Every time we mention cybersecurity to a small business owner or a senior executive, we often get a monotonous response – we are too small of a business for cyberattacks.

But, according to a study by the security software company Symantec, 36 per cent of recent cyberattacks were targeted against businesses with fewer than 250 employees in 2018.

Let us help you understand why small businesses are the new target for cyberattacks by hackers.

1. Hackers know what small business leaders are thinking

Hackers know that small business owners do not take security measures very seriously as big enterprises do. Hackers are aware of the fact that within a few attempts, they will be able to get into your system and use it as a gate pass to damage your data, network and in some cases, your entire IT infrastructure.

2. Poor to none cybersecurity protocols

Small business owners often have too much on their plate, and far more important decisions to make; as a result, cybersecurity falls on their back burner. Hackers know that targeting a small entity means fewer efforts from their end. The success rate of hacking into a small business enterprise is very high, as the security measures are very low.

3. Lack of employee training on cybersecurity

In 2018, 1 in 10 URLs analyzed were identified as being malicious, up from 1 in 16 in 2017.

These numbers are higher in small businesses because employees are not trained to differentiate phishing emails from legitimate ones. One-click is all it takes for a virus or trojan to infiltrate into one computer, which then spreads to your entire network. It gets worse because your employees may not know how to avert the situation once they have clicked on a link.

4. Faulty firewall installation and monitoring

Firewalls act as one of the significant barriers to prevent the spread of cyber threats such as viruses and malware. But, just setting up a firewall is not enough. You have to ensure that your firewall is installed correctly and monitored from time-to-time. Firewall monitoring goes over all the rules, filters, exceptions and ensures they are all accurate and current.

5. Small Business IT security support against cyberattacks

The small business owner will need IT security support who understand how hackers work and take best-practice cybersecurity measures to protect your business. You can prepare for cyberattacks ahead of time by assigning an expert for the job so you can carry on with your day-to-day business. By having an expert on your side, you will take appropriate measures to prevent and avert future cyber-attacks on your small business.

Setting up security for your small business could seem intimidating at first, but with a little help from the experts, your cybersecurity headaches can be a thing of the past.

If you have questions about where to start or how to strengthen the IT security of your small business, set-up a free consultation with us by emailing [email protected].

If you have been hacked and need immediate assistance, call us now at 416.410.5030.