It’s Time To Wake Up To The
Reality Of Cyber Security In 2022
All across the world, hackers are targeting and exploiting security weaknesses and holding data hostage. In May, the Colonial Pipeline was hit by a cyber-attack that disrupted fuel supplies along the East Coast for several days. The company – and the FBI – paid hackers $4.4 million in Bitcoin to regain control of the system.
Colonial Pipeline was not the only corporation that paid hackers an exorbitant amount of money. The NBA, Kia Motors and JBS Foods have also been victimized by cyber-attacks where hackers demanded millions of dollars.
CD Projekt RED, a Polish video game developer, was also a victim of a cyber-attack, but since they had backups in place, they never had to pay the demanded ransom.
While these are all big organizations, that does not mean that small businesses are safe. These stories made the news because companies
Colonial Pipeline was not the only corporation that paid hackers an exorbitant amount of money. The NBA, Kia Motors and JBS Foods have also been victimized by cyber-attacks where hackers demanded millions of dollars.
CD Projekt RED, a Polish video game developer, was also a victim of a cyber-attack, but since they had backups in place, they never had to pay the demanded ransom.
While these are all big organizations, that does not mean that small businesses are safe. These stories made the news because companies
paid millions of dollars to regain control of their data. When a small or mid-size business (SMB) gets attacked, they can’t pay millions of dollars to recover stolen information. Instead, these hackers will usually go after customer and employee information as well as financial records and statements. When a hacker attacks an SMB, it often ends in the business closing their doors for good.
The year 2021 set a record for cyber-attacks, and 2022 is shaping out to be no different. If you’re a business owner, you need to wake up to the reality of cyberthreats and cyber security before it’s too late.
Here are a couple of the best cyber security practices you should put into place immediately.
Hire A Managed Services Provider For Your IT Needs
Cyber security awareness has grown
The year 2021 set a record for cyber-attacks, and 2022 is shaping out to be no different. If you’re a business owner, you need to wake up to the reality of cyberthreats and cyber security before it’s too late.
Here are a couple of the best cyber security practices you should put into place immediately.
Hire A Managed Services Provider For Your IT Needs
Cyber security awareness has grown
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over the past five years, but there are still plenty of SMB owners who think there is no need for cyber security measures or that they’re too expensive. The simple truth is that every business can be a victim of cyber-attacks. If you think it’s too expensive to have your own IT team watching over your cyber needs, think again. Hiring an MSP is one of the best and most cost-effective ways to ensure that your network and information are protected.
MSPs can be incredibly beneficial to any business. They’re designed to recognize and fix weak points in your IT infrastructure. MSPs work pro-actively to ensure that your business is fully protected in the cyber world. They offer around-the-clock monitoring, data backup and recovery, firewall and network protection, real-time threat prevention and so much more. MSPs provide you with a dedicated team of IT professionals who are available to assist with any IT needs. If you have not looked into hiring an MSP for your business, you need to consider it.
If you’re interested in hiring an MSP or want more information about the benefits, reach out to us and we will assist with any concerns or questions you may have.
Create A Cyber-Secure Culture
Many cyber-attacks stem from employee error or misunderstanding. You need to make sure that all of your employees are aware of the risks associated with cyber-attacks. When you first hire an employee, train them on cybersecurity. In addition to this, your current employees should go through a reminder course at least once a year.
over the past five years, but there are still plenty of SMB owners who think there is no need for cyber security measures or that they’re too expensive. The simple truth is that every business can be a victim of cyber-attacks. If you think it’s too expensive to have your own IT team watching over your cyber needs, think again. Hiring an MSP is one of the best and most cost-effective ways to ensure that your network and information are protected.
MSPs can be incredibly beneficial to any business. They’re designed to recognize and fix weak points in your IT infrastructure. MSPs work pro-actively to ensure that your business is fully protected in the cyber world. They offer around-the-clock monitoring, data backup and recovery, firewall and network protection, real-time threat prevention and so much more. MSPs provide you with a dedicated team of IT professionals who are available to assist with any IT needs. If you have not looked into hiring an MSP for your business, you need to consider it.
If you’re interested in hiring an MSP or want more information about the benefits, reach out to us and we will assist with any concerns or questions you may have.
