Why Your Small Business Should Not Underestimate Cyber Threats

Most of us are guilty of overlooking cybersecurity at home. We don’t think that anyone would ever come after us. You might not update software and apps as soon as one becomes available and chances are you use the same password, or a variation of the same, for many of your accounts. These mistakes can be costly. But, they can be even worse if you make them with your business. 

As a small business owner, you might think that cybersecurity and online safety aren’t things that you need to spend too much time worrying about. You might assume that cyber terrorists and hackers only go after big organizations, targeting places where they can do the most damage or have the most to gain. But, you’d be wrong.

As a small business, you should never make the mistake of underestimating your online security. You should be investing in IT Security Services to keep both your business and its customers safe online. 

You’re Not Safe

The harsh reality is that your business isn’t safe unless you take precautions.

Even privately, we’re never completely safe online. Studies show that there is a hacker attack approximately every 39 seconds, and 43% of cyber attacks target small businesses. 

You Might Have Weaker Security

Big businesses have cybersecurity teams and specialists working on keeping things safe and monitoring security issues around the clock.

As a smaller business, chances are, you can’t afford this kind of set up, which means that you are responsible for your own cybersecurity.

This means that you need a greater understanding of the risks.

Your User Data Is Just as Important

In 2018 hackers stole around half a billion personal records.  You shouldn’t underestimate cyber threats if you hold any kind of customer data, right down to online cookies and sign-in information.

Your customer’s data is just as important as big businesses, and you have a duty to protect it. This keeps your business and customers safe but also protects you from the legal ramifications that you could face if customer data is stolen because you have failed to protect it. 

Hackers Know You Underestimate Them

Hackers target small businesses because they can. They know that you aren’t taking the threats seriously and that you are assuming they’ll go after bigger companies. They know that you don’t have appropriate security in place, and so they target you. 

You Might Not Have Security Processes

What would you do if something happened?

• If your website was hacked or your user data stolen?

• Would you know what to do?

Dealing with a problem quickly, efficiently, and safely is crucial. But, when we underestimate cybersecurity, we also fail to create an action plan. Knowing the threats will help you to create a plan and put processes in place to deal with potential issues. 

A Small Threat Could Face a Big Impact

The key reason your small business shouldn’t underestimate cyber threats is that they could severely impact your business. If a big company faces a threat, they deal with it and move on. They might have insurance in place, and they can afford to pick themselves back up. When a smaller business faces a similar problem, it can be the end. 

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