Threats of cyberattacks are becoming more prevalent as the digital age surges onward. While the Internet can link people all over the world, it can also drive a company’s downfall. Every new year presents new ways for computer hackers to launch their attacks, and 2020 has barely begun.

Cybersecurity for businesses is more critical than ever as the new decade dawns. As cyberattacks are becoming tougher to mitigate, business owners need to give their best efforts to fight back cybersecurity threats.

WHY IT SECURITY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN 2020

IT security and cybersecurity safeguard sensitive data and keep computer hackers from accessing data. The average cost of a data breach in the United States is $3.92 million. That’s a hit that hurts any business. Besides, recovering from such a loss takes time.

Additionally, 27% of consumers do not want anything to do with businesses that have suffered a data breach. Companies must retain their loyal customers and keep their budget in mind, which is precisely why potential cyberattacks cannot be overlooked.

SUGGESTIONS TO DECREASE THE RISK OF CYBERATTACKS

Cybersecurity news is everywhere, urging companies to protect their data, as well as their customers’ or users’ data. Over half of all data breach victims are small businesses. There are plenty of suggestions a company can follow to make themselves less of a target of cyberattacks – and ways to control the damage if it does happen.

1. AUTOMATE CERTAIN PROCESSES

Not every little task has to be completed manually. Today’s software is advanced and can perform small tasks so that employees can better utilize their time. Automated software can restrict access to specific files or parts of the network, and they can do it all without a human’s help – thereby freeing the hands of the internal IT team. By choosing automation, a business is choosing security.

2. EDUCATE EMPLOYEES ON RISKS

Every employee has their niche – some may know nothing about cybersecurity and the onslaught of data breaches in the news. Employees actually cause 47% of data breaches, be it from negligence or ignorance. Internal error is a significant cause of data breaches, and it can be prevented by educating employees.

By keeping things on a zero-trust, “need to know” basis, businesses ensure only workers who can handle certain sensitive information are responsible for them. Having a protocol for potentially dangerous or risky emails, for example, could aid businesses by eliminating the possibility of user error when it comes to phishing.

3. DEAL WITH CODING ISSUES AND BUGS

Even the slightest issue with coding can leave a gap large enough for a hacker to cause severe damage. To protect a business in 2020, IT services must ensure that coding is up-to-date and cannot be easily cracked.

Bugs should also be dealt with as soon as they are detected. Bugs on a website are easily exploited and can leave holes, enabling hackers to access sensitive data.

4. CREATE A WORST-CASE SCENARIO PLAN

If a business does all it can to prevent a hacker from getting in and still falls victim to a data breach, it can still be prepared to remedy where its cybersecurity fell short. If a breach is contained within a month, a business is likely to save $1 million more than those who could not contain the breach within 30 days.

While a data breach is difficult to recover from, having a plan to fix the shortcomings – including apologizing to the consumers and being honest about what went wrong – can certainly help the process move along smoothly.

5. SAFEGUARD YOUR PRINTERS

Printers are often overlooked in a business’s plan for cybersecurity, which is alarming because an unsecured printer leaves holes open for a hacker to exploit. Despite being so crucial to a business’s cybersecurity, less than 2% of printers are secure. Having an unsecured printer or one with a default password makes it that much easier for hackers to access three private things – devices, data, and documents. Hackers can go through printers and change the default settings, reroute print jobs, and more.

HP products and services fight against cybersecurity threats by encrypting data automatically and preventing unauthenticated access, among numerous other features. HP can bring in an expert to help any company create a success plan for their security.

DON’T ENTER 2020 UNPROTECTED

With all the risks that come from using the Internet, the rewards are far greater. While the terrifying reality is cyberattacks are on the rise, business owners need not live in fear. HP products and services strive to secure devices, data, and documents to ensure that hackers cannot seize a business’s sensitive information. With the solutions HP offers, small- and mid-sized businesses can enter the new year without fear.

To learn more about the HP products that can help secure your business, contact us at Doing Better Business today.

Topics: #SecureYourBusiness, #CustomerServiceExcellence, #MoreThanPrint, #MoreThanCopiers, #ManagedPrintServices, #IntelligentBusinessInformationServers