According to a Nationwide survey nearly 80% of small-business owners don’t have a cyber-attack response plan in place. Leading to over half of small business owners having experienced malware, phishing, Trojans, hacking, and unauthorized access to customer data. Many small businesses don’t prepare for cyber events because they think that cybercriminals only go after larger corporations, giving them a false sense of security. Around 60% of those who experienced a cyber-attack took more than one month to recover from the event. The reality is small businesses don’t have the resources to invest in proper data protection and security controls; making them the perfect target for cyber criminals.
The Nationwide survey recommends that small-business owners protect their organizations by incorporating the following:
- A guard that protects the physical perimeter
- A program to educate your employees about cyber awareness
- An active firewall
- An antivirus, malware, and spyware software
- Stronger passwords with 8-10 characters that are updated regularly
- A stronger Wi-Fi network
- Encrypted sensitive data that is also backed-up and stored in a fire-proof safe off-site
- Selected online computer services
- Acquiring cyber insurance
