Cyberattacks & You

How recent world events should keep you and your business on your toes.

With the recent invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, there have been renewed calls by cybersecurity experts to be on alert for cyberattacks by foreign agents seeking to cripple the US economy. US-based businesses already tend to be targeted for cyberattacks, and with the recent disruption in Europe, criminals are taking this opportunity to make an impact wherever they can. While larger corporations may have massive cybersecurity teams to help mitigate any failures, small businesses maybe are feeling like they are in the dark about what to do next. Here are 7 tips for digitally securing your business.

5. Enable encryption software. Windows and macOS devices come default with software that encrypts a hard drive. What that means is whether your computer is off or on, to access the data in the drive requires a special “key” that only your computer knows how to unlock (sometimes unlockable by a user with their login.) This means whenever something new is trying to access your data, it requires your permission and review, adding another layer of security to your system. Be judicial, if you didn’t prompt new access, you should decline it just to play it safe. On Windows machines, this software is called BitLocker. On macOS, it’s called FileVault.

6. Ignore suspicious emails! Phishing is the practice by fraudsters used to try to trick you into thinking their email is from a legitimate source. Usually, it’s some ominous warning that your password has expired, your access has been locked out, someone else is trying to access your account and you need to reset your password, etc. They aim to get you to manually input your username, password, email address, phone number, bank account numbers, credit card numbers, you name it! Often they impersonate big companies that you may have a service with. Be careful, and always check the incoming email address to ensure that it is legitimate or not. For more information on phishing with some statistics for 2021, read more here.

7. Communicate with your team. The most important thing you can do after you follow these tips is to let your team in on the secrets! Make sure they know what to look out for and how they can help themselves from falling victim to common schemes. Keeping an open line of communication can sometimes make the difference between being safe, and not.