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Cybersecurity is big business, but it’s not just tech companies that must take this issue seriously. Many different organizations, large and small, have been targeted by hackers regularly. Unsurprisingly, these are some of the most vulnerable sectors in the economy.
Of course, there is no way to know if they will be the next target until hackers hit them. Still, some of these organizations have taken proactive measures to identify and prevent future cyberattacks before they can do any real damage.
However, when it comes to cybersecurity, there are different requirements for different types of businesses, a few of which are outlined below.
SMEs
Risk Factors
The risk factors faced by SMEs are generally the same as those faced by larger businesses, but it’s important to consider them.
Due to their size and relatively low budgets, SMEs make a tempting target for hackers looking for quick gains. They also can be easily taken advantage of by phishing attacks through email or job boards.
Prevention Tips
There are a few ways that SMEs can make their businesses more secure from hackers:
- Invest in a decent firewall and antivirus software: These go a long way to keeping hackers out of your networks
- Use two-factor authentication (2FA) on all important accounts: The hacker would need to have your password and the device you’re logging in from. Good two-factor authentication makes it much harder for hackers to get into your accounts.
Enterprises
Risk Factors
Enterprise businesses face a higher risk of cyberattack than other organizations. In addition to the risks faced by SMEs, they also face a lot of pressure from shareholders to succeed online as well as offline.
This tends to make them more vulnerable targets for hackers attempting phishing attacks, fake websites, and scam emails.
Prevention Tips
There are a few ways that enterprises can reduce the risks of cyberattacks:
- Invest in good infrastructure: The more robust your infrastructure is, the stronger and more secure your organization will be against hacks. Take a look at WatchGuard Online for some good options.
- Use two-factor authentication (2FA) on all important accounts: This is essential and should be noticed. If a hacker doesn’t have your password and the device you’re logging in from, they can’t get into your account.
- Never click on links in emails or open attachments without checking them first: There’s always a risk that an email you receive could include an infected document. Make sure to scan any documents before opening them.
Government and Public Sector
Risk Factors
Government organizations face a higher level of risk than even enterprises. They are also a target for hackers because of the information they hold.
In addition to the data that is stored on government servers, they have a large amount of data held by third parties that can be accessed through a simple search.
Prevention Tips
For government and public sector businesses, there are a few ways in which you can help prevent hacking:
- Create strong passwords that are hard to crack or guess: Strong passwords will make it harder for hackers to try and gain access to your system.
- Change the default password of any computer that isn’t used to access business data: This will make it more difficult for hackers to gain access to the system they are hacking.