In years gone by, all you needed to keep your business-critical info safe was a filing cabinet with a strong lock! Now, all that important data has gone from living on paper to 1’s and 0’s sent over the internet, or saved on our devices.
And while we may assume that data is safe, just as the technology we use in our businesses is constantly evolving, so do the strategies and systems used by hackers to gain access to that information!
The risks are real too… In fact, nearly four in ten businesses (39%) and three in ten charities (30%) report having some kind of cyber security breach or attack in 2021/22. Therefore, Cybersecurity has become a massive consideration for businesses large and small.
That’s why businesses are turning to Managed Service Providers for Security Services… But what can they actually stop?
DNS Attacks
A DNS attack essentially means routing a browser to the wrong internet address. For example, if a business’s website was www.bobsfarm.com, if someone typed that into their web browser, they’d unwittingly be redirected to a different website.
That spoof-site could be used to capture personal information, which leads to a significant negative impact on brand credibility and revenue. Any new customers never even get to your website in the first place and people who did give their information will blame the business for sending them to the wrong site in the first place!
Malware
Malware is a catch-all term for ‘malicious software’ – that could be ransomware that locks out staff from using their devices, phishing code, or one of many other programs that could negatively impact your business.
The other important factor is that depending on the attack, that code could lay dormant for a long time, spreading itself on as many devices as possible, or simply waiting for the ‘right time’. Either way, preventing that malware from entering the network – and removing any found – is vital if businesses want to protect their information and productivity!
Phishing Attacks
Phishing attacks relate to viruses, webpages and emails that record passwords and usernames and send them back to the hacker to use at a later date. These are one of the most common threats, with 83% of breaches reported identified as phishing attacks.
In the case of emails and web pages, unwitting victims may assume the email is from a reputable source, from Paypal or Gov.uk for example, feigning urgency to panic readers into assuming it’s genuine and entering their valuable information.
There have been some pretty high-profile phishing attacks across wider society too, such as the Cadbury’s easter egg debacle earlier this year, where thousands of UK residents were duped by a WhatsApp message that promised free chocolate!
Zero-Day Exploits
When a vendor, for example, Apple, releases a new product, they may quickly realise there was a gap in the security of the product – whether hardware or software – from the moment it was released… that’s called a Zero-Day exploit.
While Zero-Day exploits are hard to protect against, the underlying protections a Managed Service Provider supplies – firewalls, threat detection etc. – ensure that any unusual behavior on the network is identified quickly and then investigated.
Unsecured Devices
What happens if a member of your team leaves their phone on the train with very important client information on it… or a business owner’s device gets damaged, and is the only device with a copy of an important sales presentation?
Unsecured devices can quickly open up a business to risk, so having remote locking and wiping functionalities, as well as regular back-ups, are all well within an MSP’s skill set and can ensure data stays safe. This is especially important in our new hybrid working world, where staff may be expected to use multiple devices from home!
Mooncomputers’ Network Operations Centre runs 24/7 to protect our clients, keeping a vigilant eye across all network traffic, while our team ensure everything’s up to date and rock-solid. If that sounds like the kind of broad protections your company needs, don’t hesitate to get in touch on 01604 879 330.
