Like many things, cybersecurity has some misconceptions out there. But believing in these myths could come at a cost. With the number of breaches growing, The right tools in place and a security awareness training program could help in protecting you, your employees, and your company. So here are 5 cybersecurity myths that may be putting your business at risk for a breach.
Myth: Small and medium-sized businesses aren’t at risk.
One of the biggest mistakes businesses can make, is to assume that they aren’t vulnerable to cyber-attacks because of their size. In reality, 43% of cyber attacks target small businesses. These small businesses make the perfect target for cyber-attacks because they tend to have little to no online security. These attacks cost those small and medium-sized businesses more than $2.2 million each year.
Whether you’re a Fortune 500 company or a brand new startup, cybersecurity is a must to keep yourself, your data, and your company safe from cybercriminals.
Myth: Spam filters and firewalls are enough to keep my business from breaches
Hackers love going after people who have a false sense of security. The people who believe that their spam filters or firewalls keep them protected. And while these tools can be great, they can’t keep you completely safe. All it takes is one employee, clicking on a malicious email, to cause a data breach.
With hackers becoming more advanced, and their tactics constantly changing, the only way to fully protect yourself and your business is to have a strong security awareness culture.
Myth: A strong password will keep my business protected
Passwords are the gateway to every account you have online. And although having a strong password is important, it’s just not enough. There are many ways your passwords could be cracked. One of the most popular ways is by getting you to click on a phishing email. These incredibly convincing emails trick you into giving out your personal information; including your passwords.
One way you can take your passwords a step further is by implementing two-factor authentication. This creates an extra step in order to make sure the right people have access to your information.
Myth: I’ll be able to spot a phishing email.
Hackers are getting smarter by the day and the phishing emails they send are getting sneakier. Not only do these emails look incredibly authentic, but they can also look as though they are coming from a reliable place. This includes your favorite retailers and even from your coworkers or boss. Always confirm the sender of the email. Putting too much confidence in your employees’ abilities to spot a phishing email is putting your company at risk. Training your employees to recognize and respond to manipulation by technology is the best way to protect your company from social engineering and phishing attacks.
If you want to check your employees’ knowledge or even your own, there are tons of phishing email tests out there. Check out our online phishing test to see if you can spot a phishing email from a real email.
Myth: Hackers don’t care about my data
Hackers love the idea that you think your data isn’t important. And they love coming after you. You may not even be who they are coming after. You could just be the first stop in a ploy to take down an even bigger “phish.” These hackers could just want access to your information in order to lock down the system of your CEO or your bank. By gaining access to your information, these hackers could now compromise your entire network.
By debunking some of these popular cybersecurity myths, we hope you are more aware of the threats out there that could be putting your company at risk.
If you are worried about these types of attacks, don’t hesitate to contact us. Here at Hook, we provide effective security awareness training that your employees actually want and enjoy.
