Ready or Not, Here They Come

How your business can prevent cyber attacks

Creepy-crawlies. Mysterious whispers down a dark hallway. Things that go bump in the night. There are a lot of scary things out there – but a cyber attack on your business might be the most sinister of all. As today’s technology improves, hackers get faster and smarter – which means businesses of all types and all sizes are at risk for a devastating data breach. This is particularly nerve-wracking news for businesses that handle sensitive information, but any business that has any customer information on file is at risk. Scared yet? While cyber attacks can be horrifying, there are several steps your business can take to effectively prevent data breaches.

Dark Web Scanning

While the rest of the world is casually browsing Facebook or ordering from Amazon, there’s an unseen world lying just underneath the surface. It’s the perfect plot for a modern-day horror flick. The so-called “dark web” consists of countless hidden websites that can only be created and accessed using special software. While the dark web might sound intriguing, it’s mostly used for criminal activity – like the illicit sale of credit card information and social security numbers. Fortunately, service providers like Dark Web Advisors can scan the dark web to make sure your personal information isn’t out there being leaked. Dark web scanning can prove helpful if you’re worried your information has been stolen and want to get it taken care of long before any damage can be done.

Phishing Education

Phishing is the most common type of business security breach. This cyber attack involves one party attempting to gather another party’s personal information – social security information, login credentials or credit card information – by sending users to a malicious website. Hackers usually accomplish this by disguising themselves as legitimate websites. For example: During a common Office 365 phishing attack, hackers send an email that appears to come from Microsoft. The email asks the user to log into their Office 365 account, stealing their login credentials in the meantime. Phishing can be hard to spot, and it’s responsible for more than 90 percent of security breaches. While cybersecurity solutions have come a long way, it’s impossible to block 100 percent of phishing attacks. For that reason, your employees need to learn to protect themselves from several common phishing techniques:

• Spoofed email addresses with fraudulent login screens
• Spammy headlines that could tempt an unsuspecting user
• Harmful links and attachments that hack your operating system once engaged, leading to loss of date

Other Ways to Prevent Cyber Attacks

Cyber attacks are always changing, but there are a few key steps you can take to keep your business protected:

1. Regularly train employees on the latest cyber security best practices
2. Install and regularly update antivirus software on every computer in your office
3. Make backup copies of important business data in case of a breach
4. Control physical access to your computers and network – this is where a Cloud-based system can be useful
5. Secure and hide your workplace’s Wi-Fi network, particularly if your office is in a crowded urban environment – like a downtown high-rise

As hackers get smarter and harder to detect, cyber attacks get more and more sinister. While cyber attacks are a chilling possibility, they’re completely preventable with a little training and a lot of attention to detail.

The best way to make sure your business stays secure is to work with a cyber security specialist like Dark Web Advisors. TierOne can connect you with the best provider for your needs. If you’d like to learn more about TierOne’s approach to cyber security, contact us today.