Cyber Attacks: The Risks and Preventive Measures for Businesses

Nowadays, technologies are leading our way of life. Nobody can imagine a single day in office without a laptop or a day at home without a tablet or smart TV. The Internet of things is evolving, household appliances are now connected to the internet and can be controlled from a smartphone and this data is stored on cloud servers.

All these technological advancements provide multiple advantages to humans. The data is readily available on the cloud, information is always available on voice command or at a tap of our fingers and even friends are now just a chat engine away. Though there are uncountable benefits of internet advancement, there is always a reverse side to a coin.

The Danger to Personal and Confidential Data from the Outside

In recent years, cyber attacks on companies of various sizes have shown how destructive they can be to an organization which neglects its informational security. Statistics say that the cyber attacks have dramatically increased in number and There are two main reasons for it.

1. Private and confidential data are kept on cloud servers;
2. There is a lack of experts as well as professionals who look after information security.

In the nascent years of internet, an attack was planned and made by a hacker who was supposed to be in front of a laptop. But as technology advanced, a human presence is no longer required. A software can hack a system, by scanning IP addresses it looks for weak points in the system security.

How Can an Enterprise Safeguard Itself Against Attacks

1. The first step is the risk assessment, a firm should know how much it will lose in the case of a cyber-attack. How much business will be lost if there are no working laptops or PCs for several days and what is the customer impact if the cloud data is misused?
2. Depending on the organization size, it is feasible to outsource information security services or hire specialists to look after cybersecurity. It is necessary to select the best security systems and antiviruses, and also, teach the employees all the basic security rules.
3. Data shall be encrypted, reserve copies have to be made and admittance to confidential information shall be limited. These are quite obvious measures which are quite often ignored.
4. Smartphones are the major source to get access to an organization’s confidential information and secured data. Thus, employees must always have a security code to protect their corporate cell phones. Apparently, for informal meetings with friends, these phones shall be left at home.

In cybersecurity, the primary goal is to reduce the risk of a break-in to a minimum. It can be achieved by application of the newest developments in the security branch, detection and elimination of insecurities and educated employees. Protection is a permanent process which requires care, attention, and vigilance. An organization cannot fight against cyber attacks alone, it needs a team of security specialists and mindful employees.