Each year, thousands of businesses are victims of cybersecurity breaches and cyber-attacks. Not only does this happen to larger companies, but small businesses are also at risk. Therefore, it's essential to protect your systems.
If your small business has an IT team, they already have their hands full with other issues and are unable to do a comprehensive cybersecurity assessment. A cybersecurity provider can perform an assessment and help protect your business's sensitive information.
As you continue reading, we’ll discuss what cybersecurity is, why it’s essential for small businesses, and reasons why your small business needs a cybersecurity provider.
What is CyberSecurity?
CyberSecurity involves protecting electronic information by lowering the risks of vulnerabilities using a managed cybersecurity service. Electronic risks might include:
- Interception
- Disclosure
- Unauthorized access
- Data Destruction
In today’s digital world, cybersecurity is essential for any business to operate and stay successful. With the presence of cyber-attacks increasing over the years, cybersecurity-managed services are growing like never before.
As we become more dependent on technology, our vulnerability to attacks continues to grow, and cybersecurity assessment services can help protect your small business from these threats.
Why is it Essential for Small Businesses to Have CyberSecurity as a Service?
The internet allows small businesses from all locations to reach larger audiences by using computer-based tools. Whether your small business has been contemplating adopting cloud computing or wants to maintain your website, having a managed cybersecurity service should always be a part of your plan. Cyber attacks are becoming more common every day.
If your small business uses the internet, you are responsible for enabling security to enhance your business and grow your customer base. In 2012, the FCC launched the Small Biz Cyber Planner 2.0, a resource that can help your small business create a customized security plan.
Are Small Businesses Vulnerable to Cyber Attacks?
Small businesses have one of the highest rates of targeted malicious emails. These malicious threats include phishing, malware, and spam and primarily target small businesses with fewer than two hundred and fifty employees. Around forty-three percent of cyber attacks target small businesses.
This percentage will only grow higher with time. The bottom line, small businesses should enhance their security by acquiring a cybersecurity service and creating a response plan.
15 Reasons Why Your Small Business Needs a CyberSecurity Service Provider
We've put together a list of fifteen reasons why your small business needs a cybersecurity service provider.
1. Phishing
Phishing has become one of the most highly-effective threats in recent years. Phishing is the practice of impersonating a type of source, such as email, text messages, and phone calls.
The larger goal of phishing is to gain access to your passwords, credit card information, bank accounts, and other sensitive information. The sole purpose is to gain access to different types of protected data. Phishing has become so common that you'll often need more than one type of security for protection.
These are some of the most common phishing schemes used by hackers:
- An email with an infected link - When the link is clicked, it will take you to an unsafe website and can compromise your security measures.
- Trojan - This Trojan allows hackers to find loopholes within a company and tap into sensitive data.
- Masquerading the sender's address - This occurs through a trusted source by tricking someone into opening or clicking a link.
2. Human Error & Social Media Security
Social media provides one of the best ways for small businesses to keep in contact with their customer base. One of the downsides to using social media is that it is one of the most vulnerable ways to open yourself up to a cyber attack. Social media creates the same vulnerabilities as phishing, and you may unknowingly click on something that compromises your data.
In many security systems, human error is the weakest link. Malware and other antivirus systems are sometimes effective, but little can be done if you unknowingly open yourself up to an attack. Outsourcing cybersecurity is a way to stay ahead of malicious hackers.
3. Mobile Malware
Apps that you download on your mobile are, for the most part, safe and from reputable developers. Do you know where any of the apps downloaded on your mobile phone have come from? Sometimes, apps offer the option to download “malware,” which can sometimes compromise your mobile device.
One way to avoid this is to avoid apps you don't need. For the apps you must download, make sure it's the correct version from the original developer, as sometimes hackers can create fake apps. With cybersecurity as a service, you can protect yourself from malware from phony apps and open compromised attachments.
4. Ransomware
Ransomware is a type of virus that can lock you out of any device that you use for your small business and encrypt data into it. If you don’t have the correct key, you won’t have access to the data. To get the key, hackers typically demand a certain amount of money in an untraceable form.
Similar to malware, Ransomware can end up on your devices through an attachment or link. To protect your business and its profits, cybersecurity assessment services can keep your company’s devices safe.
5. Find Vulnerabilities
Having a cybersecurity team can allow their professionals to look at the systems your small business uses the same way a hacker would see them. A cybersecurity service provider can fix any weak areas to ensure that your company’s systems are protected.
6. Helps With Cyber Awareness
A top cybersecurity provider can educate your company’s IT team to bring cybersecurity awareness. A cybersecurity provider can draw up a simulation of a cyber attack on your systems and show your IT team how to respond to vulnerable situations accurately.
7. Compliance Check
Every company, including small businesses, has its own compliance that should be followed when it comes to protecting data and cybersecurity. Cybersecurity assessment services can show your small business how to comply with data protection mandates.
