FEATURED ARTICLE — November 13th, 2019

Could Your Business Survive a Cyberattack?

By Ian Garland

The way we work is changing, with more businesses adopting online-only models and remote working every day. However, while these new practices offer new opportunities, they also provide additional vectors for attack. Given that cybercrime is on the rise, and that almost 60% of cyberattacks target small businesses, this is a problem that we can no longer afford to ignore. Below, we’ll outline a few simple ways you can test your company’s vulnerability and improve its resilience to cyberattacks. 

Remove unnecessary clutter

If you’ve had your computers for any length of time, they likely have applications installed that aren’t strictly necessary for work. Perhaps you have a few games installed or a couple of drivers for a device you no longer use? 

The problem is that every single piece of software you install, whether it’s freeware or a well-known application, has its own dependencies and vulnerabilities. In other words, every unnecessary program you have is another potential weak point for an attacker to exploit. 

The good news is that these days, most of the things you need for work can be accessed in a browser. For instance, you can create documents, listen to music, and send emails without needing any dedicated applications. Simply: the fewer programs you have, the less risk there is.

Harden your infrastructure

Now that you’ve closed as many doors as possible to a potential hacker, it’s time to block the remaining ways in. One of the most important things to do is install a Web Application Firewall (WAF) on your company servers. This prevents some of the most common threats outright, including Cross-Site Scripting and cookie poisoning attacks. 

We also recommend using a company Virtual Private Network (VPN)... Read More