How Important is Cybersecurity for Your Business?

How important is cybersecurity for your business?

The majority of business activities today have become completely reliant on technology.

The need for global connectivity has led us to work online most hours of every day – from digital marketing, selling our solutions and providing customer service, through to acquiring information, communicating with networks and making financial transactions.

As much as these are all positive conveniences, there is always a potential risk.

Our extensive presence on the web also makes us vulnerable to the growing number of cyber risks and threats happening every day. Even the Australian Government is not immune to these kinds of attacks, and so being vigilant about your business’ cybersecurity has never been more important.

Here are some reasons why cybersecurity should be one of your top priorities this year.

Every business is at risk of cyber-attacks.

Did you know that Australia is investing AU$1.35 billion to strengthen its cybersecurity over the next 10 years?

This was in response to different levels of government, political bodies, essential service providers and operators of critical infrastructure being exposed to unprecedented attacks, unauthorised access and information theft.

As an organisation with vulnerable IT infrastructure, you are also prone to cyber risks that can result in significant financial losses, reputation damage and even penalties if privacy data is exposed.

What are the potential costs of not being cyber secure?

Cybersecurity is the proactive IT practise of protecting your computers, servers, systems, networks and data from malicious intent and digital attacks.

It’s estimated that cybersecurity incidents cost Australian businesses $29 billion each year.

To strengthen your cybersecurity measures, here are the major types of cyber threats and risks you must be aware of:

• Malware, worms and trojan horses – These are viruses which can infiltrate your websites and emails, causing damage to your systems and making both your team and clients anxious.
• Botnets and zombies – Responsible for stealing data, these cyber threats can result in serious issues regarding intellectual property, sensitive corporate information and data privacy.
• Denial-of-service – This kind of attack prohibits intended personnel from using your systems, networks and applications. Hackers often ask for ransoms in exchange for providing you access again – which, by the way, they may not give you even after you pay.

How can you tighten your business’ cybersecurity?

Living in today’s digital era, cybercrimes are continuously evolving and becoming smarter. With this in mind, you must heighten your business’ cybersecurity to prevent financial, legal and physical fallouts from a cyber incident.

Here are a few of our general suggestions:

• Strengthen your passwords – Make sure your passwords are not easily identifiable. Avoid using short passwords with obvious characters or numerals.
• Invest in the right technology – From anti-virus software, firewalls and spam filters to ransomware protection and data leak prevention, it’s vital that you are equipped with trusted and reliable platforms to safeguard your systems and networks.
• Provide your employees with appropriate training – Cybersecurity is not the sole responsibility of the IT team. Your employees must know how to mitigate risks, access only secured websites and properly optimise your technology. At Centrix, we offer cyber security awareness training for your team. By providing your staff with the knowledge and tools they need to protect the business, you will significantly increase the chances that your systems remain protected.
• Have an Incidence Response Plan – As part of damage control, it’s a smart idea to prepare for the worst-case scenario. Ensure that there are also appropriate data backups, restoration programs and isolation procedures for infected devices.
• Utilise Australia’s Essential 8 as a guide – These eight attack mitigation strategies by the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) and the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) serve as a good baseline for your business to assess the maturity of your security infrastructure.

Being proactive in implementing these measures can save you time, money and resources from having to address large-scale cybersecurity incidents.

But all of these are just a start – there’s so much more every business today should be doing.

If you’re serious about the security of your digital systems, data and intellectual property, there are cybersecurity solution-providers like Centrix that can defend you from breaches, data theft, downtime and other attacks that can damage your business.

Our IT Health Check service scans your entire organisation’s systems to assess how secure they are and provide recommendations on how to ensure you are fully protected.

Our Managed IT experts safeguard your business

At Centrix, we help small businesses and corporate organisations like yours succeed by managing, supporting and protecting your critical IT infrastructure.

With our extensive knowledge and expertise, our mission is to empower your whole team with comprehensive IT Service Packages or IT Managed Services to see you thrive in today’s digital landscape.

We combine technology and training to safeguard your business against security threats.

To start, book an IT Health Check today or you can contact us today.