A 2019 report by the Australian Cyber Security Centre found that 62% of small to medium-sized businesses had been victims of a cybersecurity attack.
Annual losses to cybersecurity attacks are estimated at around $300 million per year, so it’s important to be prepared.
Cybersecurity in small to medium-sized businesses
Did you know that small to medium-sized businesses are more vulnerable to cybersecurity attacks than larger corporations?
These businesses tend to be less prepared and spend less time and effort on cybersecurity protection.
We all use the internet to communicate with clients and colleagues, work on projects, and even store confidential documents. A cyber or ransomware attack will negatively impact your business, take time and money to recover from as a result.
So, what is ransomware?
Ransomware involves scammers installing software on your computer that will encrypt your files. The scammer will then request a ransom from you to restore your files. This ransom is generally around $500 to $2,000 and will have a strict deadline attached to it.
Phishing emails are the leading cause of successful ransomware attacks. A phishing email is sent by a scammer posing as someone else in order to gain access to your sensitive information. Other causes of cybersecurity attacks include weak passwords, visiting fraudulent websites, or clicking on website ads.
Ransomware is the biggest cyber threat to small to medium-sized businesses, 1 in 5 small to medium-sized businesses suffering from a ransomware attack. In addition, businesses that don’t outsource their IT services face more attacks on average.
Protecting your business from ransomware
A multi-layered approach and a focus on business continuity is key to getting your business back up and running.
Read more about our approach to business continuity.
Education
Educate your staff about the danger of a cybersecurity attack. For instance, you can show your staff examples of phishing emails and malicious ads, so they know what to avoid. Contact us immediately if you or your staff encounter something suspicious.
Security
Antivirus software, email spam filters, and pop-up blockers are essential for any business. Make sure that all of your business applications are using the most up-to-date cybersecurity software.
Backup
Unfortunately, even the best security software can’t guarantee to stop a ransomware attack. This is where a concrete backup plan becomes essential.
In our Managed Backup service, we work with you to design a comprehensive backup plan to protect your business based on your business requirements. We also perform regular testing as part of our backup service to make sure your recovery system is always secure and functioning as it should be.
In the event of a ransomware attack having a comprehensive backup plan will save your business time and money. You won’t have to pay ransoms to get your data back and your staff can access the data they need while we restore your primary systems.
