Checklist: Cyberattacks Surge – Be Prepared or Fall Victim
Cyberattacks on businesses surged 40% in 2021, and 2022 is predicted to be an even more dangerous and expensive year when it comes to defending against cyberattacks. Most recently, cybercriminals globally are looking to profit from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with small to mid-size businesses and organizations among the most vulnerable.
Cyberattacks on all businesses and organizations are becoming more complex and costly and are happening every day. According to a recent Cost of Cybercrime Study (Accenture), 43% of cyberattacks are aimed at small businesses, especially those in the legal, insurance, retail, financial, healthcare, government and education sectors, but only 14% are prepared to defend themselves. Cybercriminals are targeting the human layer – the weakest link in cyber defense – through increased ransomware, phishing and social engineering attacks as a path to entry.
Cybersecurity must be an ever-evolving aspect of any successful and sustainable company. The best way to defend against a cyberattack is to take preventive steps – incidents are less likely to happen and can be less damaging if they do happen.
Unfortunately, 88% of small business owners felt their business was vulnerable to a cyberattack, according to a recent Small Business Association survey. Many companies can’t afford professional IT solutions, have limited time to devote to cybersecurity, or don’t know where to begin.
Be proactive in this battle – don’t wait to be the victim of a cyberattack. We recommend you start by:
1. Learning about common cyberthreats. While there are many, among the most common are phishing, malware, spear-phishing, ransomware and Zero-day exploit.
2. Understanding where your business is vulnerable. A cybersecurity risk assessment performed by an experienced cybersecurity service provider is the most effective way to identify areas of concern and security gaps.
3. Taking steps to improve your cybersecurity. Developing a comprehensive cybersecurity program that includes a plan for educating your workforce is the best defense.
To get started now, download our 13 Ways to Protect Your Business Against Cyberattacks checklist.
If you need help – from an initial security assessment or implementing additional cybersecurity measures to examining a cybersecurity incident – please contact us. Yeo & Yeo Technology provides full cybersecurity solutions.
If a cyber incident has impacted you, it is encouraged to report the incident. Reporting the incident can help render assistance and prevent other organizations from falling victim to a similar attack. File a complaint with the FBI at www.ic3.gov and contact CISA via email at report@cisa.gov or call the 24/7 CISA Central Operations Center at (888) 282-0870.
Review the Checklist: 13 Ways to Protect Your Business Against Cyberattacks