Businesses are constantly under multiple threats, not just from viruses but also malware, phishing attacks, network probes and more. As technology advances, these attacks are getting more sophisticated—and destructive. Considering this, it’s not easy to keep your business systems safe these days.
By July 2021 ransomware attacks had risen 185% in North America. Crypto currency has gone up 400% between October 2020 and March 2021. Why is that? Because crypto currency is the preferred payment for ransomware attacks, companies are paying the ransom and its the new “get rich quick” scheme for cyber criminals. The bad guys are out there, whether you know it—or believe it. What are they looking for? Vulnerabilities in your network infrastructure that will allow them to break in and get anything of value. They’re at war with us and the bad news is – they are winning.
Take the recent cyberattack on T-Mobile, for example. In August 2021, T-Mobile experienced a data breach that leaked customer information, including social security numbers, drivers license numbers, personal information, and more. Over 50,000 customer records were stolen. In response to this attack, T-Mobile partnered with a cybersecurity company to strengthen their systems and protect customer information moving forward.
Other companies, like Ford Motor Company, have been more fortunate when it comes to data breaches. In early 2021, a group of activist hackers notified the company of a major weakness in their security system. If discovered by the wrong people, this weakness could have led to sensitive information being leaked. Once the activist hackers notified Ford of the weakness, Ford quickly fixed the issue.
Sadly, not all companies are as lucky as Ford was. If those friendly hackers hadn’t been so friendly, the story would have ended a lot differently for Ford. If some of the biggest companies in the world are in danger of being hacked, it should be no surprise that small businesses are in danger too. Many businesses just don’t have the time to deal with or even understand these threats. But you need to make cybersecurity a priority—not just for you, but for your employees and customers.
Business owners need to start thinking of their companies as vulnerable targets, and taking the time to ensure they’ve done everything possible to protect themselves…before the worst happens. Prioritizing cybersecurity systems before you actually need them is the best practice we can recommend. That includes cybersecurity training for employees. Unfortunately, sometimes companies will reach out to us for help, only after they have been seriously damaged or breached. When investigating their systems post-attack, we often discover insufficient firewalls, no password policies, no layered protection, or worse: no protection in place at all.
In line with our proactive approach to support, we have produced a guide for business owners that will help you understand the 9 most prevalent (and lethal) Internet threats today. This 40+ page guide will walk you through what these threats are, how they work, and most importantly how to stop them from destroying your data, compromising client’s data, and bringing your business network down. Please take advantage of this valuable resource. The first step in winning against cyber criminals is understanding how they will come at you, and how to stop them.
If you are ready to implement a strong cybersecurity defense or double check that your current system is strong enough, the CTS team is here to help. Don’t delay; contact us today. You never know when a hacker is on the prowl.