Preventing Cyber Attacks – Digitally Protecting your Business

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If a malicious hacker were to decide to attack your network or website, would your business be prepared? Is your business situated to handle the consequences of a cyber-attack and the aftermath that ensues? These are two integral questions that you must ask yourself when assessing your businesses’ cyber-security. Many businesses throughout the world do not ask these key questions of themselves at any point, thus rendering them unprepared when the worst happens. This problem is heavily prevalent in smaller businesses dues to constrained budgets and the notion that their data is not a big target to potential hackers. These misconceptions have led to a host of problems and a staggeringly low level of cyber-security. Interlink Group, along with other Cyber Security Experts, want to work to inform businesses better to integrate the protections that they need for ongoing successful cyber-security.

Cyber Education of Employees

                The first step in implementing a strong cyber-security defense is one of the most important. This integral step is the education of all employees, regardless of position or level of cyber access. Training your employees about how to effectively and safely use emails, how to handle and protect company data, and about company cyber policies and procedures goes a long way in preventing a cyber-attack. Requiring your employees to conduct regular password updates is also an excellent way to keep malicious hackers from gaining access to internal company systems. Small steps like these create a strong deterrent from those who may have malicious intent when it comes to your company’s data. 

Having the Right Web and IT Partners

                Many steps can be taken on internally by business operators to aid in the prevention of a cyber-attack but having professionals at the forefront of your cyber-security strategy is always advisable. Over the years, network security has become significantly more complex. To tackle these intricacies of cyber-security, companies like Interlink Group have developed strategies that work to layer you internal IT and Web security. This strategy is based on the principle of coming to understand your businesses unique security needs, as all businesses vary. Remembering Interlink’s one principle that applies to all businesses helps develop a strong, cost-effective security strategy:

“The Cost to Implement a Security Measure Should be Less than the Risk you are Protecting Against.”

Backups of Company Data

                No matter how many steps are taken both internally and externally for your business, data breaches cannot be 100% deterred. Because of this, data backup is a crucial step in ensuring the ongoing success of your cyber-security strategy. Interlink Group provides disaster recovery services that integrate web storage and backups into your internal systems to ease your mind in the event of a cyber disaster. Cloud backups are regularly run to ensure redundancy and ever-current backups of your business data. When these backups and disaster recovery solutions are implemented into your small business, peace of mind can be achieved even in the event of a cyber-attack.

                As cyber threats and security become increasingly complex, so too do the strategies that are needed to prevent cyber-attacks. These strategies range from simple implementations of employee cyber policy training to complex integrations of cyber-security by outside IT professionals, such as Interlink Group. Statistics continue to show that cyber-criminals are prone to targeting smaller businesses, and because of these steps need to be taken. According to smallbiztrends.com,

  • “Forty-three percent of cyber-attacks target small business.
  • Only 14 percent of small businesses rate their ability to mitigate cyber risks, vulnerabilities, and attacks as highly effective.
  • Sixty percent of small companies go out of business within six months of a cyber-attack.
  • Acts of malicious intent cause 48 percent of data security breaches. Human error or system failure account for the rest.”

Taking the necessary cyber security steps that are listed within this article help prevent your small business from becoming one of these statistics. To find out more about how we at Interlink Group can help with your cybersecurity needs, contact us at 574-524-1000 or email us at [email protected].