As highlighted by researchers in the International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications, data encryption remains the ‘most efficient fix’ for data breaches, should they occur. By doing so, equipment that is stolen can quickly be located by the authorities. Sign up for the free newsletter! If you’re a business owner or manager using computer services, you need to secure the network with a VPN, install a firewall, and use solid passwords to prevent privacy breaches. Do not overlook the effectiveness of physically attaching computers to desks. The gargantuan task of knowing how to prevent cybercrime often comes down to nullifying cyber security threats and figuring out how to prevent cyber attacks. Restrict network admin rights  Restricting IT admin and access rights to a small handful of users is invaluable in minimizing the risk of data breaches as employees cannot give away information they don’t have access to. Here’s how to put these steps into action. Antivirus software. Combine this with regularly backing up your data, such as on the cloud, and you’ll ensure that no critical data is lost in the event of an attack. Encrypt data- Encryption of data gives your company an upper hand when your data falls into wrong hands. Several ways to explore to prevent cyber attack on business: Continually Educating Personnel. Businesses are vulnerable without employee education Highlighting the need for employee education on the types of daily actions that leave a business vulnerable to cyber attacks. Here are five tips to help you do just that: 1. With ransomware hackers locking companies out of their systems, encrypting their data and asking for a ransom to be paid before releasing the data, you can stay one step ahead of them by backing up all of your data and storing it separately. As such, it's vital that businesses do all they can to protect themselves online. Increase employee awareness This is one of the most cost-effective methods of preventing a cyber attack. The number of cyber attacks on small businesses continues to rise. Cyber Attack Prevention Plan. Like storing the data on the cloud which is protected by multiple security layers and inculcating responsible BYOD security policies among the employees working for your business environment. As outlined in this article, the steps to achieving the peace of mind and financial security that such a strategy brings should involve the use of up-to-date data encryption, data back-up, and firewalls and anti-malware software. It … To prevent this, train your employees to make security their watchword. Read up on articles online to keep yourself informed as technology develops, and consider investing in the kind of tools and resources listed above – spending a little bit of money to protect your business could really pay off. The first and foremost solution to prevent cyber attacks on companies is to have a secure and sophisticated hardware which are password protected and backed up by 2-way authentication. This should include clear definitions of what unsecured networks are, and where they are commonly found such as in coffee shops, airports, hotels and so forth. Top of the list should be educating them about the risks associated with using unsecured networks to access work information. You should use a very strong password to prevent from cyber-attacks. Protect against the threat of an attack Even though the threat of cyber attacks is real, it’s easy to forget all about it until one strikes. Safeguard your company’s hardware- A survey conducted by IDC says that most of the data breaches occur when stolen equipment reaches the hands of the hackers. Also, it is better if you don’t overlook the effectiveness of protecting your physical storage disks. Train employees in cyber security principles. Cyber Attacks on businesses seems to be inevitable- at least with the prevailing situation in the cyber landscape. It’s wise to invest in cybersecurity insurance these days- Because cybercriminals are becoming too sophisticated these days, they are coming up with ways to break into the most advanced cyber defenses. Install, use and regularly update antivirus and antispyware software on every computer used in your business. Backup data- Sometimes no matter how hard you try, hackers get into your network and try to encrypt your data with ransomware. 2. share that password with the device user only, improving your company protection from a cyber threat, Hacking For Good: UAE Startup VUL9 Wants You (And Your Enterprise) To Be Cyber Resilient, Why We Need to Worry More Than Ever About Getting Hacked, Phishing In All Its Forms Is a Menace to Small Businesses, Feds to Car Makers: Make Sure You're Ready for Cyberattacks, Global Financial Network SWIFT Warns Customers of Multiple Cyber Fraud Cases. Knowing How to Prevent Cyber Attacks Can Seem Difficult. Social media security 2. Though this will prevent the messages from incorporating any dangerous links, it also means that you won’t be able to receive links from legitimate senders. Seek specialist advice for cyber security insurance Minimize your risk by seeking specialist help to select the best type of insurance for your company, based on your risk of attack and the financial impact of such an event. Know your enemy. A privacy breach leading to loss of data could spell doom for your firm. Therefore, even the most security-conscious businesses get vulnerable to cyber attacks. Updates are improvements, so if you remain on older systems, there may be cracks in the defence systems that leave you vulnerable to cyber attacks. Stay ahead by backing up data and storing it separately After encryption, backing up all data is another key way of protecting yourself