Despite some of the world’s well-known businesses facing a multi-billion dollar cybersecurity threat, many organisations haven’t yet understood the seriousness of cybersecurity.
Large-scale businesses are looking for ways to cut corners in terms of cybersecurity budgets instead of investing in improving their IT infrastructure.
Small businesses, on the other hand, are simply turning a blind eye to present cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
But why is cybersecurity so underappreciated and business cyberattack recovery plan underutilised? Also, where is that many businesses are going wrong?
Here we have mentioned the top 7 cybersecurity mistakes that many business owners are committing, but no one talks about them.
Being Reactive about Cybersecurity Rather than Proactive
This is because, by the time you will realise that you are the victim, you’ll already be in deep trouble – that’s the difference between being reactive and proactive.
Many organisations invest in their IT infrastructure only after they have suffered a cyberattack or data breach. But by focusing on it in advance, you can save, if not billions, at least millions of dollars.
It is also better to keep testing and improving your cybersecurity plan every now and then or use a cyber attack vulnerability scanner!
Establishing a Separate Cybersecurity Department
You might be tempted to establish a separate cybersecurity department or a subsection under your present IT sector, as it enables you to employ additional experts.
Although this isn’t completely a bad idea, it could be a little misleading and perhaps lead you to more cyberattacks.
In fact, it is best to execute your cybersecurity plan along with collaboration and teamwork.
For instance, the team working on DevOps practices make sure unbreachable security is placed throughout the development process.
When it comes to cybersecurity, what you need to understand is – you’re working on preventing the possible cyberattacks on each department and individual of your company.
Only when you work as a team, you’ll be successful in lowering these potential threats to a bare minimum.
Selecting the Wrong Cybersecurity Software
Selecting a software also plays an important role, especially when it comes to cybersecurity for small businesses.
Many organisations use an array of tools to ensure the efficiency of their business operations. This usually includes communication tools, CRM software, and project management tools.
Every tool or software that you use is always at the risk of a potential cyberattack.
As these store massive amounts of data regarding your organisation, if breached, it could pose a real threat to your business. This is why you need to think twice before choosing any software.
Also, when hiring a developer from a design agency to curate an app or software for your business, pay heed to their reputation and the security measures taken by them.
For instance, certain applications come with facets such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) specifically intended for solid encryption.
Not Keeping the Software Up-To-Date
Luckily, the development team is always on the lookout for possible risks and whenever they find it, the team immediately uses a patch to resolve the issue.
Here’ what you must know – the patch will work only if it’s downloaded from your end. However, many businesses fail to keep their software up-to-date.
If you’re one of them, opt for automatic updates since that way you don’t have to constantly keep an eye out for the latest patches.
Relying Solely on One Solution
Several solutions are available out there such as webroot secureanywhere antivirus, VPNs, and firewalls, which can help you reduce the potential cybersecurity risks.
But many organisations rely solely on one solution. They think that since their business has invested in a firewall, they’ve practically created a bulletproof business continuity plan.
For 100% data security, however, you need to pay heed to various possible cybersecurity risks, analyse the landscape, and execute different solutions.
If you’re simply relying on a couple of solutions, it’ll only increase your chances of facing a cybersecurity attack.
Abandoning the Threat to Personal Devices
However, what many organisations don’t understand is even these devices are vulnerable to cybersecurity threats, especially when it isn’t managed properly.
In addition, employees are likely to connect their or the organisation’s devices with a public Wi-Fi which is usually unsecured – meaning, they are highly open to a data breach.
Not Offering the Right Training
Employee error is the most common reason why many small businesses are prone to cyberattacks. This is also because many hackers usually focus on exploiting basic errors and ignorance.
For instance, they could either trick the staff into sharing their login information or simply grab a potential opportunity to find out more about your business.
Therefore, you need to make sure that your employees are given proper training regarding possible cybersecurity threats. This will help your organisation to at least reduce the risks you could otherwise face.
The Bottom Line
There aren’t many ways to make businesses understand the severity of cybersecurity threats, particularly when so many organisations have already lost millions of dollars to the same.
However, only when you learn about common cybersecurity mistakes, you’ll be able to work proactively towards preventing such disasters.