It’s 2019 and technology is booming. Most have access to an internet-enabled device, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and more.
These devices do bring ease of use right to our hands, but they also bring a lot of headaches as well. The internet is not a safe place. There are malicious people out there who want to get their hands on personal and sensitive information for their benefit.
The internet brings ease and advantages to all businesses. Any business can utilize the internet and technology to its advantage. However, relying on technology also brings all the downsides with it as well. Businesses are at risk, because hackers don’t care if it’s a small business or a giant corporation; they attack whatever they can.
Small businesses face a greater threat because most small to medium-sized businesses often overlook the importance of cybersecurity, which makes them a prime target for these hackers.
Here’s how you can determine whether or not your cybersecurity strategy needs an upgrade.
Are you relying on just an antivirus?
If you think that having an antivirus is enough to cover all your bases, you couldn’t be any more wrong. Antivirus does not save you from hackers. Of course, it’s going to detect viruses and trojans every now and then, but the modern hacker is sophisticated. They develop malware that goes undetected by most current anti-malware programs and wreaks havoc on your network.
If you only rely on an antivirus or anti-malware program then you need to rethink your cybersecurity strategy and probably give it a tweak. Otherwise, you are putting your business at risk, along with that the security of your employees and clients as well.
Are your employees clueless about cybersecurity?
This happens most of the times. Most employees of a small business are often clueless or have no interest in cybersecurity. Some people even think that cybersecurity is not that important, especially when they are working in a small business environment.
However, that’s entirely wrong because hackers often use the weakest links to exploit a network. If a certain employee doesn’t care about cybersecurity then there’s a high chance that they can be used as the entry point either knowingly or unknowingly.
So, if you think that your employees are still clueless regarding cybersecurity then your strategy sure needs an upgrade as you’ll need to educate them.
Are you a startup in the growth stage?
Then you’ll need to upgrade your cybersecurity first. If you don’t have a cybersecurity strategy already in place then that’s the first thing you should do. Your growing business needs it the most.
A growing business cannot ignore its cybersecurity. If you want your business to grow then the first thing to do is to strengthen its defenses, otherwise, you are putting your business, employees and clients at risk of a data breach.
If you already have a cybersecurity strategy in place, test it to see if it needs any changes.
Are you being targeted?
This happens to small businesses a lot. Some hackers try to see if a business is vulnerable by launching different minor attacks. Even unsuccessful attacks can provide hackers with information like your weak links and other vulnerabilities.
If you are experiencing a flurry of minor attacks on your business then it’s time to rethink your cybersecurity strategy. Even if the attacks are unsuccessful for the time being, that doesn’t mean they will never succeed. Upgrade your cybersecurity to ensure that you stay ahead of the malicious attackers and never fall prey to their attempts.
Are you using the same practices you did years ago?
We’ve got some bad news for you.
It is incredibly easy for hackers to get access to systems that have been using old or obsolete technologies. If your cybersecurity strategy is the same as it was a few years ago, then that’s a clear sign that you need to upgrade your strategy.
It doesn’t matter if you haven’t been attacked so far or if your wonderful strategy has kept all the attacks at bay. Sooner or later, the old strategy is going to fail and you will likely fall prey to hackers. Before that happens, upgrade your strategy and enforce newer policies across your entire business.
Are you using old or obsolete software?
This often happens to businesses that aren’t tech-savvy. Business owners think that if they don’t have an e-commerce business, they are completely safe from hackers, but that’s not the case. Hackers don’t target e-commerce businesses only. They target anyone and everyone that uses a computer for their business and data.
If your business uses computers and the internet then you are a target as well. Now, if you are using old operating systems like Windows XP and their software on your PCs then you are in for a world of hurt. Windows XP has been dead for a while now and it’s completely vulnerable to latest threats.
It’s time you move onto the newest versions of your operating system. Also, if you are using older versions of other software or programs, you‘ll need to upgrade those as well.
Finally
If any of the above-mentioned questions apply to you then you’ll need to take swift action and upgrade your cybersecurity practices as soon as possible. An outdated cybersecurity strategy could cost you heavily.
If you want to ensure that your business, your employees, and your clients stay protected, then you need to make continuous attempts to strengthen your digital defenses.
