As technology continues to evolve, so do the ways that cyber criminals are trying to compromise your business. At the rate its currently evolving, cyber crime is estimated to cost £27bn per year in the UK alone. For many businesses, this is an overwhelming prospect.
Keeping up to date with current cyber security trends, staying informed about predicted threats and planning their cyber security and IT strategy can seem like a daunting task when you’re also juggling the daily responsibilities of running a business. That’s why we want to help. In this month’s blog, we’re deep diving into all the cyber security fundamentals you need to know to keep your business safe and protected. Ready to get started?
The most common cyber threats to UK businesses
While cyber threats are continuing to evolve and criminals are developing new, complex ways to compromise a business’s security, there are 3 types of threats that are most common in the UK.
Phishing
According to Deloitte, 91% of cyber security breaches start with a phishing attack. In the current cyber security landscape, phishing remains one of the most pervasive threats to businesses. During a phishing attack, a cyber criminal impersonates a real person or a trusted entity. When the unsuspecting employee clicks on the link or opens the attachment, malicious software is downloaded onto the computer. The unsuspecting victim often doesn’t realise that their computer has been compromised, and it takes UK businesses an average of 277 days (almost 9 months) to identify and report a data breach.
Malware
Malware is software that’s designed to disrupt, damage or gain unauthorised access to a business’s computer system and network. Phishing and malware often go together, as statistics show that 94% of malware is delivered via email. Malware refers to a spectrum of attack types, such as worms, viruses, spyware, adware, and ransomware, and the main goal of criminals is monetary gain, but getting access to resources and data, as well as sheer sabotage intent are also common in malware attacks.
Ransomware
Ransomware is one of the most nefarious forms of malware. During a ransomware attack, malicious software compromises a computer or network and blocks user access until, as the name suggests, a ransom is paid. In Europe, ransomware accounted for 26% of all attacks last year, meaning that businesses need to ensure they assess their risk of falling victim to an attack. Yet even if a company decides to pay the ransom, regaining access to your data is not guaranteed. A recent ransomware report found that of the businesses that did end up paying, 29% could recover half their data, and only 8% managed to regain access to all their data. And to make it worse: once cyber criminals realise you are willing to pay up, chances are high that you will be targeted again.
3 cyber security fundamentals to protect your business
While the current cyber threat landscape can seem overwhelming, there are cyber security fundamentals you can put in place in order to enhance your security posture. We outline the 3 best ways to get started.
Cyber security awareness training
88% of data breaches start with human error. Your team is one of the most crucial factors in ensuring your cyber security, yet only 10% of employees state they remember their cyber security training (if they have received any at all.) When building your security strategy, you need to account for your human firewall. Cyber security awareness training is one of the best cyber security fundamentals to educate employees about cyber trends and best practices to keep your business save. Importantly, this shouldn’t be a one-and-done deal: cyber security awareness training should be offered consistently in order to reinforce the importance of security and update your team on new trends and best practices.
Data backup and disaster recovery
Data loss isn’t just caused by cyber crime, technical failure can spell disaster for your business as well. One of the best ways to minimise damage is to have a business continuity plan in place. Regular data backups ensure your data can be recovered should disaster strike, and modern cloud-based backups can be recovered in minutes, keeping downtime to a minimum.
Work with a cyber security partner
XDR, Zero Trust, AI, ML—there are countless security solutions and buzz words that can be found on the internet when you look for cyber security fundamentals. However, which ones will and won’t work for your business depends entirely on your individual requirements. Working with a cyber security partner can help you sort through the noise and find the best possible setup for you. Even better, a trusted partner will help you take cyber security off your plate so you can do what you do best: run your business.
Get all your cyber security fundamentals with Entegraty
At Entegraty, we have years of experience in helping businesses fortify their defences. In an era of BYOD policies as well as remote and hybrid work, keeping your business’s networks, systems and devices protected has never been so important.
Our robust security measures, delivered by our team of cyber security specialists, are designed to ensure the integrity of your IT systems, protect your organisation’s data and proactively monitor for vulnerabilities.
Reach out to our friendly experts if you’d like to learn more about how we can help protect your business, or follow the link below to discover our cyber security services.
