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You are here: Home / Columnists / Guarding Against Cybercrime

Guarding Against Cybercrime

August 31, 2021 By quadcities Leave a Comment

And cybercriminals are becoming smarter by the day. They target all businesses, all the time.

What’s the fastest-growing crime in the U.S.? I’ll give you a clue. It’s completely invisible and it can overwhelm you in seconds: cybercrime. Here are some statistics:

There were 5.5 million cybercrimes committed last year: 52% of the breaches featured hacking; 28% involved malware; 32%-33% included phishing or social engineering. And cybercriminals are becoming smarter by the day. They target all businesses, all the time. They are using intelligent automated tools to find weaknesses in anyone’s network.

Here are the eight most common causes of a data breach to your business:

  • Weak and Stolen Credentials, a.k.a. Passwords
  • Back Doors, Application Vulnerabilities
  • Malware
  • Social Engineering
  • Too Many Permissions
  • Insider Threats
  • Improper Configuration and User Error

So, how can you protect yourself? You need a blended approach. That means an appropriate level of security software – enough to protect you, but not too much to annoy your team all day. For example, a business-class firewall with security utilities, computer and server antivirus and antimalware software, monitored patching and maintenance of systems.

One item that is often overlooked is the proper design of your environment, both physically and virtually. Always have a backup solution that is monitored, tested and secure. There are times when the only solution is to recover the data from a backup.

Finally, add in regular cybersecurity awareness training for your team, followed by a security policy. This simple task is one of the most effective deterrences to a cybercrime happening to your organization.

Finally, there’s no guarantee you won’t suffer a breach. But, the odds of becoming a victim will dramatically go down.

For additional information or to schedule an appointment to assist your business with a cybercrime defense program, call 928-719-7724 or visit northernazit.com. QCBN

By Theo Soumilas

Theo Soumilas is the owner of Northern Arizona IT servicing the Quad Cities, Phoenix and Northern Arizona.

Filed Under: Columnists Tagged With: Application Vulnerabilities, Back Doors, business IT security, cybercrime, Improper Configuration, Insider Threats, IT Defense, malware, Northern Arizona IT, passwords, Social Engineering, Stolen Credentials, Theo Soumilas, Too Many Permissions, User Error

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