Cybercrime: Be Prepared (w/InfoGraphic)

How seriously do you and your business take cybercrime? Do you or any of your staff have the training to help you avoid becoming a victim? Don’t want to pay for “something that might never happen?”

Let’s put this another way, did you know that 60% of small to medium businesses go out of business within six months of the attack taking place? Or that small to medium businesses spent almost $880 000 in 2016 because of damage to their cybersecurity systems.

I will bet you are paying more attention now, aren’t you? Cybercrime is a serious business and something that we must protect ourselves against. It’s not just companies that are at risk, though – hackers and phishers could attack anyone.

Fun Fact: Emma Watson has been hacked twice. To see what other celebrities have had the same issue, check out our infographic below.

How do you protect yourself or your company?

Using a Secure Web Host

WordPress hosting is a very popular way of hosting your website because they have a range of built-in security features. Do, however, check your site regularly to make sure that no one has hacked it or changed information on it.

Take Passwords Seriously

Whether you’re using your own or work computer, make sure that you choose strong passwords and update them about once a month. Regularly updating password makes it harder for someone to figure out which one you are using.

Update Your Security Regularly

Check that you have the very latest version of your anti-virus software up and running. Even a free anti-virus like <a href=”https://www.16best.net/avast/“>Avast</a> can make a difference when it comes to security, but only if you keep it up to date. Otherwise, you leave yourself vulnerable to threats picked up after the software was made. And your anti-virus software won’t even recognize these threats.

Keeping yourself and your business secure online is about keeping potential hackers guessing and not presenting a soft target. Update your software regularly, choose strong passwords, and change them regularly. Use common sense when you receive messages designed to get information out of you.

Beware of Phishing Emails

One of the easiest ways for a criminal to get information about your banking password, for example, is to send you a phishing email. They will typically word it with a view to making you want to take action immediately.

So, for example, they might send a security warning and ask you to click on the link to restore access to your account. If you do so, you will arrive at a site that looks like your bank’s site, but that is geared at gathering your username and password.

by Josh Wardini, on assignment to CDM

Josh Wardini, Editorial Contributor and Community Manager. With a preliminary background in communication and expertise in community development, Josh works day-to-day to reshape the human resource management of digitally based companies. When his focus trails outside of community engagement, Josh enjoys the indulgences of writing amidst the nature conservation of Portland, Oregon.

CYBERCRIME INFOGRAPHIC