Want to know the best way to avoid being hacked?

Assume you are about to be!

Have you ever looked at business Cyber Security statics? The numbers that show up are always staggering. It’s filled with plenty of the current business cyber threats, what percent of SMBs are falling victim and also how damaging it is if it happens to a small business. But how does a company or anyone really, avoid being hacked?

The problem with these numbers is that it truly seems that cyber security statistics, and in some aspects of the cyber security industry as a whole, have fallen into a vicious cycle of what’s trending and what one “legitimate source” says is pitted with another. This sounds far too similar to the health industry. With so much good and bad information out there, it’s hard to know what is and isn’t real. Make no mistake, ransomware just like type 2 diabetes, is very real.

Today’s cyber threat is a real danger!

My post isn’t about health, so I’ll stay on topic. What I’m talking about is the real cyber threat to small businesses and why we should all be paying attention.

The difficulty in discussing the topic with most business owners is that there is a steep learning curve made up of important knowledge and experience that helps us believe the real danger of cyber threats. Let’s face it, the same issue happens all of the time in personal health. Most of us know that health complications come from being overweight which also is linked to the primary cause for diabetes. Of course, I’m not a doctor, but I think most of us understand that if we take care of our health we can avoid diabetes. So if we look at why so many SMBs get hit with a cyber attack, it certainly shouldn’t be from the lack of information on the topic. The problem it’s that many business owners think, “we’re not a big risk”.

Think again! I see it far too often where a small business thinks they are either too small, not digital enough, don’t have the budget, or even worse, they have cyber security handled but don’t realize they are at serious risk.

I have seen companies promote their cyber security products like they will save the day. Don’t we know by now that new health drink won’t give anyone a beach body in 30 days?

My point is this, crafty cyber security marketing won’t save your company from a real disaster threat. There are important things to proactively do to mitigate risk and it is never set and forget. The goal post keeps moving because hackers are always looking to find a way to attack.

5 Tips on How to Avoid Being Hacked:

1. Assume you will be attacked/hacked. Then prepare for it. Be proactive not reactive.

2. Don’t buy into the next greatest cyber protection fad. Know why you need it and for what purpose.

3. Don’t learn by failing to implement a good security plan. Very costly lesson.

4. Don’t hire a third party IT guy who just throws an anti virus software on your computers. It isn’t enough.

5. Have a detailed disaster recovery plan that includes how you deal with cyber attacks/breach.