Blog

As a small business owner, you might assume that your business is safe from cyber attacks. After all, large companies typically have more money, as well as more data, than smaller businesses, so conventional wisdom may lead you to believe that only large companies are targeted. The reality, however, is that all types of businesses are targeted by hackers, including small businesses.

The Rise of Small Business Cyber Attacks

You might be surprised to learn that cyber attacks against small businesses has increased over the years. According to research cited by Forbes, over half of all intrusions, malware insertions and other forms of commercially-focused cyber attacks last year targeted small businesses. With cyber attacks against small businesses on the rise, you should use this opportunity to evaluate your small business’s cybersecurity strategy.

Create Strong Passwords

The first layer of protection against a cyber attack is strong passwords. Short passwords are undoubtedly easier to remember than long passwords. Unfortunately, though, they offer minimal protection against cyber attacks. Hackers may perform a brute-force attack against your small business that involves guessing the correct password. If it’s short or otherwise weak, a brute-force attack could lead to serious consequences for your small business.

Change Passwords Every Few Months

In addition to creating strong passwords for all your small business’s login-protected accounts, you should change your passwords at least once every two to three months. Failure to change your passwords on a regular basis could result in a hacker guessing or otherwise identifying the correct password for one of your accounts.

Install Anti-Malware Software

Anti-malware software can help protect your small business from cyber attacks. Anti-malware software, of course, is software that protects against malware. It designed to both prevent and treat malware infections. If a hacker tries to deploy malware on one of your small business’s computer, anti-malware software should block the attack.

Use a Firewall

Finally, using a firewall can strengthen your small business’s security and, therefore, lower the risk of a cyber attack. What is a firewall exactly? When used in the context of information technology (IT), a firewall is a type of software application that’s designed to filter malicious and potentially malicious traffic. It automatically scans all incoming and outgoing traffic for signs of a cyber attack. If the firewall detects a potential attack, it will block the traffic.

Have anything else that you’d like to add? Let us know in the comments section below!