IT security is what protects a business from being taken advantage of. A business cannot be safe without awareness of the lurking dangers, and plans to deal with them. Advancements in technology have allowed attackers to find new ways to get into secure systems. This is why it’s so important to know the most common IT security risks and how to avoid them.
Phishing Attempts
Phishing is not a new idea. People have been phishing for data ever since information became available online. A phishing attack is when somebody is trying to fool an unsuspecting person into giving them sensitive information.
This can be done in a number of ways, but they almost always involve making someone give away data to an external party that means to do them harm. This could be a password login, or bank information. Once a person has this information it is the first step to them leveraging your business to get something that they want.
Phishing attacks cannot be stopped with good software alone. Attackers rely on human mistakes to give them the information they need. One of the most common ways to do this kind of attack is through email.
Email Scamming
An enormous amount of information travels through email. This type of communication is essential for businesses, but email scams are one of the most common places for IT Security Risks.
An email scam can come through in many ways. Sometimes it is so obvious that you don’t even have to think about the fact that it’s a scam. We all know not to enter bank details into a random email promising millions of dollars won from an unknown giveaway. But what if someone receives an email that they think is from their boss or a trusted vendor? Do you know what to look for?
Email scams and phishing attempts go hand in hand. The two work together in order to get into your system and deploy nefarious programs that mean to do you harm. All it takes is one email mistake or one password entered into the wrong location for system to be in danger.
Simple tools like spam filters can be a great first step to protecting data, but additional security is often needed to protect yourself from the biggest threat of all.
Ransomware
Ransomware is the true enemy for any company with digital information. Infecting computers with ransomware is the ultimate goal for most hackers that are trying to infiltrate businesses through phishing attempts and email scams.
A successful ransomware attack is enough to bring almost any business’s activity to a grinding halt. Your data can be frozen and encrypted so there is no way for it to be accessed. You could also give away information that is important to your clients. This gives the attackers the leverage to demand what their ultimate goal is: money.
For a fee the attackers will unfreeze and decrypt all of your data. However, this may be more than you are willing, or able, to pay.
How Can I Stay Protected?
So what can you do to protect yourself from these common security risks? The best option would be to work with a team of people who can make your data security a priority.
Synchronet has success managing data and delivering IT support that has protected numerous businesses. Give us a call to learn how we can help protect your data from those who want it most.
