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Cyber Security Protection Against Hacker Demands

Businesses continue to increase their cyber security protection against hacker demands in an ongoing battle for protection.

The world’s cyber security vulnerabilities are exploited by hackers and cyber criminals daily. Colonial Pipeline was cyber-attacked by hackers that resulted in disrupting fuel supplies along the East Coast. As part of the deal, the FBI and the company paid hackers Bitcoin to get everything online.

Even big organizations are not safe from hackers and cybercriminals. Millions of dollars were paid by companies to regain data control because of these cyberattacks. When a small or mid-sized business (SMBs) is cyber attacked by a hacker, they cannot afford to pay millions to recover stolen information. These hackers typically target financial records, statements, employees, and customers. When small or mid-sized business (SMBs) are attacked by hackers, they close their doors permanently.

As far as cyber-attacks are concerned, cyber security and cyberthreats are real problems that companies must address with their IT departments and managed IT services provider.

Cyber security practices should be implemented immediately by your IT department or managed IT services provider.

Managed IT Services Make It Easy to Protect from Hackers

There are still a lot of small or mid-sized business (SMBs) owners who believe cyber security measures are unnecessary or too expensive, despite growing awareness over the last five years. Businesses are at risk from cyber-attacks, it’s a fact. You may not need a dedicated IT team to handle your cyber needs. Hiring an MSP is the best way to protect your network.

A managed service provider can benefit any business. Using these programs, IT infrastructure weaknesses can be identified and fixed proactively. Their monthly managed IT services include round-the-clock proactive monitoring, proactive data backup and recovery, proactive firewall management, proactive network protection, proactive real-time threat prevention, and so much more to keep everything protected.  A true managed IT services provider (MSP) team can assist you with your daily IT needs and long-term planning. Managed service providers should be considered by companies even if you have an internal IT department.

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Companies Need to Make Cyber Security Protection a Priority

Cyberattacks are often caused by employee error or misunderstanding. Make sure your employees are aware of cyberattacks. Cyber security training should be provided to all employees especially new employees. Every year, you should remind your current employees to take the course at a minimum or enroll in an automatic monthly online training course.

Proactively educate your employees about phishing emails, malware, social media scams, and password protection. If you have remote employees working, make sure their devices have proactive cyber security measures. When employees are informed about the cybersecurity risks, they are more likely to detect potential cyber security threats. The cybersecure culture must be embraced by your entire team to be effective including management.

Cyber security should always be updated and ensure your cyber security is in force using proactive measures. Cyberattacks reached new heights in 2021, and these numbers are expected to rise even further in the future. Take preventive measures to cyber security protection.

Cyber Security Protection Results in Ransomware Costs

CEO of hospital receives dire warning at midnight. Hacked CT scanners, hospitals, and labs.

The hacker wants money. The hospital’s CEO enlists experts instead of paying the ransom to regain access to the system.

CEOs have a choice, they could pay $17,000 as ransom or put hundreds of patients at risk if he made their medical records and tests inaccessible, preventing doctors and nurses from accessing vital information about patients such as their history and medication dosages.

The problem is ransomware as they are devastating if you do not pay the hackers or cyber criminals.

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Cyber Security Protection and the Growing Threat

To control the entire IT infrastructure of a hospital is not hypothetical. A hospital in Los Angeles experienced this in 2016. Ransomware no longer targets only data centers and desktop computers. These cyberattacks can cripple businesses and public infrastructure.

Most executives know ransomware poses a serious threat. Messages, images, text messages, and videos can contain ransomware codes. Even though ransomware can travel through many pathways, many people do not believe they can be harmed by it, or it won’t happen to them.

Cyber criminals and hackers attack every company, regardless of size. Dental offices, college students, and hospitals can be targeted for ransoms ranging from $50 to tens of thousands of dollars. When it strikes, many executives are unprepared and scramble for a solution.

On top of that, there is unpredictability. The anonymity crypto currencies like Bitcoin attract hackers and cyber criminals. The open market fluctuates wildly. Large price swings may cause some victims to pay more than expected when using crypto currencies.

Cyber Security Protection and Should You Pay a Ransom

Buying bitcoins to pay ransomware is encouraging hackers and cyber criminals to perform more attacks on other businesses. Paying them encourages hackers to adapt to new security measures, so they have the funds for research and development into future ransomware attacks.

The result is more frequent cyberattacks on your business. When you pay, hackers see you as a profitable target. Those who are vulnerable and willing to spend money on recovery are targeted by hackers.

Paying ransomware is never a good idea and not recommended by law enforcement.

The only way to slow ransomware is to stop payments as removing payments will remove their motivation.

Defending against cyberattacks is key to preventing them and can be reduced with backups, regular patching, application updates, whitelisting, and blocking suspicious links.

365 iT SOLUTIONS  is Toronto’s award-winning managed IT services provider and is CyberSecure Canada certified

Our complimentary data breach scan will scan the darkweb to see if your company has been compromised by hackers.

We are a boutique Toronto IT consulting firm specializes in award winning Managed IT Services, Cyber Security Training and Dark Web Monitoring, Business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR)IT Support Services, IT Outsourcing Services, Managed Security ServicesTech Support Services, and Cloud Services.

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