Using Key Cyber Security Tactics to Fight Back: How Small Businesses Can Protect Themselves from Cyber Crooks
By Bill O’Connell
Vice President of Global Trust at ADP
As a small business owner, could you unplug from your computer, smartphone or tablet even for a day?
It’s practically impossible to imagine doing business today without technology. But while technology is essential to drive business growth, it also can expose your organization to cyber security risks that could lead to potentially devastating breaches. Small businesses are prime targets because they may not have the infrastructure or resources that a larger company might deploy to defend their organizations against threats.
In fact, a Pricewaterhouse Coopers study on cyber security found that only 20 percent of small companies depend on a security team for handling insider attacks compared to 62 percent of large businesses. This disparity could be caused by the fact that many small businesses lack an information security department and rely solely on their IT group to solve cyber-security issues. Small businesses operating in the financial services or healthcare space can be particularly vulnerable because of the confidential personal account information they maintain for customers – data that is highly prized by cyber criminals.
Thankfully, there are several best practices small businesses can follow to mitigate your cyber security risks, including:
- Strengthening your defenses — Keep your business’ software programs up to date, install anti-malware software and use protective firewalls.
- Educating and engaging your workforce – Employees are one of your best assets when it comes to protecting your organization against cyber crime. Take steps to educate your workforce on emerging risks, offer training sessions on security measures and privacy policies, and reinforce the fact that security is everyone’s responsibility.
- Keeping private information secure– Safeguard sensitive information, especially when you’re on the go. Always log on from a secure connection and create strong passwords to add an extra layer of security (and keep those passwords in a secure location).
- Developing an action plan in case of an emergency – In the event of a cyber attack, it’s important to have an action plan in place so you and your employees know how to respond, minimize potential damage and alert customers.
Webinar on Cyber Security
Small businesses must be vigilant about cybercrime and develop strategies for defending against and responding to threats, since cybercrime is not going away any time soon. In fact, according to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), 269,422 complaints were received in 2014, an increase of more than 6,660 from the year before. As a small business owner, you may be more of a target than you realize. But by making it a priority to have the appropriate defenses in place, you can protect your business, your reputation and your customers’ information.
Register now to learn more on this topic at ADP’s upcoming webinar “A Window Into the Mind of a Cyber Criminal.”
About the Author
Bill O’Connell is Vice President of Global Trust at ADP, a provider of cloud-based solutions and services that helps employers manage their most important asset – their people. Bill leads a global team responsible for all operational planning initiatives paramount to meeting ADP’s strategic objectives for security, privacy and risk.
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