While cybersecurity is a key consideration for many businesses, there is also misinformation that prevents them from thoroughly protecting themselves from cybersecurity attacks. That’s why we put together these common security myths and will show you why they simply are not true.
Myth 1: “I’m Too Small To Be Hacked”
Small Business Trends reports that 43% of cyber attacks target small businesses. Also, a 2021 security report found that 87% of organizations have experienced an attempted exploit of an already-known, existing vulnerability. For these reasons and more, small businesses need a partner that specializes in cybersecurity for small businesses.
Myth 2: “It Won’t Happen to Me”
Cybersecurity attacks are happening more frequently. Reports indicate that $2.9 million is lost to cybercrime every minute. Also, research that was based on hundreds of millions of attempted cyberattacks that occurred every day throughout 2020 showed that malware increased by 358% overall and ransomware increased by 435% as compared with 2019.
These statistics are a reminder that businesses need a cybersecurity strategy in place that allows them to discover, prevent, and recover from cyber threats as quickly as possible.
Myth 3: “My Staff Wouldn’t Fall Prey to a Cyberattack”
Many businesses think that their employees are too savvy to be victimized by a cyberattack. What they fail to consider, however, is that 90% of successful breaches are caused by human error. Also, both ransomware and phishing attacks are considered the primary cybersecurity risks for 2021. Therefore, businesses need to implement security awareness training that will help ensure their employees are fully trained to recognize and prevent these types of cybersecurity attacks.
Myth 4: “Our Data Is Already Protected”
One of the cybersecurity fallacies is thinking that your data is already protected. It could be because you have never had an issue, detected any threats or breaches, or because your IT staff tells you that your data is safe.
The fact is the risk of your data is growing exponentially as more and more devices circulate the IoT (internet of things). Security research predicts that the number of Internet-connected devices is expected to increase from 31 billion in 2020 to 35 billion in 2021, and 75 billion in 2025. With this amount of projected growth, how do you really know that you are protected?
You can only know how well you are protected by working with a managed IT service provider that constantly monitors your systems. Also, experts that provide these services to you will make sure you access the latest technology solutions that ward off attacks. If it has been a while since you have checked your cybersecurity health, you can also take advantage of security advisory services that help you improve your cybersecurity strategy.