Prioritize Cybersecurity

In the digital age, micro-businesses have flourished in part because of the ease of setting up an online presence and reaching customers globally, but with this digital transformation comes the growing need to prioritize cybersecurity. You and your business are online for everyone, not just potential clients and fans, malicious hackers and automated program looking for vulnerable assets also see you online.

need to

Why You

&

your small business

Hackers don’t discriminate based on company size. Anyone with an online presence is a potential target for automated attacks and, sometimes, opportunistic hackers. Some of the most financially destructive attacks today are launched automatically, breaching any vulnerable system in it's path, the attackers decide later that to do, but by then the breach has already happened.

43% of cyber attacks target small businesses.

60% of small businesses that are victims of a cyber attack go out of business within six months.

Cyber attacks caused by compromised employee passwords cost $383,365 on average.

Small businesses spend an average of $955,429 to restore normal business in the wake of successful attacks.

- fundera.com

While large companies have sizable security teams and budgets, small and micro-businesses often rely on just the owner or a few support staff. Predictably, the lack of focus on cyber makes small businesses soft targets. Specific risks include ransomware halting operations, phishing compromising accounts, network intrusions stealing data, website defacements damaging reputation, and DDoS disrupting website availability.

aaanyway, let me know if I can help

The truth is a significant cyberattack can cripple a micro-business. The financial impact, reputation damage, and disruption to operations could be insurmountable for a small owner without the resilience and resources of a large corporation.

With attention and care around IT security, micro-businesses can protect their livelihoods from the growing threat of cybercrime. The key is taking it seriously and taking proactive precautions suitable for the size of your business.

and if you’d like some more cyber security resources, I do my best to keep up some useful stuff in the hyperfocus section.

The good news is you can implement key security measures without really breaking the bank

  • Use a password manager, and two factor authentication whenever available.

  • Keep software patched and updated on all devices.

  • Use malware protection on computers and servers. Many free or low-cost options available.

  • Learn the basics of cyber security and how to stay safe online

    • Recommend your staff to do the same, for the business and themselves.

  • Back up data regularly.

    • If you're in the 'Apple universe', make sure icloud is backing up all of the important data. don't trust: verify (tm)

  • Conduct periodic vulnerability assessments to identify vulnerabilities.

  • Fix any critical findings immediately, highs ASAP, and keep a super close eye on the medium rated vulnerabilities - ask your assessment team of help prioritizing mitigation efforts, if feeling lost.

  • Bug your vendors until they fix their vulnerabilities too.

and lastly,

  • If you feel over your head or overwhelmed, work with a managed service provider for outsourced IT security support.