Since 2004, October has been recognized by the federal government as Cybersecurity Awareness Month. But with cyberattacks increasing in frequency and impact, cybersecurity should be on everyone’s mind every day.
Since 2004, October has been recognized by the federal government as Cybersecurity Awareness Month. But with cyberattacks increasing in frequency and impact, cybersecurity should be on everyone’s mind every day.
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While cyberattacks on big-name organizations typically make headlines, small- and midsize businesses have become increasingly common targets. The shift to remote and hybrid work models brought on by the pandemic has contributed to a 300% increase in reported cybercrimes, according to Datto, a managed IT services vendor.
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“No organization or individual is immune from cybercrime,” said Dan Shapero, president and chief operating officer of TeamLogic IT, a national provider of technology services and solutions for businesses of all kinds. “We’re seeing a marked increase in ransomware and SMS phishing schemes, and there are concerns that cyberattacks could rise in the short term as online fraudsters attempt to capitalize on the economic fallout of Hurricane Ian,” Shapero said.
With October marking heightened awareness of cybercrime, TeamLogic IT reminds businesses to implement these commonly recommended but often overlooked practices to improve IT security:
- Educate employees: Approximately 85% of data breaches have a human element. Cybercriminals are adept at tricking employees into clicking on malicious links or providing sensitive information. Train your employees to recognize and report phishing and other suspicious online activity.
- Enable multifactor authentication: Using multiple passwords or permissions can avert many potential attacks.
- Don’t delay software updates: Run updates as soon as they’re available, and don’t overlook updates to secondary software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications such as QuickBooks.
- Use strong passwords: Complex passwords are another means of detouring would-be cybercriminals. Consider using an encrypted password manager to strengthen your practices.
- Don’t be short-sighted. Don’t leave your business vulnerable to costly attacks by skimping on reasonable, front-end steps to protect your IT infrastructure.
“Unfortunately, there’s no finish line in the race against cybercrime,” says Shapero. “Businesses need to ensure they’ve implemented these and other essential IT security best practices and that they stay up to date on the latest threats and ways to protect themselves.”
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