Small Businesses represent about 97% of the total number of businesses in the United States, and 43% of Cyberattacks are aimed at those small businesses. Why is this? Well, partly, because of the sheer number of business. There are just so many targets for hackers to go after. The other reason, is that many are unprepared, and do not have the security measures in place to protect themselves from these attacks.

We want to give you a few tips you can start to apply right away to reduce your risk.

1. Get off of Internet Explorer.

Internet Explorer is old, and Microsoft no longer supports it. This means that no security updates have been released for years. As new cyber threats are discovered, software developers, like Microsoft, release patches to their programs to remove the vulnerabilities that these attacks exploit. In the case of Internet Explorer though, those patches are no longer being released, so any time you use Internet Explorer, you are using a totally unprotected browser, and putting yourself at risk. The solution is simple. Switch everyone over to a modern, fully supported browser like Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. 

2. Make sure to always install updates.

This one piggybacks off of the last tip. The vast majority of software updates for your computer are security updates. These are the patches that protect you from the latest threats. Many computers out there are not up to date with the latest security patches. Make sure to always update your computer when prompted, particularly your Windows or Mac operating system updates. These are crucial for protecting the integrity of your systems.

3. Secure your Network.

Have you ever tried to get on your wifi and seen your neighbors available to join? Me too. Having an unsecured network at home or at your business is a massive vulnerability. Hackers can access all kinds of personal information by connecting to an unsecured network. If your business has a public wifi, make sure it is a separate network that none of your business machines are on and that none of your employees use. If you are using an older router or a home router, consider upgrading to a commercial grade router with a built in firewall. They are a little more expensive but substantially more secure, and often provide better performance as well.

There are many other ways to protect yourself from cybercriminals, but nothing is fool proof. That's why having a comprehensive cyber liability policy is a key part of a prudent risk management strategy. Click here to have a quote in minutes.