Who’s knocking on your network’s door? - 5 Tips to Prevent Cyberattacks

Two of the most important components of your business are your employees and your data. Most businesses pay special attention to the well-being of their employees, however when their data needs protecting, they leave their network’s door wide-open! As crucial as employees are to an organization, studies show that 93% of all companies that experience significant data loss are out of business within 5 years.


What does a small business need to know to keep network predators at bay?


1. Hackers look for “doorways” or unprotected entry points to gain access to your shared network information. Installing a firewall (whether hardware or software) creates a barrier blocking hackers from gaining access to your network.

2. If a firewall is like a door, Anti-Virus is like the alarm on the house! It is an added layer of protection against unwanted guests! A key to Anti-Virus success is keeping it up-to-date. Too often Anti-Virus software is not renewed or checked for updates.

Many clients ask, “If I have Anti-Virus on my network, why am I still getting viruses?” The best answer is this: Anti-Virus software is written to be reactive, it protects against known viruses. Unfortunately, every day hackers introduce more and more sophisticated viruses into cyber-space. Some are even attaching to and hiding behind legitimate software updates such as Java or Adobe. Use your instincts before performing any updates. A safer option is to either call your IT provider or perform the update by going directly to the software’s website.

3. Like a software update, a virus can enter your network via email. NEVER open any emails from recipients you do not know. Only open those you trust. Be on the alert for attachments with .exe or .msi in their extensions. You wouldn’t let people in your house if you don’t know them the same goes for email. Many of these programs are malicious.

4. Stop – look and read a website’s URL before you enter the site. Look for subtle differences in the primary domain. This is how many “phishing” scams occur. A phishing scam is when a hacker looks to trick you into putting your user name and password into a fake website. The aim is to gather your personal, credit card or banking information. Red flags would look like: http://paypal.fish.net instead of the real site https://www.paypal.com/.

Be suspicious if you receive an email from your bankasking you to verify your personal information using your user name and password. Banks do not do that.

5. Don’t take for granted FREE WI-FI. Just because it is free, does not mean it is secure. The emergence of BYOD – Bring Your Own Device to work has allowed greater flexibility in the work place. Many of us work from coffee shops like Starbucks. Although many of these sites offer free wireless connection, conducting online banking or any other highly confidential activity is dangerous. You do not know who is performing “data-mining” or monitoring the connection to look for opportunities to slip in through the back door of your computer to gain access.


Educate your employees as to the many malicious predators lurking around cyberspace. Your data is the lifeblood of your business. Don’t take it for granted. Be smart before you open the door to your network!