At the risk of being
repetitive, we do not miss the opportunity to point out that SMEs are the
companies most affected and most vulnerable to cyberattacks and data breaches.
But why? Why is a small company of, say 6 employees so vulnerable to such
sophisticated attacks? Is an internet security strategy necessary in an SME?
The answer is not one nor is it simple, but there are several characteristics
of SMEs that make them especially vulnerable and internet
security can prevent that
Awareness level:
From the newspaper ABC they
point out that “large companies and institutional bodies have already
understood the importance of maintaining correct levels of security that allow
them to guarantee the integrity and privacy of critical information. Both
customers, investors, employees, as well as its differential products, its own
services and technological infrastructure. In other words, large companies have
understood the risk and are beginning to implement solutions.
This is not the case of the
majority of SMEs, companies that believe that computer security is a foreign
problem since their small size exempts them from the interest of hackers and
pirates. They also believe that their computer systems are not complex enough
to protect them.
Multilevel disease:
This complex-seeming
multi-level condition term is actually straightforward. When we speak of
affection, we refer to an evil that afflicts something, such as a cyberattack
on a company. A small business for example. However, in a large number of cases
this small company is a supplier to another large one, perhaps a member of
IBEX; and an infection at your provider can be fatal to both. We are talking
about entry doors to an environment of another size and complexity where the
damage is amplified.
Operating undercapitalization
A malware attack can render a
company relatively inoperative, misconfigure machines, servers, printers, POS
terminals ... that is, paralyze daily activity. Or it can be much more deadly.
It can also erase or if it is a ransomware, hijack all of our data. That is, it
can affect much more than daily operations, eliminating our reason for being as
a company, erasing all data from computers, servers ... Reputation, trust and
the ability to overcome these events is much more difficult in an SME than in
large companies.
So, Let’s Get To Work. How Do I Start To Protect My
Business?
First steps to protect an SME
Secure the web page: For
many companies the web is their showcase. Taking care that its content is
truthful and does not introduce malware on your clients' computers is
essential. A simple hack can modify the content of the web, introduce SPAM, and
steal data from the forms
Secure the online store:
Similar to the previous case, but more sensitive if possible. How many
businesses live from online sales? We can allow the web to go down, steal
customer data, or receive thousands of fictitious orders. The answer is simple
use internet
security software.
Protect email and mail servers: Email is the main entry point for malicious software. We
also use it to send passwords, download links and a multitude of sensitive
information. But, does this email travel through a secure channel, is it
encrypted, and are employees aware of the risks of this medium?
Networks:
Many companies make networks available to visitors or customers so they can
connect to the internet. Or to the disks in network, or to the server of the
company. Are the networks separated, monitored and filtered? And the internal
network, is it protected by a firewall from malicious access from outside?
Employees:
People are a risk in themselves because a wrong action such as indiscriminately
clicking links in emails or on websites can lead to computer infections that
are difficult to control. To mitigate this risk, there are two ways of action:
training and job protection. Are your employees properly trained? And, do
computers and servers have anti-malware and anti-ransomware protection systems?
There is a solution for each
case, do an Internet security Audit
Each company has its strengths
and weaknesses, and of course, the casuistry is very diverse. Still, they all
share the need to audit their systems. It is the first step, it is painless, it
does not involve a large outlay and it allows to know the general state of the
SME. The audit responds to the needs of each company, so the person responsible
for doing it will assess the size, activity and specific risk of the sector to
issue a report.
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