When you hear words like “cyber security” or “online attacks”, it might be your natural instinct to ask your IT team or service to take care of the issue.
If this is your current thinking, don’t worry — you’re not the only one. Many small businesses already have a to-do list that seems never-ending and adding cyber safety can feel overwhelming.
But, in today’s day and age, cyber criminals are finding more ways to attack small businesses and one of their key tactics is targeting unaware staff.
Here’s some of the top ways they can break through your tech and try to fool your staff.
1. Lack of training
While most offices or businesses have a fire safety plan in place or know where the first aid kit is kept, cyber safety training is still lagging.
Do your staff know some of the top red flags to look out for in online attacks? If they do, would they know how to respond if your business was a victim?
Even for the most tech-savvy person, there are constantly new scams and cyber trends to be across, so ongoing training is a priority.
This doesn’t mean you have to become a cyber guru overnight. At Cyber Wardens, we’ve created online training for small businesses that takes just 45 minutes and breaks down all the tech jargon.
2. Human error
According to a report by tech company IMB, 95% of cyber breaches are a result of human error. This can include everything from having simple passwords that are easy for cyber criminals to guess, to a staff member accidentally clicking on a suspicious link.
Worryingly, Cyber Warden’s recent research Risky Business, revealed small business owners and employees have everyday habits that put them at risk of a cyber attack.
Among the most precarious behaviours observed included re-using passwords, sharing the same logins among staff and downloading personal software onto work computers.
3. Not keeping cyber safety top of mind
It’s easy to get caught up in day-to-day business activities and let cyber safety slip to the wayside. However, having regular conversations with your team about cyber security can have transformational impacts.
Embedding a cyber-safe culture across your entire business empowers everyone to play a role in keeping cyber safe and protecting against potential threats.
4. Being busy and missing details
If you’re feeling run off your feet and constantly juggling different tasks, it’s easy for things to slip through the cracks, which is what cyber criminals hope to do. They’re hoping you might just miss a dodgy email or text you would normally be alarmed by.
Scams will also ramp up during extra busy periods like the holiday season or at the end of the financial year.
5. Hackers target you personally
While software and tech do their best to block potential cyber threats, some hackers will prey on your emotions and do their research to target you personally.
This might look like sending you messages with a sense of urgency like “ACT NOW!!” or even impersonating someone you know well.
While your team can pose the greatest vulnerability to a cyber threat, they can become your strongest asset in defending against them.
Instead of treating cyber safety as one person’s job (like the IT team), the entire business becomes stronger by making it a team sport.
A good start could be sending them this article and bonus tips for taking the next step to enrol in the Cyber Wardens free training.
Help protect your small business from scams and hackers with free and simple cyber security training