from security breaches. Related: Hacking For Good: UAE Startup VUL9 Wants You (And Your Enterprise) To Be Cyber Resilient, Image credit: To prevent cybercriminals from attacking your small business, implementing the following recommendations: Despite this, 30 per cent of small businesses don't have any cyber security strategies in place, and only 23 per cent have a policy for controlling access to systems that are limited to certain employees, according to the report by Business in the Community (BITC). Over 90% of cyber-attacks use information stolen from employees who unwittingly give it away. But it doesn't have to be. Always be wary of cybercriminals, work like you expect an attack. Educate staff on the dangers of unsecured networks Banning employees from using their personal devices for work may seem like an obvious approach, but this strategy seldom works in the long term. Existing anti-virus tools are not very effective against ransomware, which changes almost as quickly as new anti-virus tools are developed. A business or company should start its cyber-attack prevention strategy by protecting its devices and other hardware with hard to guess passwords, limited access and trackers etc. With an increasing amount of cyber-attacks that are designed to steal usernames and passwords (the gateway to data loss and business downtime), this webinar will help you understand just how Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) can be used to stop those attacks in their tracks. Having an effective prevention strategy in place is key to avoiding the risk of cyber attacks. Ransomware can work quietly in the background and only be detected by an anti-virus programme when it is too late to save your files. US research into the cost of data breaches has shown that in 2017, the global average cost of a single data breach event was USD 3.6m – equivalent to USD 141 per data record. Discourage password sharing Employers can create a security conscious culture in which password sharing seldom happens. Because if neglected, then it gives an opportunity to anyone and everyone to walk away with your firm’s sensitive data. However, if your company has an online presence, stores customer and company data on digital devices and uses cloud-based software, a thorough cyber security strategy is essential. 1.) Top 5 Cloud Security related Data Breaches! 10 Ways Small Business Can Prevent Cyber Attacks. Hackers usually find such passwords difficult to break. For example, the UK Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2018, carried out by the UK government and Portsmouth University found that 43% of UK businesses have experienced a cyber security breach or attack over the last 12 months, with only 20% of UK companies offering training to staff within the same time frame. If you want to prevent a cyberattack, you have to get serious about strengthening your cybersecurity foundation. This is a simple, yet effective way of preventing intruders from walking away with company equipment and the sensitive data they hold. This includes educating them about risks associated with using unsecured networks to access work info and avoiding unsecured websites and sharing sensitive data on social media. One of the most effective ways to prevent cyber attacks is to ensure that multi-factor authentication has been enabled for all applications that access the internet in your organization. For instance, if one of your employees working in R&D loses his/her laptop, then the company for which he/she working for can land into serious troubles if the sensitive data reaches the hands of the competitors or those having nefarious intentions. 2.) Investing in cybersecurity measures may not rule out an attack but will alert the business to attempts and were to up the investment in more measures to keep the hackers away from core systems. The US, Japan, Britain and South Korea have been identified as some of the biggest targets. Avast says that IOT are vulnerable to Cyber Attacks, Ransomware news headlines trending on Google. Use Multi-Factor Authentication. As staff members grow tired of the inconvenience, they are likely to return to accessing work on personal devices, regardless of policies prohibiting this. A cyber insurance policy will take care of the costs associated with the attack and help you get your business back on its feet as quickly as possible. Always entrust this information to a key figure in your IT department and ensure that (s)he is adequately trained on the safe and encrypted storage of this information. 5 Cyber Attack Prevention Tips. Use Encryption for Sensitive Business Information Use full-disk encryption to protect all your computers, tablets, and smartphones. “The average cost associated with the cyber-attack, among those targeted, was $8,699.48.” In addition, nearly half of all small business owners surveyed claimed to have at one time been the victim of a cyber attack. Full-disk encryption software is included in virtually all operating systems today and can encrypt all the data on a desktop or laptop computer when it’s at rest. So, it is important to invest in software that has been specifically designed to deal with this challenge. Latest figures have shown that cyber crime affected 3.72 million people in the UAE in 2017– costing the country almost AED4 billion. Restricting them from password sharing will also help. Create a security-focused workplace cultureEmployees are the most common cause of data breaches as many don’t recognize external threats when they occur or have a good understanding of the daily actions that leave a company vulnerable to a cyber attack. Here are the some important tips on how to prevent cyber attacks on businesses. Save