Did you know that 61% of data breaches are against small businesses? Or that 60% of those businesses never recover from these attacks.
It's a misconception that large corporations are primarily targeted by cyber thieves because they have more assets, but that simply isn't true.
These criminals target small businesses because they are least likely to have adequate protection set in place.
One of the best ways to prevent a data breach is to understand the types of data breaches and how they can affect you. In this article, we're telling you all about them, so follow along!
We're living in a technology-driven world and unfortunately, that means sensitive data is at a greater risk for being stolen and misused than ever before. Want to know about the types of data breaches that can impact your business?
Here are some examples:
Criminal hackers have multiple ways of getting into your systems including stealing passwords and installing ransomware. But the worst part is that many hackers know how to remain undetectable until they've already completed their damage.
Physical theft isn't commonly associated with data breaches, but that's a mistake that causes serious repercussions. Physical theft can occur when confidential information is left out in the open or phones and other equipment are stolen.
Additionally, physical theft commonly occurs when trash isn't properly discarded. If you no longer need a document that has sensitive information on it, make sure it is properly shredded.
According to one report, 47% of business leaders say that employee negligence caused a data breach in their organization. Something as simple as an employee opening an email with a suspicious attachment or loudly speaking in a public space can cause private information to fall into the wrong hands.
Cybercriminals will send you emails from addresses that seem legitimate in order to have you open a link or download a file with an unsafe attachment.
Depending on the software that's used, this can allow them access to things like passwords and financial data. But it can also give them remote access of your computer and networks.
You never want sensitive data to get into the wrong hands. But do you know exactly how much damage a cyberthief can do?
These are some consequences that commonly follow data breaches:
A data breach can cause credit card and banking information to get stolen, but fraudulent charges to your account are just the beginning.
When the breach is made public, fewer customers will shop with you, you may have to temporarily close your business, and repairing the damage to your systems is much more expensive than protecting them.
Some hackers will break into your company's systems to pull pranks. They can change contact numbers, write vulgar content, and even use your site to push their own agendas.
Intellectual property can include blueprints, business strategies, manuscripts, and designs. If this type of information is lost during a data breach, you can suffer great loss and lose your edge over rival companies.
This is especially true if you're in an industry like construction or manufacturing.
A simple virus firewall or virus protection software won't protect you from all the types of data breaches. You need a more personalized solution that incorporates proactive maintenance and software updates to keep you ahead of hackers.
Check out our site to learn all about these types of managed IT services so that the business you worked hard to build isn't left vulnerable.