While you focus on building your brand and serving your customers, cybercriminals are honing in on vulnerabilities that could bring your business to a standstill. From employees unknowingly clicking on phishing links to the dangers of relying on weak passwords, the risks are real—and they’re growing. Today, we’re highlighting the key areas where your business might be at risk and offering practical tips to strengthen your cybersecurity defenses.
When User Error Endangers a Business
Often, small business cybersecurity risks happen due to user error—or, more accurately, a lack of user awareness. Contrary to popular belief, it thankfully doesn’t take a computer science degree to understand some incredibly effective cybersecurity techniques or the dangers they shield you from.Today’s threat actors are lazy—they can afford to be, thanks to the amount of technology available to launch successful attacks for them—so their methods will rarely be more sophisticated than Business Email Compromise (BEC).You can spot BEC clues all throughout a suspicious email:- Sender name: A familiar name paired with a domain that looks slightly off should send alarm bells ringing.
- Subject Lines: ‘Urgent Action Required to Update Payment Information’ and the like need to be handled with scrutiny.
- Links: Similar to sender domains, hovering over links could reveal an untrusted site which may prompt you to enter credentials or payment information.
- ‘Dear [your name]’: Don’t take it for granted that the sender seems to know who you are—more than likely, they could find your company and position via a quick search on LinkedIn (or any other social media being used improperly).
- Immediacy: Anything needing to be done ASAP or within a named time frame (24 hours, 7 days, etc.) lest payments be delayed or data be deleted should be approached with caution.
- Contact details: Phone numbers or email addresses that don’t match those you have on file.
Default Passwords Can Spell Disaster
There’s a reason the UK has introduced a ban on default, guessable passwords on Internet of Things (IoT) devices. According to NordPass research, ‘123456’ is the most commonly used password in the world, with ‘admin’ and ‘password’ also scoring highly on the list. Two-thirds of Americans also use the same password for multiple accounts—in fact, 13% say they use the same for every single account.In short, this means that you’re at a much higher risk of cyber-attacks if you don’t enforce strong password policies. Every credential you and your team use, both inside work and outside of it, is a potential in for a threat actor, and the availability of secure password managers and login guidance means there’s no excuse for falling at the first defensive hurdle when it comes to protecting a new business.Cybercriminals Are Industry-Agnostic…
Though finance and healthcare are more likely to be targeted than other sectors, anyone could be on the receiving end of an attack. Even churches store valuable data from donation pages, and if they, or anyone else whose services they rely on—let’s say their website host—get breached, their members’ credit card information could be exploited by a threat actor looking to make some quick cash on the Dark Web.…And Undefined by Age (or Experience)
As we’ve said, cybercriminals can be lazy, but these days, they can also be underage. In 2022, two 17-year-olds were responsible for a spate of attacks on high-profile companies. They:- Tried to access 74,000 customer records from Revolut.
- Caused an Uber shutdown that led to losses of $2.8 million.
- Drained £54,000 from one victim’s cryptocurrency wallet.
Small Businesses Make Attractive Targets
Breaching a big business could mean a big payout—but getting in is often a significant challenge. Larger corporations typically have large cybersecurity budgets, including a multi-layered network of industry-leading defenses and a dedicated security team. Mom-and-pop shops like those in Brunswick, on the other hand, don’t (though they do have access to plenty of free resources on building a stronger cybersecurity strategy), making it easier for threat actors to walk away with a considerable sum of money.Firewalls Aren’t A Failsafe
Staying protected against modern cyber threats takes layer on layer of security: zero trust software so your team can’t install new programs unpermitted, 2-Factor Authentication enforced at every stage of a workflow, 24/7 threat detection, and response monitoring so that as soon as something looks off, it can be shut down, preventing the potential problem from spreading. Every defense could be compromised at some point, so the more of them you have, the less damaging the overall impact of a single incident will be.You Could Even Be Collateral
Sometimes, it’s not even a lack of SMB cyber protection on your behalf that could leave you in hot water. Through no fault of your own, unregistered IP blocks, or blocks that’ve been used by threat actors in your area, can be blacklisted, essentially barring use for anyone who also uses that IP address. An IT provider can look into this and get you off that blacklist, restoring access to and from your network—provided you have a team with adequate experience on your side.Simple Fixes for a Complex Problem?
Though cyber dangers can be a tricky beast to tame, straightforward protections are often enough to fend off the worst damage. As well as implementing a range of tools, cybersecurity for Brunswick businesses can look like:- Establishing standard verification techniques when dealing with requests of a financial or otherwise sensitive nature. Don’t shy away from calling people up (using the number you have on file) to confirm it’s really them asking.
- Being wary of urgency in correspondences, especially if it’s the first you’re hearing about a transaction or time-sensitive action.
- Double-checking domain names. Lowercase ‘L’s make convincing ‘I’s, but font differences are often more obvious (the wrong type of ‘a’, for example).
- Opting for unique passphrases over passwords. It’s all too easy to update a password by adding a ‘!’ or ‘1’ when prompted—and all too easy for a hacker to guess this new version in under a second.
- Investing in regular employee training. It’s not an exaggeration to say that nearly all small business cybersecurity risks could be eradicated via education.
- Reporting suspicious emails and messages to your IT team.
- Examining cyber insurance policies for guidance. They’ll outline the necessary measures needed to stay secure (and help protect you financially should the worst happen).
Coverage Doesn’t Mean You’re in the Clear
Get the policy, and you’re sorted, right? Not exactly. Just as car insurance won’t cover drunk driving, cyber insurance policies won’t pay out for issues caused by irresponsibility. Besides, the fewer measures you have in place, the harder you’ll find it to get insurance, and the more expensive it’s going to be—it’s not dissimilar to how if you have prior claims, keep your car on the street rather than in a garage, and so on, your car insurance premium will be higher.Protecting a New Business? Don’t Go It Alone
Underestimating the risks as well as your susceptibility to them is a dangerous game for business owners to play. With cyber-attacks on the rise, the time to bury your head in the sand is quickly running out. Whether you’re a brand-new Brunswick business or you’ve been around as long as we have, it’s always best to navigate SMB cyber protection with professional support. Stay informed, stay alert, and stay strong in the face of cyber dangers.Coastal Computer Consulting: Award-Winning IT Support and Cybersecurity for Brunswick Businesses
Since 2008, we’ve been empowering businesses up and down the I95 corridor to get the most out of their technology. With our wealth of experience and tailored solutions designed for the area, we’ll seamlessly address all your IT needs, allowing you to focus on driving success for your business.Whether you’re an existing Brunswick business looking to elevate operations or you’re just finding your feet in the area, our expert team can kit you out with IT that works for you. Contact us today and begin your journey towards a thriving, streamlined business.