Cyber-attacks and cyber criminals are on the rise both globally and locally. This is because of an increase in the adoption of complex and powerful techniques to “hack,” or take control of online accounts belonging to other people or organizations.

What’s all the fuss about? You might wonder.

It may help if we take a look at some of the stats globally,

According to reports by IT Governance,

• 43% of cyber-attacks target small businesses & 3.1 billion spoofed emails are sent every day
• Scam messages have cost businesses €23 billion since 2016
• Organizations that can identify & contain a data breach save €1.1 million

In Nigeria, 71% of Nigerian businesses were hit by cyber attacks in 2021 and a total of $706,452 was paid as ransom to cybercriminals by Nigerian businesses in the year. The average cost of rectifying cyber-attack in the country also went up from $0.46 million in 2020 to $3.43 million in 2021.

On average, it takes 229 days to detect a security breach. In this time, the hacker can input false information, change information, delete information, steal information or cause major damage.

 

 

Here are a few precautions you can take to mitigate the risk of cyber attacks

 

1. Protect your passwords & enable two factor authentication– To prevent cyber attacks, the right password makes all the difference. You must avoid using passwords that are too obvious, (using you name or surname, Date of birth etc) or one used across multiple websites. Create a unique, complex password for every online account that is at least 11 characters.

Two-step verification activates whenever anyone attempts to gain access to an account from an unfamiliar computer or mobile device. The service offering two-step verification, e.g Google, will then send you a six-digit code to the associated device by either a text message or a phone call. You will then enter that randomly generated six-digit code along with their password in order to confirm they are who they say they are. In the event it is a hacker, it will be more difficult to breach as the code is not public knowledge.

1. Keep Your Software Updated- It is imperative to use quality, authentic software and keep the auto-update feature on. Most manufacturing companies keep releasing security fixes on a regular basis to patch any vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers. Also, keep checking and removing software and apps that are no longer in use.

 

1. Remove Personal Data from Old Devices- Whether you are planning to buy a new phone or upgrade your PC, it is crucial to remove all the data stored on them. Mere factory reset is not good enough. You must take help from third-party apps that help in removing the data permanently by overwriting it multiple times. In this way, even if someone tries to get your data back with the help of data recovery tools, they will only get dummy data and nothing of any value to extort money out of you.

 

1. Visit Protected Sites- As you browse online, it is important to check all websites for ‘the lock’ to ensure you are not vulnerable. If a website is secure it displays the green lock sign by it. This is otherwise known as HTTPS, and it encrypts the data that passes from your device to the internet server, meaning any hackers can’t decipher your private information. These sites are safer and more secure.

 

 

1. Only Click on Trusted Attachments and Links- Social engineering is still very relevant, even after all these years. Hackers use this tactic to get you to click on malicious or infected links, which allows them to get into your personal device. So be very careful when clicking on anything slightly suspicious – be it a link or an attachment!

After doing all this as a business owner, it is advisable to be proactive rather than reactive. Safety measures are good but a fortified & inbuilt solution is great. With Layer3Cloud services, you are able to ‘’hack proof’’ all important data, files and information as it pertains to your business.

Stay protected today with Layer3 Managed Security Service!