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Risk Management: How to Stop the Top Cybersecurity Threats

Every day, 30,000 websites are hacked. And 64% of companies in the world say they’ve gone through at least 1 cyberattack.

Cybersecurity is of the utmost importance, especially since much of our business data is digital nowadays. If yours falls into the wrong hands, then it can spell doom for your company.

To help you out, below are the top cybersecurity threats around and how you can avoid falling victim to them.

Brute Force Attacks

It’s easy for cybercriminals to create programs that’ll continuously guess passwords for accounts. Once they’re successful on one side, they’ll try it on others with the known username/password combinations.

You can decrease the chances of falling victim to brute force attacks by using strong passwords. Use random letters, numbers, and symbols instead of dictionary words.

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You’ll also want to use different passwords on every site. It can be helpful to use a business password manager since these not only generate strong passwords but also store them securely. When you open a site, the manager will automatically load up the correct username/password combination so you don’t have to do a thing.

Malware

Malware is any piece of software that’s intended to disrupt. In most cases, they’re viruses that can give hackers unauthorized access to networks.

The most important thing you can do to avoid malware is to scrutinize everything you receive. Don’t click on any random links or download files if you weren’t expecting them. Even if they appear to be from a trusted source, it doesn’t hurt to double-check with them first.

A lot of malware comes in emails that create a false sense of urgency. For example, it might appear that you’ve received an email from Netflix saying that your account’s been compromised, so you need to reset your password through the email.

Instead of clicking on the link in the email, type the site into your browser to check manually. That way, you know 100% that you’re on the authentic site.

Ransomware

Ransomware is where a cybercriminal infiltrates your device and holds it hostage. You won’t be able to access anything until you pay them the “ransom”, which is usually in Bitcoins. That way, it’s practically impossible to trace it back to them.

Ransomware can be particularly hard-hitting for two reasons. One, the hackers usually ask for a large sum of money. And two, even if you pay them the ransom, there’s no guarantee they’ll give you the “key” to unlock your device.

To fight against this, make sure you don’t download or click on anything suspicious. You should also regularly back up your data. That way, if you do get hit with ransomware, all you have to do is wipe your device and start over with the most recent backup.

Avoid These Top Cybersecurity Threats

These top cybersecurity threats can sound scary. But if you take the right measures and stay vigilant, then a lot of risks can be mitigated.

So always be on the lookout for cyberattacks and keep all your programs up-to-date. By making it more difficult for hackers to get through, you’ll protect your business more effectively!

If you want to read more about cybersecurity trends, take a look at our other posts now.

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