With the advent of the digital era, cyber security has gradually become an important issue that enterprises cannot ignore. For small and medium-sized businesses in particular, the threat of ransomware is like an undercurrent, with huge potential for destruction. Recently, Arctic Wolf revealed a series of attacks on small and medium-sized businesses by the ransomware group Akira, which further attracted widespread attention from the society.
So why are SMBs being targeted by ransomware criminals? In fact, these companies often lack professional IT support and mature cyber security protection systems, which makes them helpless in the face of cyber attacks. According to IBM's 2023 Cost of a Data Breach Report, the average cost of a data breach is already as high as $4.45 million, and for small and medium-sized businesses, the cost is still as high as about $150,000, although low, not to mention the brand reputation impact due to loss of trust.
Monetary loss and reputational damage are just the tip of the iceberg. When a business suffers a cyberattack, nearly 40% of organizations are unable to fully recover their data, which means that valuable business information, customer data, and even the secrets of business operations are permanently lost or fall into the wrong hands.
Therefore, reducing risks and enhancing security has become an urgent problem for small and medium-sized enterprises. According to the recommendations of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), there are several ways for companies to get started:
The first is strict access control. Organizations need to be clear about who has access to the network and data, and have clear policies in place to regulate those permissions. By encrypting sensitive data, it effectively protects data from theft, whether at rest or in transit.
The deployment of a network firewall is the foundation of the foundation. They are able to block unauthorized access attempts and monitor for suspicious activity. In addition, regular data backups and a recovery plan in place in the event of an attack can allow organizations to quickly return to normal operations if their data is compromised.
Next, the hardening of password policies cannot be overlooked. A strong password strategy is the first line of defense against malicious attacks on your account. SpecOps research shows that most of the compromised passwords meet the standard requirements, but are too easy to crack. Therefore, educating users to establish strong and non-susceptible passwords will greatly improve security.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) provides an extra layer of protection. Even if the password is compromised, it is difficult for unauthorized users to enter the network system without a second factor of authentication. This approach can effectively reduce the risk of account takeover.
Finally, it is indispensable to cultivate the security awareness of users. According to a joint study by Stanford University and Tessian, the majority of data breaches can be traced back to human error. Therefore, it is indispensable to maintain enterprise cybersecurity through user training to help them better understand the importance of complying with cybersecurity policies and be able to identify potential threats. February** Dynamic Incentive Program
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are an important part of the economy, and any attack on them should not go unnoticed. While the challenges are not small, the implementation of the above measures can greatly enhance their cyber protection capabilities. In the digital era, building a strong security line of defense is both a challenge and a must for small and medium-sized enterprises. We look forward to a more secure cyber environment that will help businesses defend against ransomware threats so they can grow with peace of mind."