Should Your Small Business Be Concerned About Cyber Crime?

Operating a small business presents itself with a number of challenges and rewards. The pride of owning your own business and having something that is not only all yours but that you built from scratch is often well worth the many obstacles you’ll face along the way. But, with so much on your plate to be aware of in terms of operating your business on a day to day basis, it is easy for some things to be pushed to the side and not given the attention they require.

One thing that small businesses aren’t always quick to jump on is cyber security measures. There is plenty of news coverage regarding cybercrime and big businesses, but not much is said about small companies and their experiences with online crimes. Does that mean that cyber-crime isn’t something that your small business should be concerned about? Let’s take a closer look.

What Kinds of Businesses Does Cyber Crime Target and Affect?

Here’s a question that has a rather simple and complete answer – in terms of what kinds of businesses are affected and targeted by cyber criminals, the answer is all types. Sure, there are some industries that report higher amounts of crime, but no industry is safe.

What may affect your company even more is the fact that cyber criminals often like to target smaller companies. The reason for this is very simple – these smaller companies don’t tend to use as sophisticated measures when it comes to cyber security, which makes it easier for criminals to break into the records, data, and systems.

How Common is Cyber Crime?

Just because you may not be hearing and reading about cyber-crime on a daily business doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. According to Norton, 1 in 4 small businesses in Australia have been effected by cybercrime. What’s even more shocking is the fact that, even with those statistics out there, 56% of Australian businesses don’t have cybercrime protection or assume it is covered by their business insurance.

What Can You Do to Protect Your Company?

Knowing that small companies are a target and that cyber-crime is a very real problem, it’s important for businesses to then figure out what they can do to limit their risks. The good news is that there are all kinds of measures you can take, but if you want to ensure that you’re making the most effective moves, it can make sense to get professional assistance.

Companies such as FraudWatch International are able to offer you the peace of mind that your business and its customers are being protected. The company specialises in anti-phishing, anti-malware, social media crimes, and monitoring mobile apps, just to name a few services.

Outside of bringing in the professionals, you can also take steps like using passwords to protect data and making sure those passwords are swapped out on a regular basis, training employees to watch for potential issues and threats, always using a secure internet connection, and keeping your software up-to-date.

Cyber-crime has no boundaries and is always hiding in the shadows, waiting to attack unsuspecting businesses, so make sure that you are protected.