8. To Protect Your Finances
After you’ve had a cybersecurity breach, you’ll typically encounter financial ramifications. While this may not occur with small businesses, for larger companies, when there’s a cybersecurity breach, it is generally made public which causes drawn-out negative press. A cybersecurity breach may also make your customer’s info vulnerable to stealing.
If your customer’s info is breached, you may run into legal action. Some negatives of a data breach that a company could run into are:
- Lawsuits from customers
- Loss of finances
- Property theft
- Fines
- Penalties
- Bad reputation
9. Increase Your Productivity
If your small business has an old or outdated system, this may cause your employees to lose interest in the job. With a cybersecurity assessment service, you can update and protect the systems of your small business. By protecting your systems, you’ll receive faster performance from your employees and increased productivity.
10. Complete Report
During a cybersecurity assessment, your small business will have a complete look at your company’s cybersecurity system. The assessment can show you and give you a better understanding of how your company’s systems are protected. Properly assessing your systems can make it easier to update your systems when needed.
11. Develop a Defense Plan
When your company has a cybersecurity assessment, it can recommend unique protections that fit your company’s particular needs. This is similar to a home security business creating a system that protects the windows in a home and other entry points.
12. SQL Injection
A SQL Injection is a type of cyber attack that exploits web applications to inject a SQL code into your company’s database. When hackers inject this code, it can delete, view, or modify data in your database. Having a cybersecurity provider is critical to protect your company from this and other threats.
13. Protect Your Employees and Customers
When your business encounters a cyber attack, we know this can cost you financially, but it can also cost you your employees and customers. Hackers are aware that small businesses use the data of their employees and customers in a way that’s easy to access and sell.
If your small business is hacked and you don’t have a cybersecurity provider, employee data such as bank accounts, medical information, social security numbers, and much more are at risk for hackers to steal.
If you don’t protect your customer data, it may lead to customers leaving your business, filing lawsuits, and more. To avoid losing your employees and losing the trust of your customers, having cybersecurity put into place is crucial for your small business to operate. A robust cybersecurity service provider will lower the chances of an attack and keep sensitive information safe.
14. Government Regulations
With the number of cyber attacks increasing, there are at least forty states who have considered new cybersecurity legislation. According to the NSCL, this will require government agencies to implement training, follow security policies, develop a response plan, and report any incidents.
While the Department of Defense is the only government agency that operates on a program, this could start to apply to other companies as well.
15. Cyber Insurance
While small businesses tend to have limited resources, having cyber insurance can sometimes become difficult. Cyber attacks aren’t just stressful; they can sometimes cause your business to close. Cyber insurance can help your small business recover from any financial losses you experience from a cyber attack.
How Do I Find the Best CyberSecurity Companies Near Me?
To find the best cybersecurity companies near you, you’ll want first to identify what exactly it is you’re looking for in this company and your current needs. While there are standard and other essential needs, not every business requires the same protection. To have the most significant benefits from a cybersecurity provider, you’ll want to identify your company and its specific needs.
Understand the core risks of your small business and take the time to identify what information needs to be protected, where the information should be stored, and who can have access to it. The best cybersecurity company can operate strategically, conduct assessments, detect threat intelligence, monitor behaviors, and ensure operations run smoothly.
The best cybersecurity provider can provide your small business with complete protection.
Why You Should Choose CyberLynx CyberSecurity
At CyberLynx, we help companies grow faster and create competitive advantages by having the right technology efficiently and cost-effectively. We offer a variety of options that can help protect your small business from cyber-attacks.
“Stay in the Lane” Technology
With CyberLynx’s “stay in the lane” technology, we can help you keep your apps operating as intended. This technology can help protect them from hackers. By using this technology, you won’t have to stress about your employees clicking on attachments or links they shouldn’t be visiting.
Intrusion Detection Response
The CyberLynx IDR solutions can actively monitor the network of your small business at all hours of the day to look for an attack before it happens. By using our combination of advanced AI, we can access activity for signs of an attack that are combined with security experts who review notifications. IDR solutions operate without interfering in the operations of your small business.
Endpoint Detection and Response
With hackers becoming more intelligent by the minute, they can use more methods to attack your business other than regular viruses. Our AI detects and stops hackers on endpoints, no matter where it is located. Our security operations center operates around the clock to analyze the situation and detect any potential threats.
Vulnerability Scanning and Remediation
With CyberLynx's vulnerability scanning and remediation, we can go beyond simple testing. We scan your network for open ports, missing security patches, and insecure settings. When we have our findings, we analyze, prioritize, and address them to fill the gaps in your security before they're exploited by hackers.
Contact CyberLynx
If you want to find out what cybersecurity services would be best for your small business, contact us today to schedule a call.
Address: 7315 Wisconsin Ave, Suite 400W
Bethesda, MD 20814
Sales: 301-798-9170
Support: 202-996-6600
Email: help@cyberlynx.com