a copy of your encryption password or key in a secure location separate from your stored backups. The high cost of cyber attacks on small businesses. Even if you don’t currently have the resources to bring in an outside expert to test your computer systems and make security recommendations, there are simple, economical steps you can take to reduce your risk of falling victim to a costly cyber attack: How to Fix the Vulnerabilities Targeted in the SolarWinds and FireEye... How to Secure Your Apps with SaaS Security Posture Management (SSPM), List of Countries which are most vulnerable to Cyber Attacks, Top 5 PCI Compliance Mistakes and How to Avoid Them, Google not to use Fitbit data for advertising purposes, Smart Tachographs: Innovation out of necessity. Download and install software updates for your operating systems and applications as they become available. These protocols should be inherent within your business strategy. The best offense is a good defense. When a cyber attack takes place, businesses usually have to close temporarily to establish what went wrong and make effective changes to prevent an attack happening again. They can achieve this by using longer or more complex passwords. Shutterstock, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Lifecare. If you want to properly protect your company from a cyber attack, then you first need to be aware of both the internal and external vulnerabilities your business may be exposed to. Did you know that 80% of cyber attacks involve weak passwords? Begin your cyber attack prevention strategy with the basics: protect all devices with a complicated password, share that password with the device user only and commit it to memory instead of writing it down in an easily accessible place. Be sure to encrypt all sensitive data, including customer information, employee information and all business data. I understand that the data I am submitting will be used to provide me with the above-described products and/or services and communications in connection therewith. Encrypt and back up dataAn effective cyber crime protection strategy must consist of two elements: preventing physical access to sensitive data and rendering that data useless if it falls into the wrong hands. Every day, cyber criminals are looking to use the internet to steal private information, money or disrupt how business is done. Investing in an optimized firewall is therefore key for preventing malware from entering your computer systems. As more and more sensitive information is stored digitally, it’s important that your policy cover not only standard practices such as routine security audits and data backup, but that it also addresses newer concerns such as: 1. Use of anti-malware solutions and protecting enterprise networks with efficient firewalls will also help in keeping your enterprise IT safe from attacks. Do not use any USB medium (Memory Stick, HDD, etc. Research by Datto has shown that 1 in 5 SMBs get hit by ransomware attacks. But security analysts say that to a large extent most of these attacks are avoidable if companies chose to follow the below-specified steps crafted specifically to protect their enterprises against cyber attacks. Here are five steps to take to reduce your risk of a cyber-attack: 1. 5. ) You also need to be able to rely on your employees practising safe internet and network usage to achieve greater protection from hackers. Don’t overlook safeguarding company hardware Data breaches commonly occur due to stolen equipment and so safeguarding your hardware is an easy strategy in improving your company protection from a cyber threat. Cyber Attacks Key Elements that is essentials to be Protected. And with ransomware featuring as the most prevalent cyber security risk to small businesses today, protecting your business from ransomware and other types of malware is vital. 6.) 1. Companies can achieve the latter by always encrypting their data. Here’s how to protect your business from ransomware, phishing attacks, and … The first and foremost solution to prevent cyber attacks on companies is to have a secure and sophisticated hardware which are password protected and backed up by 2-way authentication. But remember, the backup should be done in an effective manner and that too should be in the retrievable form as soon as a disaster strikes. The more eyes on your businesses cybersecurity, the better. You're reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. But if your enterprise has a backup copy of the latest, then you or your company need not bow to the demands of the hackers. Implementing this alongside thorough and ongoing employee education on cyber security really is your best bet to ensuring that the threat of a cyber attack never becomes your reality. Invest in cyber security insuranceBecause cyber criminals continue to work tirelessly to find ever more advanced ways of breaching security defenses, even the most security-conscious businesses remain at risk of an attack. An effective cyber crime protection strategy must consist of two elements: preventing physical access to sensitive data and rendering that data useless if … And that’s due to the fact that it becomes useless even if a hacker sniffs it out- and mind you it’s not that easy to break into the encryption available in the market these days. This is where a cyber insurance cover can come to your rescue. These updates are made in response to the latest cyber threats and are therefore a key tool in the fight against cyber attacks. Create cyber security awareness amongst your staff. How to stop cyber-attacks on your organisation ... experts to discuss how best to protect the UK’s critical networks and businesses from cyber-attack.