With the rapid advancement of technology–and the even more rapid adoption of cloud computing during the pandemic–companies everywhere are facing an increased risk of cyber attacks. While all organizations operating in the digital age are vulnerable, the FBI is especially concerned about smaller entities facing off with hackers.
According to CNBC, there’s been a recent trend of malicious actors focusing on small and medium-sized businesses in lieu of large corporations. Breaching big companies might offer a heftier payout, but since they tend to invest heavily in cybersecurity services, hackers have found infiltrating their systems considerably more challenging. Many small businesses, on the other hand, don’t have any security measures in place at all, making them prime targets for phishing attacks, ransomware, and the like.
In 2021 alone, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received nearly 850,000 complaints regarding malicious activity, most of which from small businesses. As if that weren’t devastating enough, the associated losses totaled nearly $7 billion. What’s more, they represent a 64% increase year over year, which just highlights how rampant cyberattacks on small businesses are becoming.
As major corporations put more strongholds in place to keep hackers out, small businesses can expect to face additional threats. According to FBI Supervisory Special Agent Michael Sohn, malicious actors are responding by diverting their attention to entities that are likely to have much less protection.
Despite this trend, however, many small business owners remain unconcerned. According to CNBC and SurveyMonkey data, more than half of those polled did not believe they could be the victim of a cyber attack in the coming year. Additionally, 64% of small business owners said they were confident they could resolve a breach quickly, should one occur.
In reality, small business owners should be more vigilant than ever about keeping hackers out. Most of these establishments don’t have the resources to maintain an entire tech team in-house, however, so they’re at a loss as to how to proceed. Thankfully, there is a way to protect both themselves and their bottom line.
With managed IT services, small businesses can enlist help from a third party for a fraction of the cost of employing a tech team. And as long as they turn to the right provider, they can get everything from around-the-clock monitoring to vulnerability patching, all of which are critical components of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy.
As for finding the right provider, which is arguably the most important step, there’s an easy way to narrow down the options. By evaluating the following, small business owners can ensure their operations end up in good hands for years to come:
Need Denver IT services for your small business? Look no further than NOYNIM IT Solutions. We cater to small and mid-sized businesses across the United States, and our certified technicians are well-versed at mitigating all the most common cybersecurity threats. To discuss your needs with a member of our team, reach out on our Contact Page or call (720) 524-8616.
Date Published: January 20, 2023
