It is very common to hear that only official government sites and/or large companies are the most important targets of cyber threats and hackers and nothing could be further from the truth. While they are extremely attractive targets, they are also extremely difficult. Keep in mind that a large majority of hackers are in fact simply opportunists looking for valuable targets, but they are also still refining their techniques. This is why small and medium-sized companies combine the advantages of both environments and are highly coveted by them. Because they have access to data and money, they are very profitable targets, and their defenses are often much weaker.

However, it's not all bad news because even the most basic cybersecurity measures are sufficient to deter the vast majority of these would-be hackers. When major obstacles are encountered, cybercriminals prefer to pass by and try to hit less complicated targets.

It should not be forgotten that hackers are constantly changing their techniques and discovering new methods, thus catching small and medium-sized business owners off guard. Only by keeping your cyber defense up to date will you be able to protect a business from cyber attacks.

Ways to protect a company from cyber-attacks

1. Security in the cloud

Small and medium-sized businesses are increasingly turning to the cloud for the infrastructure they need to do their work. However, while cloud systems are very accessible, cost-effective and efficient, they are not all the same and it should be critical to select cloud platforms and applications that provide the highest level of security and have built-in protection against vulnerabilities. To protect an enterprise from cyber-attacks, all infrastructure, applications and data in the cloud must be protected.

2. Up-to-date systems

One of the most effective ways to protect a company from cyber-attacks is to update and improve the technological tools we use on a regular basis. Although it may seem incredible, many companies do not update their IT devices and software, leaving them totally exposed to possible attacks.

3. Training and security culture

Most attacks on a computer system are the result of poor worker actions, such as offering login credentials as a result of social engineering, choosing weak and very easily guessable passwords, or falling for phishing.

Spending time training employees is the best and clearest option to protect a company from cyberattacks. Teach them cybersecurity best practices, what phishing is and how to avoid falling for it, common cyberattacks, etc.

Also, remember that a single breach could cost a company thousands of euros, so it would be wise to create a security-conscious culture. Cybersecurity should be a priority for all departments, not just IT, in your company. You will have a significantly higher success rate if everyone is working towards the same goal and taking cybersecurity more seriously.

4. Firewalls or VPNs

Consider installing security software, such as virtual private networks (VPNs) or firewalls. There is nothing that can absolutely prevent all attacks on a company, but when we use all the tools available to us in the right way, the chances of this happening are very small. Especially VPNs encrypt your traffic and protect you from possible attacks by cyber hackers, which is a great advantage for your online security. Since operating systems such as Linux have become popular in recent years, you might want to download a Linux VPN and start protecting yourself from cyber attacks right now.

5. Network security

Preventing unwanted access and misuse of a computer network, i.e. the devices and data under the control of the network administrator, is the goal of network security methods.

The simplest and most crucial action to secure a network and protect the business from cyber attacks is to use a secure password to restrict access to the Wi-Fi network. You will also need to predict and defend against specific types of attacks, as well as internal dangers that may arise, fundamental to protecting a business from cyber-attacks.

6. Restrict access

A good idea is to divide and restrict employee access to company-owned systems and data. While we conceive that all cyber threats come from external hackers, there is a considerable percentage that must be taken into account of dangers that originate from within the company itself. By maintaining strict limits on user access, you can avoid this.

7. Have backup copies

Having an information backup strategy in place for a company's data and information is essential. Having several backup copies of the company's data is always a good idea. This way, if you are ever the victim of ransomware, a natural disaster or any other incident that prevents you from accessing your data, you will be sure that you will be able to recover all your information up to the moment in which the event in question occurred.