Cyber attacks don’t just happen to the big players like governments and multi-national corporations. Small- and mid-sized businesses are also vulnerable to cyber threats. And sadly, these smaller companies usually have fewer resources and less defences available to them.
Cybercrime is big business, and these criminals often target mid-sized businesses as they assume they do not have strong cybersecurity measures in place. This may have been the case, but most of these businesses are making, or planning to make, serious technology-driven changes to protect their organizations and its data. One of the challenges they face is the sourcing people with the necessary cyber-skills to implement these changes.
“Something recent history has shown us is that there will always be breaches. Cybercriminals are constantly evolving and traditional security solutions are aimed at stopping attacks based on historical attacks. But by then, the criminals have usually moved on to a new plan of attack. Businesses must contain attacks quickly to minimize disruption and any negative impact on the organization.”
David Papp, Chief Technology Officer, MSP Corp
Strategies your company can implement to help minimize the threat of a breach include:
Monitor, monitor and monitor some more – if your organization has been breached, your security team must continuously monitor the abnormal behavior to detect signs of an emerging attack, while the criminal is planning their next move.
Prepare for the worst – have a plan of action for when a cyber attack happens. Are the safeguards you have in place strong enough to give you time to act? How much time do you have from the initial alert? Are your networks segregated to make it difficult for the attackers?
Make security a priority – build a culture in your organization that emphasizes the importance of cyber security. Have regular briefings with management and staff on how to minimize threats, and what is your business’ response to attacks.
Check all the links – start by scrutinizing your supply chain, as attackers will look for the weakest link to gain access to the bigger prize. What sort of security do your suppliers have in place?
Keep current – since the playing field is always changing, it’s important for small- and mid-sized businesses to stay on top of new technologies and sophisticated strategies aimed at thwarting cyber attacks.
Short of unplugging your business from the internet, there is no 100% guaranteed way to prevent cyber attacks. But, with the right measures in place, you should be able to shut down these attacks before they can access your data or start encrypting files in preparation for a ransomware attack.
About MSP Corp
MSP Corp understands you’ve worked hard to build your business and you want to protect it. With a mission to be a world-class business partner for MSP owners across Canada, we actively seek to acquire and partner with owners looking to secure the value of the business they have built and provide a seamless exit process that ensures business continuity and employee and client stability.
Contact us today to learn more about selling your business and maximizing its value.