Create A Cyber-Secure Culture
Many cyber-attacks stem from employee error or misunderstanding. You need to make sure that all of your employees are aware of the risks associated with cyber-attacks. When you first hire an employee, train them on cybersecurity. In addition to this, your current employees should go through a reminder course at least once a year.
You’ll need to inform your employees about the dangers of phishing e-mails and texts, downloading malware, social media scams and password protection. If you have employees working remotely, you should ensure that their devices have security measures built into them. If your employees are informed about the risks, they will be more observant so they can spot any potential threats. Your entire team needs to buy into the cyber-secure culture if you want your training to be effective.
In today’s day and age, you can never be too careful when it comes to your cyber security. You need to be proactive and put into effect all of the security measures you possibly can. The year 2021 saw cyber-attacks reach new heights, and it’s likely that these numbers will continue to rise even higher this year. Take preventive action and don’t let your business add to the cyber-attack statistics. If you’re unsure of where to begin when it comes to buffing up your cyber security practices, give us a call, and we will be glad to help.
"I DIDN'T KNOW"
Unfortunately, That Excuse Doesn’t Replenish Your Bank Account, Resolve A Data Breach Or Erase Any Fines And Lawsuits. It’s coming ...
• That day a hacker steals critical data, rendering your office useless
• That day when your bank account or credit card is compromised
• Or that day when your customers’ private lives are uprooted
Unfortunately, That Excuse Doesn’t Replenish Your Bank Account, Resolve A Data Breach Or Erase Any Fines And Lawsuits. It’s coming ...
• That day a hacker steals critical data, rendering your office useless
• That day when your bank account or credit card is compromised
• Or that day when your customers’ private lives are uprooted
Cybercriminals and hackers are constantly inventing NEW ways to infiltrate your company, steal your assets and disrupt your life. The ONLY way to STOP THEM is this:
You Must Constantly Educate Yourself On How To Protect What’s Yours!
Now, for a limited time, we have the perfect way to help reduce your risk and keep you safe! Simply sign up to receive our FREE "Cyber Security Tip of the Week." We'll send these byte-sized quick-read tips to your e-mail inbox. Every tip is packed with a unique and up-to-date real-world solution that keeps you one step ahead of the bad guys. And because so few people know about these security secrets, every week you’ll learn something new!
Get your FREE "Cyber Security Tip Of The Week" at bensingerconsulting.com/tips/
Get Different And Avoid Defeat
When I released my first book, The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, I hoped that it would be met with immediate success. Instead, nobody bought the book on its initial release day. Like most would be in this situation, I felt defeated. I had to think about my next step. Should I learn how to market effectively or simply give up on my hopes and dreams?
I knew that I wrote a good book and that it would help other entrepreneurs succeed, so it became my mission to properly market the book. The lack of good and effective marketing is what holds many businesses back from reaching their goals.
If you want to beat the competition, you must differentiate yourself from the rest. My book Get Different explains ways that you can make your company more visible in the business marketplace.
I’d love to share the three main steps from this book, as they can help any business’s marketing strategy be more engaging and effective.
I knew that I wrote a good book and that it would help other entrepreneurs succeed, so it became my mission to properly market the book. The lack of good and effective marketing is what holds many businesses back from reaching their goals.
If you want to beat the competition, you must differentiate yourself from the rest. My book Get Different explains ways that you can make your company more visible in the business marketplace.
I’d love to share the three main steps from this book, as they can help any business’s marketing strategy be more engaging and effective.
• The first thing you need to do is differentiate your business from its competitors. If you rely on word-of-mouth marketing, you’ll fail. Instead, you should get out there and use your marketing tools to ensure that people know your business is the best in the industry. Use your talents to stand out from the crowd. Be funnier or smarter than the rest, and consumers will surely take notice of your brand.
• After you get your consumers’ attention, you need to attract and engage them. Give your campaign an authoritative, trustful, repetitive or socially significant approach so they feel comfortable using your business.
• Lastly, you need to be direct. After you get their attention, tell them what to do. Develop a call to action so customers and ideal prospects will take the next step. By picking a specific action, you can also measure the results and see how effective your marketing truly is.
Proper marketing can be very difficult to achieve, but with these steps, you will be on the road to business success.
• After you get your consumers’ attention, you need to attract and engage them. Give your campaign an authoritative, trustful, repetitive or socially significant approach so they feel comfortable using your business.
