Introduction
To many people, cybersecurity is a word that conjures up images of hackers accessing sensitive information or the latest breach. They may think it only applies to large corporations that deal with sensitive data, like banking and healthcare companies. However, every business needs to take steps to ensure they are keeping up with current security standards. If you’re not sure why this is important, we have a few reasons why you need to pay attention:
The importance of cybersecurity for businesses.
Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting your business from cyberattacks. Cyberattacks are any attempt to gain unauthorized access to your network or data, disrupt or destroy it and/or steal confidential information such as customer records or intellectual property.
Cybersecurity is important for every type of business because it can help protect your customers’ privacy, personal information and data; prevent data loss; mitigate risks associated with cyberattacks; reduce costs related to information security management (ISM); maintain consumer trust; comply with industry regulations including GDPR and PCI DSS; maintain competitive advantage over competitors who do not invest in cybersecurity measures.
Why is it so important?
The potential for a breach is high.
The cost of a breach is high.
Your reputation may be damaged.
Physical harm could come to your employees or customers as a result of a cybersecurity incident, so it’s important that you take steps to protect yourself against this kind of thing happening at all
Look no further than the most recent major breaches, including Equifax and Target.
As you’ve probably heard, cybersecurity is a serious issue for businesses. If you’re not sure how to protect yourself from hackers, here are some things to keep in mind:
- Look no further than the most recent major breaches, including Equifax and Target. These hacks serve as a reminder that no matter how big or small your business is–or whether it’s even digital at all–you need to take care of your data security if you want your customers’ trust and loyalty.
- When it comes down to it, there are three main ways businesses can ensure they’re protected against cyberattacks: education; tools and services; protection from third parties (like vendors). The first step toward protecting yourself against cyberattacks is understanding what kind of risks exist within your industry and company culture so that everyone understands their role in keeping things safe online
In fact, almost half of all Americans have had their personal information stolen from a company.
In fact, almost half of all Americans have had their personal information stolen from a company. This is an alarming number that shows just how important it is to keep your data safe. In fact, the cost of a breach can be up to $400 per record (the average for healthcare breaches). That’s why many companies don’t invest in cybersecurity until after they’ve been hacked; they think it’s too expensive and won’t make them money fast enough.
But what if we told you there was another way? What if we told you that investing in cybersecurity can actually save your business money in the long run? It may sound counterintuitive at first–but when you consider how much time and effort goes into preventing breaches (not just recovering from them), it starts making sense pretty quickly.
Cybersecurity is not just about avoiding hacks to your business’ website.
Cybersecurity is more than just preventing hackers from getting into your website. It’s about protecting your business from all kinds of threats, including:
- Hacking
- Social engineering (a form of hacking where criminals trick people into giving them confidential information)
- Phishing (making fraudulent emails look like they’re coming from a legitimate source)
Cybersecurity is important for all businesses–no matter how big or small–because it can help prevent loss of data, financial damage and even legal liability if you’re hacked by someone else and don’t have adequate security measures in place.
It’s about preventing identity theft–and even physical harm–for your employees.
Identity theft is one of the most common forms of cybercrime, and it can cause serious problems for your employees. In addition to the financial damage that comes with having money stolen from their accounts or credit cards, many victims also experience emotional distress from having their identity stolen.
Identity thieves may use personal information like Social Security numbers and birthdates to open new accounts in an individual’s name–and then continue using those accounts as if they were the original owner. This makes it difficult for law enforcement officials to identify who actually committed the crime because there’s no evidence connecting them directly with any particular case (unless they have prior criminal records).
There are other ways cybercriminals use personal data too: Some criminals will sell this information on dark web markets that cater specifically towards people looking for certain types of data–for example, someone might want access information about a specific healthcare provider so they can steal their patient records later on down the road when needed most urgently by another patient who needs specialized care but doesn’t know where else those services exist locally outside our network yet; others still might just want access credentials just so they can log into someone else’s account without permission first before making changes later down line once everyone thinks everything went smoothly during initial login attempts made earlier today morning when trying out new passwords created yesterday evening after dinner party ended early due yesterday afternoon due bad weather conditions forecasted ahead so everyone had decided beforehand not attend after all…
The FTC reports that over half of the data breaches they investigated involved hacking or malware attacks.
Data breaches are not just about websites. They can happen anywhere, to anyone and they can lead to identity theft. The FTC reports that over half of the data breaches they investigated involved hacking or malware attacks. Hackers have become more sophisticated in their methods, making it harder for businesses to protect themselves from them.
The best way to protect yourself is through education; this includes understanding how hackers are getting into systems so you know what steps need taken in order to prevent them (and how much those steps will cost!).
Every business needs to take steps to ensure that they are keeping up with current security standards.
Every business needs to take steps to ensure that they are keeping up with current security standards.
In 2019, cybersecurity is not just about avoiding hacks to your business’ website or other digital properties. It’s also about preventing identity theft–and even physical harm–for your employees. According to the FTC, over half of the data breaches they investigated involved hacking or malware attacks:
- Hackers can use stolen information such as social security numbers and credit card numbers to open fraudulent accounts in someone else’s name or make purchases with their money (that’s why it’s so important for businesses to have good data security policies).
- Cybercriminals may also try blackmailing individuals with embarrassing photos taken without their consent (aka “sextortion”).
Conclusion
Cybersecurity is a complex topic, and it can seem overwhelming to think about all of the different ways that your business could be attacked. But don’t worry–we’re here to help! We have created a cybersecurity checklist for businesses with six steps you can take right now to protect yourself against cybercrime.
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