With the latest data breaches and hacks in the news, it can be easy to feel helpless or scared of cybersecurity threats that could hit your business. But a little knowledge and some action points will go a long way to empowering you to protect your business as best you can.
Every 10 minutes the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) receives a report of cybercrime from small to medium businesses. The average cost per cybercrime report has gone up 14 per cent over the past financial year, costing impacted businesses tens of thousands of dollars, according to the latest ACSC Annual Cyber Threat Report.
These reports may not make the headlines like data breaches from large corporations, but they show how vulnerable small businesses can be.
Let’s take a look at three of the most common cybersecurity threats facing small business owners today and how you can help protect your business against them.
Malware
Malware is malicious software that’s designed to sneak into computers and other devices with the aim of causing harm. It can include worms, viruses and spyware.
One of the ways malware can get into your systems is via unlicensed software. This is why it’s essential to buy genuine versions of software.
Non-genuine software lacks the most up-to-date hardware-based security features that protect against the incredible threat of malware and data theft that we see around the world today. If you’re a Windows device user, be sure you have a genuine version of the operating system (OS) from an authorised reseller.
A key way that Microsoft is helping to combat malware issues is by sandboxing applications.
“We’re building a lot more application security by making sure that apps only have direct access to the files that they need,” says Andy Malakooti, Microsoft Australia and New Zealand’s Commercial Category Lead, Device Partner Sales. “They don’t just have automatic access to your location, your camera or your microphone. They get the bare minimum that you need to operate and will ask you to grant permissions for anything outside of that.”
Windows Defender (Microsoft’s anti-virus and malware protection software) is also key in preventing malware from infecting your systems. When users download files from the Edge browser, Windows Defender scans them to ensure there’s no known malware or viruses.
Ransomware
Ransomware is a form of malware that hijacks a device’s system and locks it down. This means you can’t gain access to the system or any files or data unless you pay a fee to a cybercriminal.
Some cybercriminals may also blackmail businesses by demanding a fee in exchange for not leaking data or confidential information publicly.
Ransomware attacks can be devastating to a business. It can damage your reputation if data is leaked and lose you money in downtime. If you don’t have a backup, you may never be able to recover your files.
Fortunately the latest Windows 11 Pro updates include ransomware protection. “You can have controlled folder access, which means you can protect files, folders and memory areas from unauthorised changes by what we call unfriendly applications,” Andy tells Kochie’s Business Builders.
And if you do get affected by ransomware, you can recover your files from Microsoft’s cloud storage system OneDrive.
Phishing
Phishing scams via text messages or emails are designed to manipulate people into divulging personal or confidential information for fraudulent purposes.
They lure you or your staff in with what looks like a legitimate login page, attachment or an email from a colleague and encourage you to click on a link and enter information such a password.
In the past, phishing scams were easier to recognise. They typically came via a poorly worded email from someone in a foreign country telling you a long-lost relative has left you millions of dollars and all you need to do is provide a heap of personal information including your bank account details.
While this still happens, phishing has become more sophisticated. Nowadays, you may get an email from someone pretending to be your boss or colleague. They may say something like ‘Here’s that file we discussed’. Because the email is from your boss or co-worker, you click on it, it takes you to a legitimate-looking website and you enter your password.
To help counter phishing attacks, Microsoft has built several tools into Windows 11 Pro and Edge.
One of these is SmartScreen. When you’re using Edge, it warns you when you enter a site where you could be a victim of phishing, or if the site isn’t safe.
“We’ve now got a list of around a billion URLs that we know are bad and it’s constantly updated,” says Andy. “So we can flag you and tell you that you might need to change your password because you’ve just clicked on this dodgy site.”
Other tools include password monitoring. “Even if your website’s been compromised, the password monitor can let you know and prompt you to change it for that site,” says Andy.
While these threats can be daunting, especially as cybercriminals continue to up their game, one of the most effective ways to protect your business is to upgrade your ageing devices to modern, commercial ones powered by Intel vPro with Windows 11 Pro.
Intel vPro and Windows 11 Pro work together to provide robust chip to cloud security for both hardware and software, all of which is regularly updated.
If you’re unsure what devices you need, reach out to an authorised reseller. Even if you’re a small business with only one or two staff, resellers can set you up with the right package and offer competitive discounts compared to large retailers. And of course, look to reputable sources like cyber.gov.au for guides around small business cybersecurity.
Protect your business from cybersecurity threats by upgrading to Windows 11 Pro on modern devices powered by the Intel vPro platform. Find out more here.
This article is brought to you by Kochie’s Business Builders in partnership with Microsoft.
Feature image: AdobeStock
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