Many small businesses are currently struggling because of the pandemic. The last thing any small business needs now is a cyberattack, which could easily put a company out of business. So now more than ever there is a need for strong cybersecurity practices, especially in smaller businesses with less cybersecurity devoted resources.

60 percent of companies that are victims of a cyber-attack go out of business within six months. -NCSA

The average loss of a cyberattack in 2019 was around $200,000, which is a lot of money for a small business to pay. This helps to understand why so many companies struggle to succeed after a cyberattack.

These are some helpful tips to help improve cybersecurity in small business

Train your staff

Employee training is the first and one of the most important steps in maintaining quality cybersecurity. Your employees are the main entry point that hackers try to exploit. Hackers try to gain access through employees by tricking them with phishing and social engineering attacks. They also target employees who are working from home on unsecured personal internet networks. Business owners should train their employees to back up data regularly, avoid any suspicious links, and to report any possible phishing scams. Trained employees will reduce the risk of an attack and should be wary of any future attack.

A 2019 Accenture study found that 43 percent of cyber-attacks are aimed at small businesses but only 14 percent are prepared to defend themselves. This is alarming news especially since small businesses are a top-tier target for most cybercriminals. Shows just how many small businesses lack preparedness and how many need to quickly improve their security.

Find a cybersecurity solution

Perhaps one of the best ways to defend your business against cyber threats is to find and install a solid cybersecurity solution. Small businesses usually are short on cybersecurity resources, to begin with, and usually do not have dedicated IT/Cybersecurity experts. Which is why small businesses need a low-cost solution that is extremely effective.

Your business technology should be protected with anti-virus and anti-malware software, this will find and identify any threats to your business. These have security features that will make it harder for any information to be stolen. Every business should have a virtual private network (VPN) that hides your IP address, making it almost impossible for hackers to track you. VPNs are very useful and a necessity if you have employees working from home on unsecured networks. Email protection and maintaining a firewall are also highly recommended in the cybersecurity community.

Ostra offers an affordable and quality cybersecurity solution for your business, that incorporates the very best security tools to protect small/medium-sized businesses. We operate behind the scenes to protect businesses and their most valuable asset, their data.

We leverage known platforms such as FireEye and Palo Alto, to create a sphere of protection for your business and employees, no matter where they are located or what machine they are on.

Want to find out more? Contact us today!

Ostra Cybersecurity

As Your Trusted Cybersecurity Team, Ostra makes cybersecurity simple and accessible to businesses of all sizes. Ostra provides its partners and their clients with a multi-layered, comprehensive and fully managed Security as a Service.

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Ostra is proud to take part in helping to create a safer and more trusted cyberspace for everyone.

History of Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Cybersecurity Awareness Month was founded by both government and industry to make sure every American consumer and business has the resources needed to stay safe and secure online. Originally, 17 years ago, cybersecurity month messages were about updating antivirus software and the threat of a “virus”. But as technology advanced, so did the efforts needed to educate people on growing cybersecurity threats.

Today, organizations of every kind, non-profit/for-profit, corporations, universities, small businesses, and other groups all participate in Cybersecurity Awareness Month. These groups all have one goal in mind, to educate their employees/customers/members on the importance of creating a safer, more secure internet for everyone. Awareness efforts today highlight the basics of keeping your technology and information safe. Companies and organizations share tips and tricks throughout October.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month Resources

To get involved and learn more about Cybersecurity Awareness Month, check out these cybersecurity focused partners.

The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) builds strong public/private partnerships to create and implement broad-reaching education and awareness efforts to empower users at home, work, and school with the information they need to keep themselves, their organizations, their systems, and their sensitive information safe and secure online and encourage a culture of cybersecurity. https://staysafeonline.org/cybersecurity-awareness-month/

Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) is the community of choice for international cybersecurity professionals dedicated to advancing individual growth, managing technology risk, and protecting critical information and infrastructure. https://www.issa.org/

The Cyber Security Hub is an online news source for global cybersecurity professionals and business leaders who leverage technology and services to secure the entire perimeter in their enterprise. https://www.cshub.com/

Ostra’s Cybersecurity 101

For those who are new to the world of cybersecurity or just need a refresher, check out our Cybersecurity Terms 101 post. We cover the basic terms that everyone should know to better protect their own devices and to help keep cyberspace safe.

Want to find out more about Ostra and how we can help your business? Visit Ostra.net or contact us today at protection@ostra.net