You may be one of the many business owners who believes myths and misconceptions in regards to cyber security. If this is you, don’t let the interwebs fool you. Diligence is the key word. But how do you know if you’re being fooled? Trick question. You don’t always know. If you’re not keeping up on the online trends, you may be getting sucked into a few lies that hackers want you to believe. So, here are the top 5 security myths that many people (just like you!) believe:

1. Hackers Only Want Your Data

While this topic remains high on the priority list, the latest wave of cyber security breaches have nothing to do with data. Hacking into a system is now getting replaced with ransomware viruses, which encrypts the files and folders of a system (and network). The criminals then make a ransom demand and once the payment is made they promise to supply a de-encryption key to unlock your system. The goal is to get paid and ransomware viruses can easily be embedded in email file attachments.

2. Hackers are Geniuses

This myth has been debunked over the years because some of the best hackers turned out to be teenagers that were not incredibly smart, even though they do understand security loopholes. The exchange of hacking information is common knowledge. And the “skill” that most of the hackers possess is the time that it takes to send out attacks. Over time, they can eventually locate a company that hasn’t kept up with their security.

3. All You Need is a Good Firewall

A firewall typically establishes a barrier between a trusted, secure internal network and another outside network, such as the Internet, that is assumed to not be secure or trusted. But well-maintained cyber security goes beyond the initial purchase of a firewall. Cybercriminals are creating new and inventive ways to breach systems on a daily basis and if you don’t keep up on not just your firewall, but your software updates, you’re leaving yourself open for an attack.

4. They Only Want Your Information

While this is a priority topic and many hackers do want your information, there is another part of security that should be understood: DoS attacks. This is ‘denial of service’ where the criminal gains access to your system and changes the authorization so that you and other authorized users lose the ability to access your accounts. The purpose of this is to simply keep you, your business partners or even your customers from using the system.

5. Backups are only needed for Large Companies

In recent years, the number of security breaches around the globe has risen exponentially.  One reason is because viruses that infiltrate a system and network are often discovered as long as three months after the initial attack. The major security companies are now recommending to have at least two backup sources as a method to get rid of the virus and return your system to normal. The cloud remains one of the most secure locations for a backup, but if you don’t alternate, you may be backing up the virus as well.

When you take the necessary precautions (and keep up to speed on the trends), you won’t get fooled on the Internet. This has the added bonus of keeping your systems safe (and you coming across as the diligent business owner that you are).

As always, if you have any questions, let us know!

Stay safe,