Cybercriminals are coming for you – are you ready?

As more of our work and lives are conducted in a digital space, cybercrime has evolved to target vulnerable individuals and institutions.

Recent reports of cyberattacks have illustrated how widespread a problem it truly is, with even the biggest companies struggling to keep cybercriminals at bay.

While it might seem like the cybercriminals have the advantage, there are ways of minimising your business’s risk of being the next victim.

What is the threat from cybercriminals?

The threats posed by cybercriminals are wide-ranging, but all focus on the disruption of standard business procedures.

Cybercriminals may be looking at disabling systems and services that the business provides, or they may be hoping to extract money or data through unauthorised access to the systems.

Communications company Verizon conducted research and determined that 68 per cent of all breaches involved a human element.

This is due to the prevalence of phishing scams, where malicious emails are sent to unsuspecting employees who accidentally give cybercriminals access to the system by clicking on links and attachments.

The use of unsecure Wi-Fi and networks can also allow cybercriminals access to systems as they may connect a device to the same network and intercept communications and copy passwords.

Cybercriminals can also prey on people’s curiosity or lack of self-awareness.

Having a computer screen visible in a public space exposes the contents being viewed to anyone passing by.

Cybercriminals can merely observe the information being worked on and make a note of any passwords and user names.

Some cybercriminals leave USB devices lying around in the hopes that people will pick them up and plug them into devices out of curiosity.

Alternatively, cybercriminals may wait for laptops to be left unattended in public before stealing them or manually accessing them.

What can I do to fight cybercrime?

Information is power.

Never has this sentiment been more true than when attempting to combat cybercrime.

Keeping your employees well-trained and fully versed on the scope of threats that face them is essential for protecting your business from cybercriminals.

A human network of educated individuals is the best barrier against malicious actors.

Employees should know how to handle phishing emails or what to do if they suspect that a cyber-attack is taking place.

It is important that all staff are trained on up-to-date cybersecurity procedures.

New staff should be trained as soon as possible, while existing staff require regular updates to ensure that they do not become complacent in the face of an ever-growing threat.

While some elect to conduct training once a year, it is possible to make it a more regular part of business life.

Pii-Protect offers weekly, bite-sized training that allows user to stay up to date with cyber issues without having to devote precious work time to long training videos.

We have found that Pii-Protect has boosted our team’s awareness of cybercrime and strongly suggest that you do the same.

We have used their services for many years and have never felt more confident in defending against cybercrime.

We can refer you directly to them to get you started on your journey to stay ahead of the cybercriminals.

Likewise, we can also continue to offer our professional help and guidance on your financial matters too!

Let us guide you toward cyber-safety and financial excellence. Speak to our team today!