME is targeted, the attack is more likely to have a detrimental impact on the business and can even potentially close them down.
Myth #2: Our data is unimportant to hackers
To you, it may seem that your data isn’t worth stealing, but there are many ways for cybercriminals to use your data for financial gain.
Cybercriminals sell data to the dark web, leaving you, your business, your customers, and your employees at huge risk. Any data, such as bank details, email or home addresses, names and personal information can be sold and used for impersonation purposes and can be used to convince your customers to send money to fraudulent accounts.
In some instances, it may not be the data they’re after. Cybercriminals have the ability to infect your network and disrupt, damage and gain unauthorised access to your devices, locking you out of your systems because they want you to pay a hefty ransom.
Myth #3: Cyber security is too expensive
Cyber security may feel like an unrewarding expense in the beginning, but it’s important to remember just how much money you could lose or the consequences you could face if you don’t protect yourself. A secure business and optimum peace of mind is priceless.
Myth #4: Our antivirus software will protect us
Whilst antivirus software is a great start, it’s not always going to protect you, certainly with the level of threat businesses are up against in today’s world.
Antivirus software is only effective if it’s regularly updated and configured correctly. It’s no good installing software if you don’t keep it up to date. It’s also important to note that antivirus software has been created to protect against malicious software and unsafe downloads, not phishing scams, logins, or other threats.
If you need some help with choosing antivirus software, we can make some recommendations, but you must have other strategies in place too. Without a strategy and a cyber-aware workforce, antivirus software can be useless.
Myth #5: My employees don’t need to be involved
The truth is all employees are responsible for keeping the business protected against cyberattacks. All too often, IT falls into one person’s hands, when it should be a joint responsibility between all employees. Your employees are at the most risk regarding cyberattacks, as cybercriminals are likely to target them directly.
If your employees aren’t practising basic cyber security, such as not sharing logins, not using 2FA, downloading content from untrusted websites or not using complex passwords, they could be compromising the safety of your business.
Cyber security training is critical for your employees to understand the risks, know how to spot threats and take action quickly and accordingly.
If you’re a business owner looking for a trusted IT partner or are thinking of switching IT support companies for a higher level of service, you can book a 15-minute chat with us today.