High-profile cyber attacks happen all the time. Many a Fortune 500 company has found itself on the wrong side of a news report concerning a data breach. When these happen, it’s not just bad for the company. It also impacts their customers. When Marriott’s system was attacked, hundreds of millions of people were impacted.
As a business owner, you owe it to your customers to keep their information safe. In this article, we take a look at how you can protect your startup from cyberattacks.
Step 1: Understand What is Out There
Ignorance is the greatest threat to your cyber security in that it can undermine all of the other steps we are going to list in this article. Investing in solid cybersecurity without understanding what you are protecting yourself from in the first place is a little bit like buying a state-of-the-art home security system and then forgetting to lock the door.
It’s not good. Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place. Some of the most common cyber security threats to keep in mind are:
- Malware: Malware is kind of a blanket term for software that gets onto your computer and wreaks havoc. Most firewalls exist to protect you from it, but it can still infect your computer if you follow the wrong link or log onto a dicey WIFI connection.
- Denial of service: Denial of service programs don’t do permanent damage, but they can be extremely destructive while they are in effect. DoS attacks are frequently used by terrorists and other cyber criminals as a way of slowing down operations, or just generally spreading fear and mayhem. The damage will be undone when the program is uninstalled from your system. However, the mitigation costs, as well as the time and energy spent dealing with the issue can be enormous.
- Social engineering attacks: Social engineering attacks happen when a bad actor tricks you into doing something you otherwise wouldn’t. Phishing emails are probably the most common example of a social engineering attack in today’s world, though there are many variations. Good filters and firewalls can keep most of them at bay, but even with the best possible protections in place, you will still get them occasionally. To keep yourself safe, independently verify all sources of questionable communications to make sure they are being sent by a legitimate source. Many social engineering attacks look as though they are coming from a brand you trust.
There are many other threats out there, but the essence of all of them is the same. Be distrustful of things that seem suspicious. When it comes to online dealings it is always better to err on the side of caution.
Step 2: Invest in the Right Digital Infrastructure
Having good firewalls and other forms of virus protection in place can go a long way toward protecting you from the majority of cyber attacks. While you may understand how to shop for cybersecurity protection at the personal level, keep in mind that things are a little bit different when you are shopping for an entire company.
You want to make sure that the solution you choose is both comprehensive and scalable. As a startup, you might not have many employees on hand right now, but that can change quickly. You want to make sure that your cyber security infrastructure can grow at the same rate that your business does to protect you from all potential threats.
Step 3: Consider the Services of a Consultant
If you don’t feel like you are qualified to keep tabs on all of these cyber security considerations it may be to your advantage to consider the services of a cyber security consultant. Cyber security analysts can review your system from the perspective of a hacker to help you identify and shore up your greatest weak points. They can also help recommend training and software solutions that further protect you and your business from cybercrime.
They do cost money, but the expense of recovering from a big data breach is significantly higher.
Step 4: Prioritize Cyber Security in Your Employee Training
When it comes to cyber security, you are only as strong as your weakest link. It may sound like a cliché, but it’s true. Many of the largest data breaches in recent history happened because a cybercriminal was able to gain access to the greater system by way of a relatively low-ranking employee.
You can help prevent that from happening by making cybersecurity a regular part of your employee training. You don’t have to make it boring or preachy. Instead, space it out. You can provide new hires with a comprehensive explanation of your cyber security expectations during the onboarding process, and then provide occasional reminders and mini-training more regularly.
It may sound over the top to spend so much time discussing a concept that most of your employees will already be familiar with. However, keep in mind that Yahoo, Marriott, Google, and many other large businesses experienced massive breaches that were the result of minor mistakes.
Step 5: OT vs. IT
It’s also important to understand what everyone at your business does. You may already have an OT team in place but that won’t be sufficient when it comes to the nitty gritty tasks that play into robust cybersecurity.
When it comes to keeping firewalls up to date, and systems running at top-notch, you need to get yourself a full-time IT team. IT support staff can work remotely, and even possibly be hired on a freelance basis. However, you should make sure that your entire staff has access to them during working hours. When it comes to cyber security, early detection is key to preventing catastrophes.
Conclusion
It’s a lot, right? While the realities of keeping your business safe can feel overwhelming, the truth is that many precautions are common sense. With a modest time investment, you can keep your and your customer’s information safe while doing business in the digital era.
