What is a Cyber Breach?

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A data breach is an incident in which sensitive, protected

or confidential data has potentially been viewed, stolen or used

by an individual unauthorized to do so. 

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The 4 common Breach Occurrences for Small Businesses 

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• Negligence – The most common cause of a cyber breach is negligence which can be caused by leaving equipment unattended, improperly disposing of documents etc. This accounts for majority of claims submitted to carriers. 

• Rogue Employees – Even though you may think this will never happen to you, this is quite common. Employees have access to sensitive information and they can sell it for cash. There is a thriving black market for sensitive data. This accounts for approximately 11% of all claims.

• Business Associates – Most companies deal with third party business associates. If they are not careful to protect your sensitive data a breach can happen very quickly. The responsibility will fall on your business to mitigate customer's expenses. This accounts for 14% of all claims.

• Hackers – Individuals with malicious intent can make their way into any business. Appropriate protections are a necessity. Account for 25% of all breaches. 

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How To Prevent A Cyber Breach

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Preventing a cyber attack should be your business's number one priority. The negative effects of being victim to such an attack can be detrimental. You can go far by following some of these simple but important steps. Your customer’s will thank you for that.

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Understand Your Company's Risks

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• Be aware of the many different security schemes and threats that most businesses face including phishing, spoofing, hacking, spyware, malware threats, and social engineering.

• Form a game plan for protection in the case that a threat reveals itself.

 

Encryption is Key

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• Encryption creates an extra wall of protection for your company's assets, and the best part is that you can do a lot of encryptions with software available on your existing computer.

• Protect data by having computers automatically log out after five minutes of inactivity.

• Keep firewalls and network security firmly in place.

• Backup your systems on a regular basis.

• As a rule, require the passwords to be changed once a month and require numbers and special characters to be used within them.

 

Be Aware of Suspicious Emails

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• Train your staff to be aware of emails with suspicious titles, attachments, and messages asking for credit or bank account information. Often, these types of emails can be associated with phishing attacks.

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Keep Your Equipment Close

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• To provide for extra security, attach the computer equipment to the desk so it cannot be removed.

• Secure your servers by keeping the door to the server room locked at all times.

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The benefits of data security are without compare. If an attack happens and your customer’s information is endangered, then they will be hesitant to work with you again.

 

On the other side of the coin, if potential customers learn that your company has been the victim of a cyber attack then they may decide that joining your business is not worth the risk.

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Be Proactive. Be Protected. Be Insured.