Owning a small to mid-sized business comes with its own set of stressors, but is cybersecurity one of them? It is a common misconception that cybercriminals do not target potential victims by the size of their company. In fact, the opposite is true. According to IBM, small and midsized businesses are targeted 62% of the time, which equates to around 4,000 attacks per day. Another alarming fact reported by the Denver Post, is that 60% of small companies go out of business within six months of a cyberattack.

So what makes a mid-sized company such an easy target? It is due to the fact that their firewalls are much easier to penetrate. This can be attributed to smaller IT budgets and lack of understanding. Criminals target companies with the intention of stealing bank account numbers, employee information, or intellectual property; or possibly to commit tax or Medicare fraud.

Now that we understand the problem, how can organizations approach these situations? For starters it is important to note that most of all breaches occur when employees are doing something they’re not supposed to do. Routine employee training on procedures, protocols, and policies is the best way to make sure employees understand and take these implementations seriously.

Keeping your security up-to-date and devices protected are other ways to ensure that you are being safe. You can combat malware by having the latest software, operating system updates, and browsers. It is important to execute these methods with all web-enabled devices, including smartphones and tablets. Unfortunately, even the most careful of organizations can fall victim to cyberattacks. Routine risk assessments and security audits can be performed as a preventive measure. These are done by either your IT department or by bringing in a third-party.

Implementing these steps in your day-to-day operations can lift the burden of potential cyberattacks on your company. Crossroads Technologies offers both IT management as well as cybersecurity practices tailored around your organization’s needs. Choosing a reliable service will give not only keep your company safe, but also provide peace of mind.