In 2016, hackers breached half of the 28 million small businesses across the United States. No business is small enough to be immune to the growing threat of cyberattacks and the detrimental effects such breaches can have on operations. But what online information or online accounts are small business owners most concerned about when it comes to fear of hacking?
Online security software developer Cyclonis included a list of the online accounts and information people most dread being hacked based on the company’s recent research. Along with the accounts and data identified in Cyclonis’ Password Security Report are some of particular concern to small business owners.
The Private Information s No One Wants Hacked
Online Banking
Online banking crime poses as a real threat to small businesses. Having your small business bank accounts hacked or the banking information of your customers stolen can prove irreversibly detrimental to a small business. Avoiding reusing the passwords you use on other sites for online banking can significantly reduce the chances of having important banking information hacked.
Social Media
The hacking of social media is a rising threat for small businesses, wreaking havoc on your business’s reputation and credibility. It is therefore vital that you adequately protect your small business’s social media accounts through steps such as avoiding recycling passwords across sites and reporting any suspicious activity immediately.
Amazon
Does your small business have an Amazon account to buy or sell items? If so, you should be aware that cybercriminals are targeting Amazon users with password reuse attacks. It is therefore important that you closely monitor your Amazon business account.
Health or Medical
In 2015, Anthem, the second largest health insurer got hacked, resulting in their clients’ medical and personal information being stolen. Having health and medical data stolen is deemed as one of the biggest threats to security and one, it seems, no business that collates medical information is immune from.
Personal Email
It is not uncommon for members of your staff to access their personal email accounts at work. Cybercriminals target personal email accounts to steal people’s information and send out emails to contacts fraudulently. Subsequently, it is important those using personal email accounts at work take the necessary steps to adequately protect their accounts, such as changing passwords and using robust security services provided by the likes of Microsoft and Google.
Work Email
The unauthorized access and manipulation of work emails can potentially shut down a business’s operations, as emails may not be able to reach their destination. With email hacking on the rise, it is vital every member of staff at your company acts diligently in relation to emails.
Developing secure passwords is the obvious step in fighting work email crime, as secure passwords making it harder for hackers to penetrate email accounts.
LinkedIn is a vital source for developing business networks and generating sales and business growth. Unfortunately, as the popularity of LinkedIn continues to rise, so too does the number of hackers and fraudsters committing cybercrime that targets LinkedIn users.
If your business and employees are active on LinkedIn, it is important they are aware of LinkedIn fraud and are mindful of security when using the business networking site.
To help protect your small business from the threats mentioned above, regularly changing passwords and using complex and sophisticated passwords that are not duplicated across different sites and systems is vital. Using a password manager app that creates strong passwords for you, can be an effective way to keep important business information safe.
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