25 Feb Cyber defences: The business benefits of a good standard of Cyber security

As previously mentioned, cyber threats are everywhere and the likelihood of them causing severe – potentially business defining – problems are greater than ever. We have also discussed three of the most prominent cyber-attack methods used by cybercriminals, which are as follows.

• Ransomware
• Phishing
• Malware

But, before we go into what you can do to be sure you are cyber secure to the best possible standard, you may be thinking, “I’ve done everything required of me by law so why spend more money and time on ‘overkill’?” And the answer is simple – top quality standards of cybersecurity have business benefits too. Let’s explore some of these now.

The business benefits of a good standard of Cybersecurity

Top-quality levels of Cybersecurity have a variety of different business and financial benefits. Some of them are as follows:

1. The potential costs

The average cost of a cyber attack for the average UK business is £107,267; a staggering amount. You must ask yourself; “Can I afford that? Do I pay the comparatively small upfront cost to protect myself or potentially pay a business defining figure like that?”

As the stats show, cyberattacks can be extremely costly and in extreme circumstances, can potentially force businesses to close their doors permanently.

2. Reputation

We all know the importance of your business having a good reputation amongst its existing and potential customer base. As the old saying goes ‘it takes years to build a reputation but moments to destroy it’ and that could not be more apparent than when it comes to business. Customers will trust your company more knowing that the information they are entrusting to you is being used and stored safely and securely. When comparing the product or service that you provide in comparison to other competitors this could be a deciding factor on where they decide to spend their money.

We will now take a look at what you can do to ensure you are best prepared to, not do just enough to be protected but, feel completely secure and safe whilst using your technology.

• Ransomware

Ransomware is a popular money-making market for hackers and can be hard to stop. Prevention is the most important aspect of securing sensitive data. To prevent your business from being targeted by Ransomware attacks, you must do the following:

• Install trusted security suited to protect all your data – just anti-virus won’t cut it!
• Keep updating the latest versions of all systems at all times, guaranteeing the most up-to-date protection.
• Educate your employees to not open email attachments or embedded links without in-depth analysis first it is easy to simply accept what you see at face value. When clicking on one of these links it is the equivalent of handing a stranger the keys to your house – in fact, it’s the equivalent of opening the door for them.
• Use Cloud services wherever possible as they are the most capable of mitigating ransomware infections.
• NEVER PAY THE RANSOM – this cannot be stressed enough! Understandably, it is tempting to pay and hope they leave you and your systems alone, but this is unlikely as a cybercriminal can ask you to pay over and over again and still never release your files. They locked you out and got some money out of you and now they know you are capable and, in their eyes, prepared to do anything to get your money back, they will simply ask you for more money and this is usually a greater amount the second time around.
• Phishing

Phishing attacks are easy to spot once you understand what they want from you and what they look like. Here are a few things to look out for to tell if an email is genuine or an attacker attempting a breach:

• Most importantly, if you receive an email from a source you know but it seems suspicious, contact that source with a new email rather than just hitting reply.
• Be sure to always check the spelling of the URLs in email links before you click or enter sensitive information. Often these attacks have glaring mistakes in the URL, email address, or in the text the email contains.
• A particularly clever method is being redirected – watch out for URL redirects, where you’re unwittingly sent to a different website with an identical design.
• Malware

Malware prevention is all about exactly that – prevention – as opposed to finding a cure to remove it from already infected IT systems. These preventative measures may seem obvious but are worth keeping at the forefront of your mind.

• Do not trust anyone online. Hackers will use social engineering to specifically target you, including strange emails. If you don’t know what something is or who it’s from don’t click on it.
• Being careful when browsing and trying your best to stick to familiar trustworthy sites is recommended. Malware can be found anywhere but is mostly in small, locally hosted websites with poor security standards in place.
• Be cautious where you download from. Not all infected downloads and illegal activity comes from the depths of the dark web run by a man with a mask on – they can come from any source.

In the third and last blog in the series, we will explore the Cyber Essentials accreditation, what it is, how it guarantees you advanced levels of protection, and how to go about getting it.

Making technology your ally against cybercriminals – Netcom

We at Netcom take our time getting to know you, we build a relationship with you based on dependability, trust and the belief that our knowledge will guide you into a more prosperous future with IT as your ally. We want to be part of your team whilst working alongside you to anticipate your ever-changing needs going into the future, whilst providing technological know-how that keeps your business functioning and thriving. Don’t hesitate to get in contact.

Your Cyber Essentials assistant is here to guarantee you qualify – Netcom

At Netcom, we have provided proactive Managed IT and cybersecurity support to our customers across the whole of the UK for over 15 years. Our team of experts will ensure that you are protected against Malware and alleviate any other security concerns you may have. Contact us now to find out how.

For guidance on IT strategy, cybersecurity and digital transformation why not book a free, no-obligation discovery call today by calling 0114 361 0062.