Did you know that a business owner claimed that London is one of the worst places in the UK for cybercrimes? Not only this but every 66 in 100,000 people file a complaint against cybercrimes every day. In fact, in the past few years, the rates of cybercrimes have nearly doubled. The number has gone from 467,000 to 791,790. Woah! That’s pretty huge.
Undoubtedly, many business owners are trying really hard to keep their data safe and secure from the nasty hackers out there. But cybercriminals always figure out how to get around your top-notch network security and find ways to wreak havoc on you and your business. For instance, they’ll try and bombard your account and use different password combinations until they crack the codes. And once they get past the login hurdle, they misuse the confidential information to their advantage.
Surely, there was a time when usernames and strong passwords were good enough to keep the hackers at bay. But things are different now. As soon as your firewall puts a stop to one scam, another pops up right there. Cybercrime is something you can’t defeat completely. But the good news is that by simply looking out for some loopholes, you can mitigate the risks. Here are some cybersecurity loopholes you need to look out for to safeguard your business and confidential data.
Faulty Endpoint Security Defenses
No business owner wants to deal with data breaches and getting their confidential information compromised. That’s one of the primary reasons why many organizations prefer investing in some sort of endpoint protection to protect their network. But when it comes to endpoint security defenses, many usually settle for unreliable and unauthentic. And that serves as a cybersecurity loophole for the criminals out there.
Believe it or not, two-thirds of the UK companies end up dealing with cybercrimes that originate with an endpoint even after having security defenses. The rate of such attacks is rising at a really fast pace. The criminals use advanced persistent threat techniques to get through your network’s defense system and retrieve your business’s data.
Multiple factors could be held responsible for faulty endpoint security defenses. First of all, you should know that the standard antivirus is no longer good enough for your business. Also, hackers, these days are more intelligent than you give them credit for. They look for tiny flaws in your defense system that might not come under notice and attack the first chance they get.
That’s why you need to make efforts to strengthen your endpoint security system. Also, you need to figure out and identify the flaws in your endpoint security system. And this can be done by going for regular test security systems. For this, all you have to do is lookup for a certified UK Penetration Testing expert and opt for a regular assessment for your network system. The professionals will scan your network and prepare a report to better understand what’s lacking in your defense system.
According to industry professionals, it is one of the key controls to ensure the safety of your business in the online world, which should be on the top of your priority list.
Unreliable Data and Recovery Management
It is rightly said that technology can leave your hand at any moment, and you have to be prepared for it ALL THE TIME.
With multiple cybersecurity threats looming over the online world, keeping a safe backup for your business’s confidential data is crucial. But the bad news is that many organizations tend to skimp on the data backup and recovery options. Hence, creating a loophole for the hackers.
One of the prominent reasons for this is that many business owners choose to stick to traditional data and recovery management, focusing on keeping their confidential files safe. But is that all you need to do? What if cyber criminals end up wiping off your complete database? How are you planning to replicate your business’s database without any backup?
The only solution to this is to invest in reliable data and recovery management tools. You can also go for a multi-pronged backup and recovery strategy that allows you to go for database replication and storage synchronization. Not to mention that the system also includes disk backups and multiple snapshots that might come in handy when the disaster strikes.
Inadequate Authentication and Credential Management
Many business owners add a second layer of security to their accounts to prevent cybercrimes, which is often known as two-factor authentication. But is it a fool-proof option? According to industry professionals, even two-factor authentication can have certain loopholes that hackers can use to their advantage. In many cases, two-factor authentication fails to work when people continue using the same passwords for different accounts. That’s a loophole many business owners fail to look out for.
It is crucial for business owners to keep in close check on their authentication and credential management. Even though you have activated two-factor authentication via text message, hackers can breach that too. They use advanced tricks to get a hold of the registered phone number and transfer those messages to their own. Yes, that can happen. Now, whenever you’ll request a verification code, it’ll directly be received by a hacker who can easily access all your accounts. Several other scams can fail 2FA, so you need to stay alert ALL THE TIME.
Apart from this, make sure you choose different credentials for different accounts. Go for unique alphanumeric combinations to create strong and complex passwords. Refrain using a public computer to access your business’s accounts. Even if you have to use a public computer to enter your credentials, ALWAYS remember to clear all the caches, cookies, and history to prevent the risk of phishing attacks.
Final Words
You should know that there’s a good chance that burglars try to break into a home with a flawed security system. The same is the case with your business’s network. Hackers are out there looking for loopholes and weaknesses in your security. Fortunately, now you know everything about some loopholes and can outsmart those nasty hackers right away.
