The holiday season is a time for joy, family, and, unfortunately, increased cyberattacks. With the festive frenzy comes a surge in online shopping, travel, and financial transactions, making businesses ripe targets for opportunistic hackers. But fear not, here are top tips to fortify your digital defenses and ensure a merry and secure holiday season.
Firmware, the invisible but integral software that powers our devices, is often an overlooked aspect of a business’s cybersecurity strategy. This article explores why updating your firmware is paramount for securing your business against potential threats.
A recent report has unveiled a significant and concerning trend in cybersecurity. The report, compiled by SlashNext Threat Labs, reveals a staggering 1265% surge in malicious phishing emails since Q4 2022!
This annual report spans a 12-month analysis of threats across various channels, including email, mobile and browsers, from Q4 2022 to Q3 2023. It also notes a 967% increase in credential phishing attacks.
It’s no surprise that many businesses subscribe to Microsoft 365, as the service provides multiple ways to organize and secure your emails. However, choosing the right Microsoft 365 plan can be a daunting task because of the range of features available.
During the holiday season, it's easy to lose focus on work-related responsibilities. Hackers may actively exploit the distractions that accompany this joyous time. While you're busy with holiday preparations, they're on the lookout for vulnerabilities in your systems.
What is Penetration Testing?
Penetration testing exposes the risks that exist within your business' digital environment, BEFORE they become a vulnerability.
Why do I need Penetration Testing services? ?
83% of organisations had more than 1 data breach in 2022.
Globally, cyber attacks increased by 38% from 2021 to 2022. ?
In 2023 the global average cost of a data breach is over $7 million (USD 4.45m)
The average cost of business disruption after a breach is over $2m (USD 1.3m) in 2023.
Mitigate potential risks before they occur.
In the face of a continuous rise in malicious cyberattacks, businesses remain vulnerable to the ever-evolving tactics of social engineering. Unlike malware, which infects systems through malicious code, social engineering relies on manipulating individuals into divulging sensitive information.
Unforeseen events such as natural disasters, power outages, and cyberattacks can immensely disrupt business operations, resulting in significant financial loss and reputation damage. Therefore, having a solid business continuity plan in place is crucial for any organization's survival.
Much of business centers on giving people what they want. This means understanding customers’ interests and needs by accumulating and organizing customer data. However, the methods you use to collect that data need to abide by data privacy laws. Breaching those laws can incur fines, penalties, and loss of reputation.
October was Cybersecurity Awareness Month and these are some of the great tips we found to help to keep you safer when operating online.
Here they are:
Tip 1: Use strong passwords that mix 1etters, num3ers & $ymbols, spaces & random phrases, at least 12 characters
- 24 billion passwords were exposed by hackers in 2022
- More than 80% of breaches relate to stolen, lost or reused passwords
Tip 2: Check for updates regularly to patch security flaws amd fix crashes & bugs
Tip 3: Enable MFA (Multi-factor Authentication)
-Microsoft says 99.9% of password based threats can be prevented with MFA
Tip 4: Don't use public Wi-Fi - this can leave your personal information vulnerable
Tip 5: Implement an incident response plan to mitigate damage in the event of a breach
Tip 6: Safeguard your online presence, regularly review privacy settings.
