Protect Your Business From COVID-19 Cyber Attacks In 3 Steps

Free Resources For Business Owners Promote Greater Cyber Security And Data Protection

Did you know that only 14 percent of small businesses are prepared for a cyber attack?

While a cyber-attack may seem unlikely, the truth is that 22 percent of Americans report having been targeted by digital fraud related to COVID-19 alone.

Educating yourself and your employees about the importance of cybersecurity is critical to long-term success, especially amid the Coronavirus pandemic.

COVID-19 Triggers Data Breach Increase Among Businesses

COVID-19 has led to an uptick in cyber scammers looking to capitalize on uncertainty among business owners and their employees. Cyber scammers have done everything from advertising fake charities to impersonate government organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As a result, these scams have caught the attention of both the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and The U. S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), prompting these federal agencies to call upon businesses to remain hyper-vigilant.

If you’re looking to improve your business cybersecurity protection but are unsure where to start when it comes to protecting your business from these bad actors, Rea’s cybersecurity and data protection services team are here to help.

The following are three steps you can take to protect your business today.

 

1. Realize Why Data Protection Is Important

 

• The first step in protecting your company’s confidential data, including personally identifiable information (PPI), which includes Social Security Numbers, phone numbers, addresses, etc., is to understand why it’s valuable in the first place. Simply put, network breaches can impact a businesses’ profit, reputation, employee morale, and longevity. 

• The average cost of a cyber attack is $200K. Even worse, 60 percent of small businesses reportedly go out of business within six months of becoming victims of a cyber attack.

• • A sustainable business necessitates cybersecurity. You can calculate what your company stands to lose in a cyber-attack with our

Cyber Disruption Calculator

• .

• This tool utilizes key metrics and industry standards based on a 2019 Kaspersky Global Corporate IT Security Risks Survey to provide you with an accurate representation of how much a data breach will cost you.

2. Educate Yourself On Cybersecurity Best Practices

• While protecting yourself from a cyber scam may seem overwhelming, there are a number of simple steps you can take to shield your business from bad actors.

• You can improve your team’s cybersecurity by:

• • • Opting for long passwords made up of at least eight letters
    • Implementing double authentication on all company logins and account
    • Personalizing your WiFi password
    • Familiarizing yourself with common scam tactics
    • Utilizing Rea’s free Microsoft 365 audit

• • If you’re wondering how vulnerable your company is, you can

use our free self-assessment tool

• to find the gaps in your businesses’ network security. This preliminary gap analysis will take a closer look at your company’s cybersecurity framework and accurately determine how it stacks up against primary industry standards. We are happy to provide this assessment to you free of charge.

 

3. Talk To Your Employees About Cybersecurity

 

• Employee cooperation is essential to maintaining good cyber hygiene. Cyber hygiene is even more critical in the remote working age, where WiFi and workstations are personal and less secure.

• If your employees work remotely, we recommend they follow the procedures outlined in step two on both their work and personal computers. Of course, there are quite a few “best practices” to follow when you implement work from home policies and procedures. Our “Shifting The Business Infrastructure: Cybersecurity In A COVID-19 World,” discusses these considerations, where the risk lies, and how to protect your business from becoming a victim of a cybersecurity and data protection breach

• • This cybersecurity webinar is specifically designed to protect your business during COVID-19.

Watch the webinar and share it with your employees here

• .

Cybersecurity & Data Protection Help For Business Owners

Rea & Associates is committed to providing small- to mid-sized businesses with the cybersecurity tools needed to stay safe during our current environment of digital uncertainty. To help you overcome weaknesses in your cyber infrastructure, our team of specialized and certified IT audit professionals are committed to providing you with the tools, resources, and solutions that will successfully analyze your businesses’ IT network and provide practical solutions to your digital security needs. Contact us today to learn more.

By Travis Strong, CISA (Wooster, OH)