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Introduction to Cyber Security for Businesses

Protecting Your Workplace

The first point you need to take into attention in regards to cyber security is how to protect your business. Whether you run an IT business from your home or a multi-million dollar travel agency, you need to take certain regards to make sure that your delicate information is safe.

What is Sensitive Information?

Businesses exist to make money. This means that all businesses will have some sort of accounting, whether it be an Excel spreadsheet, a written book of business, or a fully custom software suite designed for your business. Some, of course, are more stable than others. But as businesses have accounting, it implies that they are managing information about their clients as well as their employees. This data is held sensitive, and it can include:

  • Social security amounts
  • Banking data (including account numbers, credit card numbers, et cetera)
  • Names and locations of customers/clients
  • Business plans and secret information 

3 Ways to Protect Business from Cyber Security Threats

There are lots of methods to help stop a cyber security attack on your business. While there is no separate plan that operates for all businesses, you should take into attention what needs to be obtained and what could occur to your business if the related item was stolen, modified, or destroyed.

The first way to preserve your business is to know your risks

Learn about the different sorts of threats to your business and how to serve against them. Once you know your risks, you should build an in-depth security policy outlining certain cyber attacks. 

Manage all of your software and operating systems up to date. 

Numbers of new security risks are identified every day. You must be proactive to help prevent breaches from settled code. 

Much like knowing your risks, you should take the time to examine what you will require to do for each special risk. You can move out to one of our cyber security experts today to see what you require to be prepared for.

What Does Cyber Security Mean for Businesses?

Business data is extra exposed than ever before. Cyber security is important to efficiently operate your business—but it’s also important for protecting your customer’s data. Following IT best practices work beyond using the most advanced technology at your company; it’s about staying ahead of dangers and disasters that have the potential to make your business to a screeching halt.

When creating cyber security systems, it’s helpful to use a layered security model. This model starts with the internet and ends with your employees. Use this model to discover how well your current IT security methods are working in your organization.

Types of Cyber Attacks: Passive vs. Active

There are many types of cyber-attacks that are likely for your business, but most will happen in

  one of two categories: 

  1. passive 
  2. Active.

Passive

A passive attack is when an invader observes, but does not change, any messages in any way. While these charges may not be dangerous by themselves, the data obtained can be exponential and damaging. These attacks are oftentimes difficult to recognize as they are not actively trying to develop into any systems. Some examples are:

  • Traffic Analysis: Learning about the system from following traffic patterns – who is visiting what website, which files are being downloaded, etc
  • Eavesdropping: Also identified as “tapping”, eavesdropping is when the invader monitors unencrypted information such as phone calls or emails.
  • Scanning: Making a scan of a machine connected to the internet to identify vulnerabilities such as a weak Operating System or open gates.

Active

Active attacks are just that: actively trying to modify or obtain data. This often happens in changes to your data, systems, or even your base. Some common examples:

  • Denial-of-Service Attacks: Interrupt your services by loading them and rendering them unavailable for their expected users.
  • Spoofing: The original sender of an email is not who they pretend to be.
  • Message Modification: Message is restrained in some usage in the transmission.
  • Viruses/Malware: The well-known on this list, viruses and malware are typically meant to intrude and either lose or obtain critical data. While there are any that are deemed passive, such as a keylogger, most of them are much more harmful.

Do You Need a Vulnerability Assessment?

A vulnerability evaluation, also known as a vulnerability report, is a process used to determine and recognize any security-level holes (vulnerabilities) in a network or base. Vulnerability assessments support businesses to pinpoint any vulnerabilities before others have the chance to be settled. 

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