How can I prevent a cyber-attack on my business? The lowdown

In the wake of the TalkTalk hack, you are probably asking yourself: “How can I prevent a cyber-attack on my business?”

As the telecommunications group is currently finding out a hack could mean your customers’ personal data is at risk including names, addresses and credit and debit card information.

And it is not just TalkTalk, a report by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills discovered that 81% of large business experienced a security breach last year while 60% of small companies were breached in the same period.

So, if you are wondering: “How can I prevent a cyber-attack?” Read on to find out more…

Who is likely to launch an attack on my business and why?

There are a number of people who might attack your business and it is probably worth revising our major IT security threats to watch out for.

Cyber-criminals could be looking to make money through fraud or by selling information or rival companies could be looking to gain an advantage in the market.

While these come from the outside it is also worth remembering that attacks can come from inside the company.

Staff or former members could be looking to gain financially or to redress a perceived wrong.

What kind of attacks are likely to take place on my business?

In order to prevent a cyber-attack you will first need to know what you are up against.

The threats can essentially be broken down into two categories: targeted and untargeted.

A targeted attack is one specifically against your business, in which hackers have identified your company as their prey.

Examples of this type attack include spear-phishing and deploying a botnet.

An untargeted attack is where the criminals launch random assaults on as many companies as they possibly can hoping to chance upon a weakness.

Phishing and ransomware fall into this category.

So, how can I prevent a cyber-attack on my business?

Thankfully, there are a number of ways to protect your business from online threats.

A good place to start is with your staff.

You need to establish a proper password policy within your company. Make sure everyone in the business follows strict rules and sets difficult to guess passwords.

You should also restrict users’ execution permissions and train your staff on how to keep your oganisation secure.

You will also need to build a defence around your systems. Install boundary firewalls and malware protection.

You also need to employ patch management and keep your system up-to-date with the latest software.

By taking these small steps you will make your organisation more secure.

How do I make sure the steps I have put in place have worked?

Now you’ve enhanced your security as much as you can but how protected are you?

To find out you could hire a company to conduct a penetration test or pentest.

These will find holes in your protection, allowing you to plug them before a criminal exploits them for personal gain.

Doing this will keep your business as secure as it can possible be, keeping your business and your customers safe.