• Lastly, you need to be direct. After you get their attention, tell them what to do. Develop a call to action so customers and ideal prospects will take the next step. By picking a specific action, you can also measure the results and see how effective your marketing truly is.
Proper marketing can be very difficult to achieve, but with these steps, you will be on the road to business success.
Mike Michalowicz has always believed that he had the formula to success and has proven it on multiple occasions. He is the creator of the book Profit First, which is used by hundreds of thousands of companies across the globe to drive greater profits. Mike is a former small-business columnist for The Wall Street Journal and served as a business makeover specialist for MSNBC. Mike currently leads two new multimillion-dollar ventures as he puts his latest research to the test.
GET WEEKLY CYBERSECURITY TIPS IN YOUR EMAIL!
VISIT BENSINGERCONSULTING.COM/TIPS/
Prepare For A Hack Attack TODAY
Every business owner, big and small, should be prepared for a cyber-attack. It’s incredibly likely that hackers will attack your company at some point. Luckily, there are five strategies you can implement to better protect your company from hackers.
1. Hide Your Data: Keep your data in multiple online locations and separate data between multiple cloud providers to keep it secure. Hackers are likely to give up if it’s too much hassle to get in.
2. Routinely Check Your Finances: It can be nearly impossible to recover from a hack if too much time has passed. It’s not your bank’s or accountant’s responsibility to keep up with your finances, it’s yours. Get in the habit of regularly checking your finances.
3. Utilize Multifactor Identification: Make sure your employees use multifactor identification to protect company information. They should change their passwords often and make them complex.
4. Avoid Phishing Scams: Train your employees to not open or respond to any suspicious texts or e-mails.
5. Watch What You Post On Social Media: Don’t post any information on social media that a hacker could utilize to breach your security.
Every business owner, big and small, should be prepared for a cyber-attack. It’s incredibly likely that hackers will attack your company at some point. Luckily, there are five strategies you can implement to better protect your company from hackers.
1. Hide Your Data: Keep your data in multiple online locations and separate data between multiple cloud providers to keep it secure. Hackers are likely to give up if it’s too much hassle to get in.
2. Routinely Check Your Finances: It can be nearly impossible to recover from a hack if too much time has passed. It’s not your bank’s or accountant’s responsibility to keep up with your finances, it’s yours. Get in the habit of regularly checking your finances.
3. Utilize Multifactor Identification: Make sure your employees use multifactor identification to protect company information. They should change their passwords often and make them complex.
4. Avoid Phishing Scams: Train your employees to not open or respond to any suspicious texts or e-mails.
5. Watch What You Post On Social Media: Don’t post any information on social media that a hacker could utilize to breach your security.
Surviving The Great Resignation
The pandemic completely changed how freelancers function. Previously, full-time employees were the most sought-after employees.
With the pandemic and the ensuing labor shortages, freelancers have been brought further into the corporate world, and it looks like they’re here to stay. Now, if you want to attract freelancers to work for your business, you need to entice them.
One of the most desirable things you can offer a freelance worker is flexibility. Don’t restrict their hours to the usual 9-to-5 — they want freedom, and with proper communication, flexibility can work to your benefit and theirs.
Freelancers often feel disconnected from their team, and you should make an effort to include them as part of the team. Create an inviting atmosphere and encourage them to take part in team-building exercises.
Lastly, you need to offer competitive pay and stick to it. If you’re not paying them enough, they will find someone who will.
The pandemic completely changed how freelancers function. Previously, full-time employees were the most sought-after employees.
With the pandemic and the ensuing labor shortages, freelancers have been brought further into the corporate world, and it looks like they’re here to stay. Now, if you want to attract freelancers to work for your business, you need to entice them.
One of the most desirable things you can offer a freelance worker is flexibility. Don’t restrict their hours to the usual 9-to-5 — they want freedom, and with proper communication, flexibility can work to your benefit and theirs.
Freelancers often feel disconnected from their team, and you should make an effort to include them as part of the team. Create an inviting atmosphere and encourage them to take part in team-building exercises.
Lastly, you need to offer competitive pay and stick to it. If you’re not paying them enough, they will find someone who will.
Arizona's Leading Cybersecurity Expert ®
