If you run a business which is not protected with cybersecurity then you are taking a big risk which may very well see you become the victim of an attack. Just last month I was with industry expert Bharat Bhise HNA who works with many small businesses in helping them understand where they need better protection, and he was speaking in particular about the worrying trend that so many small businesses don’t have cybersecurity or that they have vastly outdated cybersecurity. If you fall into this category and cybersecurity isn’t something which you give much thought to, here are just a few reasons why you need to protect yourself.
Small Business Attacks
Owing to the fact that hackers know that small businesses don’t ave high level security, and that many don’t have security at all, they know that these are easy targets which they can aim for. Small business attacks are very much on the rise and not only do hackers know that they can easily breach these systems, they also know that there is a very low possibility that they will get caught as a result.
More Data
Small businesses now compared with business 15 years ago look entirely different and these days there are so many companies who rely heavily on computer systems and cloud software to store data. The more systems and networks that we create, the more susceptible that we are to falling victim to a hack. This has made small businesses much more attractive targets and it is yet another reason why you must install cybersecurity.
Cost Effective
The costs of a hack can vary depending on the hack and depending on the business, but it is like to cost you at least $10,000 in making repairs, lost time and wasted wages, because your business will be offline for the duration, unable to do business until the hack is stopped. When you consider the fact that for just a few hundred dollars you can completely protect your system from a hack, it is easy to see why this is the more cost effective option.
Reputation
It is not just the direct financial cost that an attack will have on your business, but also the damage that will be done to your reputation as a result of a hack. If you have sensitive data about your employees or your customers on your computer systems then this information is going to be greatly at risk. If this information falls into the wrong hands then you could be looking at the possibility of identity fraud, how do you think your customers will feel about that? Every time we have seen this happen, the business has had its reputation tore to shreds, which is far too big a risk to run for any small business.
Don’t chance it for the sake of a few hundred dollars, make sure that you give your business the protection it needs today.
