How to Recognize When Your Business Could Be at Risk from Cyberattacks

Introduction

Every business that uses the internet is at risk from cyberattacks, but the art of being prepared is in recognizing when those risks are increased.

Of course, the ability to recognize when you are under attack hinges on the point that you know not only about the risks but where you are likely to be under attack and how that attack is likely to occur.

Four Important Tips to Recognize If You Business is Being Targeted by Cybercriminals

Here are four important tips to help you recognize when your business is at risk of a cyberattack…

1. Phishing Emails

The most likely first contact your business will have with a cybercriminal is through a phishing email. This is where they are likely to be after some form of information that has value to them or a way of gaining entry to the data you hold within your business.

2. Protection Against Ransoming

Ransomware is where your data or a file is being held hostage, and a ransom is put on its release. It may be a case that the threat is not only that you cannot access the information within the hostage file, but a case that the criminal will seek to expose any sensitive data should the ransom not be paid within a certain time schedule.

However, it is not unlikely that should you decide not to pay up, the ransom be increased until you do eventually fold. There is more about the subject of ransomware, as well as how you should respond to these attacks, provided by an expert company called Proofpoint.

3. Stop Data Leaks

Stopping data leaks can be easier said than done, especially if a cybercriminal has been successful with a phishing email. Data leaks are generally down to information being leaked to a third party, whether it is by accident or on purpose.

Data leaks can be down to a misconfigured firewall or weak policies regarding security, to name a few different reasons, and both can be easily sorted if properly addressed.

4. Train for Social Engineering

Social engineering occurs when the cybercriminal is relying on their specific target to be under stress from receipt of their email which could spark the emotion of either fear or urgency. An email that is geared up in this way will generally be after money, and again, there is likely to be a time limit attached.

With the victim under stress, they are less likely to pick up on the point that the email is not genuine as they will not be looking too closely but will act without hesitation and therefore give the cybercriminal what they are asking for.

The Takeaway

The best thing that you can do is invest in good quality cybersecurity services, software, and training for your employees. They should be able to recognize what a phishing email is and the kind of targets cybercriminals are likely to attack within your business.

If your employees come across ransomware, they should be well versed in how to act, even if it is by calling a superior to deal with the issue. They should also know about data leaks, how they can be linked to phishing emails, and how social engineering works so that they can become immune to these kinds of contacts should any get through your security measures.