In this blog post, I will be explaining why cyber security is important and why you need to invest in cyber security if you haven’t already. Cyber security refers to the protection of computers, laptops, MACs and the data stored on those devices such as files, documents, emails, passwords, accounts and more. Cyber security is extremely important and cannot be underestimated in this modern age as it can definitely cause the downfall of a company if not taken seriously.
Now let’s go over what you are protecting your devices and files from. They are called cyber criminals. Cyber criminals are people who use machines and the internet to get access to accounts, information and data they shouldn’t be allowed access to. This can cause a lot of problems if you are breached as it allows the cyber-criminal to do whatever they please with your system. They can steal and withhold information until a ransom is paid, they can steal account information and personal data such as names, date of birth and social security numbers. They can even empty bank accounts which is a horrifying thought for anyone, especially a business owner. They may also get you in trouble with the government as they will hand out significant fines to anyone not taking cyber security seriously.
Let’s see how you can protect yourself from cybercrime. First of all, it would be best to hire a professional in the field of cyber security as they will be able to suggest anything vulnerable to outside attacks such as machines and accounts. It’s extremely important for a business to have a professional on hand in case a cyber-attack does happen as they will be able to fix the problem quickly avoiding any long damage to the systems or company as a whole.
Now for some things to look out for when you are running a business that might be a cyber-attack. First of all, are phishing emails. Phishing emails are emails that are designed to get you to click on a link or download a file onto the computer. They do this by impersonating someone you may know such as a boss or another employee or they will offer you something that you are interested in such as a good deal or money. Once you have taken the bait they will try and install a .exe file onto your computer which will install a virus onto your computer. As mentioned before they also might try and take you to a fake website that looks similar to your banking provider, company website and other popular websites. From there it will ask you to log in and when you do so it will send the email and password to the attack allowing them access to the account. This can cause you to lose websites, and money from your bank and could cause a widespread security breach across all your systems which will lead to any customers, employees and partners also having their accounts and details stolen. It is extremely important that you double-check what website you are on and only download files from people and email addresses you trust. Never assume the person is who they say they are. This information shouldn’t only be learned by the Upper management of the businesses but all employees as they are the ones more likely to be targeted by the attacks.
Something else to go concerned with is attacks that happen outside of the business. If you have employees working away from the office then you will need to be wary of man-in-the-middle attacks. Man-in-the-middle attacks happen when someone on a public WI-FI network sends and receives data and information which is then hijacked mid-way and grabbed by the attack. To put it into physical terms it would be equivalent to someone handing another person a piece of information on a piece of paper which is then read by someone standing close by without anyone knowing. The best way to prevent this is to download and utilise a VPN while you are outside of the office. This gives you an extra level of protection against the attack because it hides you on the public WI-FI stopping man-in-the-middle attacks from happening to you.
Now the question “Why would I be targeted by cyber-crime?” might have appeared in your head at some point while reading this blog post. My thoughts on this question are that it’s always best to be prepared for the worst and hope for the best because you may never get targeted by cybercrime however the one time you do is when you will need it the most. I am also here to tell you that it is extremely unlikely that you won’t be targeted. You see cyber criminals don’t pick targets that they want to hack they simply put you or someone within your business on an automated list which will send emails and attempt to break into your network. They will do this using automation until they are successful.
If you don’t take the necessary precautions as well to avoid a cyber security attack then you may also be charged with a heavy fine by the government of up to £17.5 million which can be devastating to anyone or business and could even force your company into bankruptcy.
In conclusion to answer the question is cyber security important? Yes, it is. It is a very important aspect of running a business that some people might overlook which can get them, their company and their employees into big trouble. If you don’t already have a cyber security professional then it may be time to invest in one. Alternatively, you can hire an IT consultancy such as us at Yorkshire computer systems.
At Yorkshire computer systems we don’t only fix issues with your devices. We can also install new devices for you. We can install anything from computer towers to laptops and even MAC devices. We can also transfer data to your new computer, laptop, or MAC so you don’t lose any data when upgrading from your old computer to the updated model. We can also complete hardware installations which can be upgraded from previous parts or newly installed if you happen to be building your PC. These components include but aren’t limited to PSU, GPU, and memory. We also provide security and administrative support for your business using Microsoft 365.
Yorkshire computer systems strive for efficiency and effective fixes to your issues for your computer, laptop, and MAC devices. We hope that by reading this blog post you have gained an understanding of how we work and what problems we can help you with from internet and networking issues to hardware and software problems that are causing problems at work or on a personal device.
You can create an appointment with us by emailing [email protected] or by using our phone number which is +441134842012