When it comes to business in this modern era, cybersecurity has become one of, if not the most important component of it. Companies are now, more than ever, investing money into cybersecurity training. However, with all the focus on making ones internet presence more secure, there has been a plethora of myths and misconceptions that have been spread about cybersecurity.
In this article, I intend to highlight those myths, so that you know what’s to be believed.
- Cybercriminals Don’t Target Small Businesses
Many of the smaller business owners out there, feel there is very little risk of them falling prey to cybercriminals. This is because they think hackers are always fixated on the bigger targets. However, this is not the case. Many hackers tend to focus on the smaller business, this is because they are smaller, and typically lack the level of security much larger businesses have – making them easier targets. The most common method that these cybercriminals use, is called the spray-and-pray method, where a hacker will utilise an automated tool to randomly attack many different businesses, irrespective of their size. These programs tend to have far more success hacking into smaller businesses, than larger ones, as larger companies have security that can block these kinds of attacks.
- All You Need Is Antivirus Software
Antivirus software does its part, but alone, it’s not enough, if you want to keep your system totally safe from cybercriminals. Antivirus tools work by using a large database of information to identify all the latest malicious files and threats.
However, if the hacker creates their own malware and uses it to infect your system, it’s unlikely that the antivirus tool will know about the virus in time to remove it from your system. It’s for this reason why you don’t just want to rely on such software. You should definitely have this kind of software on your system, but you should only look at it as your first line of defence. As there’s so much more to cybersecurity.
- Cybersecurity Is Expensive
A comprehensive cybersecurity plan doesn’t require you to spend heaps of cash, if you’re dedicated to protecting your company. There are many paths that you can go down, all of which do not require much financial commitment.
You want to take action by creating and instituting the correct procedures and policies. You want access and administrative privileges restricted. 2-factor authentication should be in place, where applicable. You want your employees up to speed, so that they can spot malicious threats, whether in emails or websites. You should also adopt a backup plan, so that more crucial data can always be accessed, especially during times of crisis.
- Cyberattacks Are Always From Outside
To put it simply, cyberattacks are not always perpetuated from outside. Some cybersecurity incidents occur from within, and sometimes accidently by an employee. Such as, when they put sensitive data into an email and send it to the wrong person. In other situations, a former employee, may take revenge against an organisation, by launching an attack on it.
When assessing threats, it’s important to consider everything. You don’t want to overlook threats that could possibly come from within, so you should adopt strategies to minimise these threats along with your more typical variety. There are many resources that you can look into, that will teach you more about this subject area.
- A Wi-Fi Password Is All I Need
It’s not uncommon for a business to have employees that work from home, or work on the move. As a result, of lot of their work is done via the Wi-Fi network, which typically isn’t as secure as the local area network of the business. A lot of people make the mistake of assuming, a password is all they need to secure their network. But the reality is that individuals accessing the network, using the same password, can typically access data that has been transmitted by other employees. Employees should go the extra mile, by using VPNs, as this will ensure any data sent is encrypted, and cannot be viewed by anyone but the individual it’s intended for.
- Viruses Are Easy To Spot
There’s this false impression that hacks and data breaches are immediately apparent. While, this may have been the case, a decade or so ago, the types of malicious files deployed today, work a lot differently. Such attacks deploy far more stealth, and thus, are more difficult to detect. When it comes to making an effective virus, the hacker wants to ensure that it’s difficult to identify, and is able to cause as much damage as possible, in as little time. This is one of the reasons why training in cybersecurity is so important – as such individuals will be able to spot these attacks, and report them before the hacker is able to cause a serious amount of damage.
–AUTHOR INFO—
Uchenna Ani-Okoye is a former IT Manager who now runs his own computer support website https://www.compuchenna.co.uk
