Just because you are a small to medium-sized business (SMB) does not mean you are not a target for online criminals phishing attacks.  In fact, it’s the opposite.  Being a small to medium-sized business makes you an easier target for cybercriminals.  While targeting a larger corporation may lead to more lucrative payouts, these larger corporations typically have IT departments that catch these attacks.  Typically smaller businesses do not have full-time IT help that assists them in their cybersecurity.  Cyber-attacks will mostly be initiated through email, here are 5 tips on protecting yourself from cybercriminals.

1.    Attention to Detail:

You may receive an email from what appears to be a co-worker or even superior.  This email may have some odd request like requesting an invoice or for you to send the company’s credit card information to pay a vendor.  In this situation, check the email address for any characters that are out of place.  Cybercriminals will attempt to mimic the email addresses of your co-workers to try to deceive you into releasing valuable company information.  In the event of this happening, contact to the supposed sender via telephone or in person to question their request.

 2. Download a Free Anti-Phishing Toolbar To Your Browser.

There are plenty of free Anti-Phishing browser extensions available.  Some are only available for certain browsers, causing you to have to download multiple extensions to different browsers and learning how each one works.  If you are looking for an Anti-Phishing browser extension that is compatible for Firefox, Chrome, and Safari we suggest Bitdefender Trafficlight. This extension protects from phishing attacks, filters out malware, identify trackers, and scans links.

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3. Be Careful With Your Browser Updates.

While It is always important to update your browser, you must be cautious with your updates.  These updates are created to protect you from online phishing and malware, and phishing predators are fully aware of these.  You may receive a notification telling you it’s time to update your browser or a new version of your browser is available for download.  Do not blindly trust these and automatically download them.  Simply take the time and perform a simple internet search to see if it is, in fact, a true browser update.  If it is not, I can almost guarantee you are downloading a nasty malware onto your computer.

4. Frequently Back up Your Data!

In a world with cybercriminals attacking small businesses with ransomware, backing up your data has never been more important.  A ransomware attack encrypts your hard drive, locking you out of your computer and work files.  The cybercriminal will then ransom access to your files in the form of a crypto currency like Bitcoin.  If you have backed up your data to a remote hard drive this attacks will leave you unaffected.  Simply back up the existing backup files and wipe your primary hard drive clean.

5. Question Authority.

Cybercriminals may attempt to target you by posing as an authoritative figure in the digital world.  This could be them pretending to be Google or Microsoft telling you an update is available for your Gmail or Outlook account.  Much like browser updates, do your due diligence to conclude the authenticity of the requests.

Phishing in the USA – Why SMB Need to be on Red Alert

Navigating the cyber world can be a difficult and intimidating task, especially when it comes to your cybersecurity.  Not only is Advertising Is Simple here to build and spread your digital brand, we are here as a source of knowledge for protecting your digital property, allowing you to spend the time necessary to run your business.

At Advertising Is Simple, we have prepared ALL of our client’s websites for the coming new year. We actively backup, maintain and update all our websites to keep them secure and running seamlessly. If your website was designed years ago and it has not been maintained, it is a ticking time bomb.

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