Marcus Richards
Most entrepreneurs have big goals for their startups. Usually, they plan to make it to the top of the industry and become one of the most well-known businesses in their niche. Even with all of this passion for success, so many startups fail soon after launch. Why is that? Mainly, it’s due to a lack of knowledge. For example, a lack of knowledge in cybersecurity might lead to your startup getting hacked and you being forced to shut it down. That’s why you should understand the top security risks for startups and how to protect your business. This article will give you exactly that.
Phishing
Phishing is considered the biggest cybersecurity risk that businesses face worldwide. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, phishing is a type of cyber attack where a hacker attempts to scam users, hoping to steal information from them. These scams can be tough to spot, which is what makes them so dangerous. For example, one of your “business partners” might send you an email that contains a link to an “important spreadsheet”. In reality, this email could be coming from a hacker who is posing as your business partner and inserted a link infected with a virus.
Protect your startup from phishing by:
- Staying up to date with popular phishing techniques;
- Always being suspicious, even if an email seems to be coming from a reputable source;
- Train your staff to look out for these schemes.
Leaked passwords
Your startup’s passwords can get leaked in a variety of ways: through brute force attacks (which is when hackers make thousands of attempts at guessing your passwords), through phishing, or through your own carelessness. Having your passwords leaked can be one of the most damaging things to happen to your startup, so you need to be careful.
Protect your passwords by:
- Using different passwords for each account;
- Creating long (8-12 characters) passwords;
- Avoiding simple words in passwords;
- Using password management tools that will allow you to use strong passwords without having to remember them all.
Ransomware
Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts all of a device’s data and demands money in exchange for getting the data back. In the first half of 2021, hackers attacked 1097 companies with ransomware. If your startup was to get hit by ransomware tomorrow, would you be able to bounce back?
Protect your startup from ransomware by:
- Installing antivirus software
- Installing a firewall
- Avoiding clicking on suspicious links and emails
- Updating your software
- Backing up all of your startup’s data
Final thoughts
If you want your startup to thrive, you need to keep these three risks in mind every step of the way. Sadly, they aren’t the only risks you should look out for. Read up on the newest business security risks every once in a while to make sure you’re in the loop and know what to look out for. Once you secure your business, you can focus on getting to the top of your industry!
