Small business is big business for cybercrime & criminals
Don’t be fooled thinking that your company is too small to be of interest to cybercriminals. Your credit card numbers, employee payroll information and social security numbers, your tax documents are just as valuable as a large companies. The statistics posted by Trend Micro in their April 2017 report are alarming:
• Cyber criminals unleash a new threat targeting Small Business every second
• The cost to the victims can be huge – the FBI estimates that $6 million was stolen by one malware attack of multiple businesses called Cryptolocker in 2017
• Small businesses are common targets of cyber criminals since many don’t invest in security like larger companies
TIP OF THE MONTH
How can you better protect your users and your network from Cybercrime?
Password protect everything!
A good, strong password is one of the easiest ways to protect yourself from cybercrime. From your computer, to your server, to your handheld devices, the information you store on these devices is only as secure as the password that is protecting it. Passwords should include:
– the use of both upper- and lower-case letters (case sensitivity)
– inclusion of one or more numerical digits
– inclusion of special characters, e.g. @, #, $ etc
– don’t use common words from the dictionary
– don’t use personal information like your birthday, kids name, etc.
– and should be as long as possible
Don’t save your information!
Many website will ask if you would like to save your password or personal information in order to automatically log in the next time you visit the site. Although this is convenient, it is not safe. If your device is breached or stolen this gives the cyber-criminal access to websites you have previously visited such as bank sites, vendor sites, etc. It is best to choose to enter your information every time you login. This helps protect your device but also keeps your passwords fresh in your mind.
Protect your mobile devices!
Mobile devices have a high theft rate so protecting them in every way you can is smart. There are several third party applications that can locate and wipe your smart-phone and laptop if stolen. Try a program like “find my iPhone” or “phone sheriff” to remotely locate, lock, or wipe a phone.
