Cyber security is a type of security that protects a large variety of digital systems such as networks, stored data, and applications. Having a good digital security system has become incredibly important for businesses in current society. As businesses entered the digital space for increased optimisation of completing tasks, storing sensitive information, and creating lines of communication for their employees – the threats to the security of these businesses also went digital. These ‘cyber-attacks’ have since become increasingly more sophisticated, causing more and more users to lose data, money, or even control of their devices to cyber-criminals.
The importance of having a good security system has risen, especially for businesses, who have a lot to lose should their system be attacked and render them able to function. There are many ways to get digital security support for a business, one of the most common being to do so through a managed IT service, such as Sydney Managed IT.
Categories of Cyber Security
While the term “cyber security” is quite general, there are actually multiple different categories within it, of different digital systems it will focus on protecting. Such categories include:
- Network security – is designed to protect a business’ computer network, or wi-fi network from attack or damage due to intruders or malware. This type of security includes ensuring there is adequate anti-virus software, firewalls, VPN encryption, and more.
- Application security – is focused on preventing security vulnerabilities in programs and applications used by the business through developing, adding, and testing the applications’ security features. Failure to ensure an application is secure can lead to brute force or injection attacks, which can allow intruders into the wider business network.
- Information security – is the protection of data that is being either stored or transmitted (to another device or location) to ensure that it remains secure, private, and unaltered.
- Operational security – is both a security process and strategy, in which the actions of a business and the ways in which their employees operate their digital systems are observed from the perspective of a potential attacker. This is done to reveal which actions or operations inadvertently reveal the business’ sensitive information and leave it vulnerable to an attack.
Why Should Businesses Care About Cyber Security?
Cyber security is important because it protects your confidential and sensitive data from cyber-criminals or losing data to malware. Cyber-attacks can result in lost money, stolen identities, damaged reputations, corrupted data, and even a digital system that is unusable due to the damage it has suffered. In order to protect your business, you need to have measures in place that will help prevent cyber-attacks from happening in the first place.
Without proper security systems in place, your business is put at risk for issues that can be incredibly difficult to recover from. Not only do security measures help secure sensitive information and data, but they can also protect company hardware such as computers, laptops, smartphones, and tablets.
Businesses are especially at risk for attacks because there is often more for a cyber-criminal to gain for successfully attacking one. Without proper security measures in place, businesses can also be easy to breach because of employees who don’t have proper cyber security training or knowledge about what is considered safe and unsafe when using a digital system (they might, for example, click on a malicious link in an email they thought was from a trusted sender).
The Cost of a Data Breach
Cyber security is not just an IT issue, it’s a business-wide issue that can have far-reaching consequences if ignored. Data breaches can have a huge effect on businesses, especially those that have not backed up their data. It can result in the loss of large amounts of money, lost data and important files, damage to the business’s reputation. Not only do data breaches affect the business, but they can also affect customers who have entrusted their data to the business, this can result in a widespread loss of trust for the business and cause the business to lose its customers.
Don’t leave your business unprotected! Ensure your data and systems are secure with Sydney Managed IT!
Common Threats to Cyber Security
There are many different threats to a business’s digital security that can occur and cause damage to that business’ data or operating system. These threats include:
- Malware – is a general term that refers to any program or code designed to disrupt computer operations, gain access to private information, or to damage hardware. There is more than one type of malware, such as:
- Viruses – are self-replicating computer programs. They are a common threat to systems as they can cause a lot of damage without you even knowing it. Cybercriminals can create viruses that are capable of destroying your hardware, software, or operating system.
- Trojans – is a type of malware that downloads onto your computer and gain access to a business’ systems. It is called the ‘trojan horse virus’ as it is disguised as legitimate software but can do a lot of damage once installed on a computer. Trojans allow cybercriminals to steal information and monitor what you do on the internet without being detected.
- Ransomware – is another common threat because it holds your files hostage until someone pays a ‘ransom.’ Cybercriminals use ransomware to get users to pay them in order to get stolen files back or to decrypt your system so that it works again.
- Phishing – is a cyber threat that occurs when the user is sent an email that looks like it came from reputable company, another user in the system, or someone you have emailed before, but is actually a scam. The goal of a phishing attack is to get you to click on a link in the email or to encourage you to provide your personal information. Cyber criminals often use this scheme in order to steal login details by creating a replicate login page of the desired details in order to steal them.
- Man-in-the-Middle – is a type of eavesdropping attack that is used to steal information being given to an application or another person by a user. This is done by the cyber-criminal positioning themselves ‘in the middle’ of the exchange and ensuring that it appears normal to the user. The attack often occurs if a user in on an unsecure network, as this is when devices or systems are most vulnerable to an attack.
- Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) – is a type of attack that attempts to crash a server, website, or network by overloading it with traffic caused by bots. This type of attack is done to prevent a system from fulfilling legitimate requests and can even render it unusable for businesses to carry out their regular functions.
How to Protect Your Business from Cyber Threats?
Cyber attacks can originate from a variety of sources, including hackers, scam links, and downloads containing malware. Cyber security is about having the right tools in place to help protect you from all types of cyber threats and attacks.
One of the best ways to protect your business is by hiring a professional managed IT support service such as Sydney Managed IT. By partnering with an experienced IT managed service provider, you and your business can benefit from the wide range of tools and expertise needed to protect your business.
Other cyber security measures will vary depending on what type of company you have, but there are some common steps that all businesses should take when it comes to ensuring their systems and data are safe from cybercrime.
These include things like having regular backups in place for critical data files, storing backup data in a different location or on the cloud, keeping the business’ operating system and any software used updated, installing anti-virus software, using strong and well-encrypted passwords, notifying your managed IT services provider of any changes to hardware or software that could impact cyber security and more. A business’ digital security must be an ongoing process because new threats are constantly emerging online.
Another incredibly important aspect of ensuring your business is properly secured against an infiltration or attack is by making sure your employees are aware of any potential IT dangers and know how to protect themselves.
Digital security is not just about having the right tools in place, it’s also about training your staff on what they can do to stay safe online. Cybercriminals use a variety of methods to attack businesses and their employees, so it’s important that every member of the team knows how best to protect themselves. Some helpful tips for your staff on staying safe digitally include:
Do not open or download an email attachment unless you know exactly what it is because unknown attachments can contain malware. If an email asks for your personal information or login details, do not click on the link in the email and provide your details as a trusted email sender would not ask you to do so. - If you need to login to a site online, check that the website and network you are using are secure before entering any personal information like usernames and passwords as hackers can access unsecured networks and websites easily to steal your details.
- Install anti-virus software onto your devices to better protect it, anti-virus software can also alert you if a network or website is not trusted.
- Use strong passwords and avoid using the same password for multiple login locations.
Cyber Security with Sydney Managed IT
Cyber security is all about having the right tools in place to help protect your business from all types of cyber threats and attacks. Our managed IT packages include invaluable security services that are designed to meet the individual needs of your business, regardless of whether it is large or small! Sydney Managed IT services include everything from network support and management, cloud data backups and recovery, monitoring of your business’ network, and much more.
Cyber security services can be expensive, which is why many small business owners don’t have it. However, if you consult with one of the friendly staff at Sydney Managed IT Services, they are sure to help you find a security system within your budget to help you establish cyber security measures that meet your business needs.
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Don’t let your business fall victim to a cyber-attack and risk losing your sensitive data or computer systems. To get your business started with high quality and affordable cyber security, contact Sydney Managed IT today!