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The IT Security Threat Right Under Your Nose

June 11, 2018 | Cybersecurity

With security breaches continuously on the rise, SMBs have been unable to escape the fallout. In fact, more than 60% of small businesses were the victim of some form of cybercrime in 2017. Since you would rather be in the 40% of companies who didn’t fall victim, read on to find out what you can do to improve your IT security strategy.

Recognizing the Source of the Threat

Your employees possess the keys to your network, and sometimes they unwittingly hand them over to criminals. Most of these IT security events begin with phishing attempts or social engineering scams. In almost every successful scam, employees are unaware that they’re being duped and walk right into the criminal’s trap.

Here’s how a scam may play out in your organization:

  • An employee receives an email that appears in every way to be routine, originating from a known and trusted source. The employee responds to a request for sensitive information, believing that they’re sending it to an authorized recipient. Phishing emails include just enough legitimate information to appear plausible and may include the correct names, company logos, phone numbers, addresses, and more.
  • Social engineering scams prey on employees by feigning familiarity, impersonating known employees, baiting employees with free goods or services, or fabricating familiar office scenarios. In each case, the scammer dupes the employee into providing sensitive information to gain access to either physical or intangible assets.

What You Can Do

Ongoing training for your employees is an essential component of any successful IT security strategy. For professional, consistent protection, and to find out where they stand, many SMBs request an IT Security Audit. Because when everything is weighed in the balance, you need to know your business is protected 24/7/365.

To learn more about IT security services from Function4, get in touch with us today.