Large-scale data breaches, such as the Equifax hack, are ubiquitous nowadays. But if you think that breaches only affect high-profile companies, then you are mistaken. In fact, three out of five small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have fallen victim to a cyber attack.
Many small businesses that suffer a cyber attack never recover. Can you imagine all of your hard work getting your startup off the ground going to waste like that? Thus, entrepreneurs must protect their startups with strong cybersecurity measures from the get-go.
Take these steps to ensure maximum protection for your startup:
1. Understand the risks.
The first step is accepting that your startup faces serious threats. Brian Burch, vice president of Symantec, says, “Startups are incredibly vulnerable to cyberattacks in their first 18 months. If a business thinks that it’s too small to matter to cybercriminals, then it’s fooling itself with a false sense of security.”
So, what could you come up against in those first 18 months?
We’ve mentioned data breaches. If your startup stores sensitive data, such as financial information, you could be a target. There’s also the risk of malware, or more specifically a ransomware attack. Hackers lock your files and demand a ransom to get them back. Further disruptions could be caused by a DDoS attack, in which hackers overwhelm your systems, rendering your site or servers inaccessible. Any kind of downtime is expensive for small businesses.
These are by no means the only cyber risks your startup might face, but they are indeed major ones.
2. Invest in cost-effective solutions.
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