Businesses, small or big, are at risk from cyber security threats. A common misconception for small businesses is an idea of security through obscurity that your business is too small to be a target but sad to say, this is not the case. As attackers increasingly automate attacks, targeting many small businesses at once is simple. Small companies often have less strict technological defenses, less awareness of threats, and less time and resources to place into cybersecurity. This makes them an easy target for hackers than bigger companies. Because of this, small companies need to be aware of the threats and how to avoid them. This article will cover some security threats facing businesses and how they can protect themselves against them.

Phishing Attacks

According to Lode Emmanuel Palle, this is the most damaging and common threat facing small companies is phishing attacks. Phishing accounts for 90 percent of all the breaches which companies encounter. They have grown 65 percent over the last year and account for more than 12 billion dollars in business losses. Phishing attacks happen once an attacker pretends to be a trusted contact and attracts a user to click a malicious link, download a malicious file or provide them access to critical information, account details, or credentials.

Malware Attacks

This is the second significant threat facing small businesses. It encompasses an array of cyber threats, such as viruses and Trojans. Malware is a varied term for malicious code that hackers use to gain access to networks, steal information, or destroy computer information. Usually, malicious comes from malicious website downloads, spam emails, or connecting to other infected devices or machines.

Ransomware

Ransomware is one of the most common cyber attacks, hitting many companies yearly. These attacks have become common because they are one of the most lucrative types of attacks. This involves encrypting company data so it cannot be accessed or utilized and forcing the company to pay a ransom to undo it. This leaves businesses with a difficult choice – to pay the ransom and potentially lose vast sums of money or cripple their services with data loss.

How to Address this Issue

To avoid these threats, ensure to improve your cybersecurity. Lode Emmanuel Palle is an expert in cybersecurity with many years of experience in the service.