Data loss and unwarranted network access are cited by most business owners as the greatest threat they face in the commercial environment today. As firms continue to move more and more of their day-to-day operations online and integrate increasingly with web services, so the risk of loss or malicious attacks increases exponentially.
Steps you can take today to help prevent an attack
The most obvious solution to preventing an IT attack is to ensure your network and files feature bulletproof protection – however, that simply isn’t an option for many smaller companies that can’t afford to employ a dedicated IT department and purchase the most up-to-date, safest technology. In these instances, firms would be well-recommended to outsource their IT and networking services to a professional provider. Data is now considered the world’s most valuable commodity – and with most firms now fully reliant on their IT and communications, this really isn’t an area you can afford to take chances with.
Five common reasons for data loss
While no company is 100% safe from an IT attack, there are some common methods cybercriminals use to infiltrate a company’s network to steal data or otherwise disrupt a company’s operations. Here are just a few of the most common ways companies lose data:
Power surges or outages: An unexpected power surge or outage has the potential to wreak havoc across your IT network leading to corrupted files or, in the worst case, the loss of data that hadn’t already been backed-up.
Software or logic failures: Hardware isn’t the only aspect of computers that can cause data-loss – software or Operating System (OS) failures can too. If you haven’t already backed up your data, a logic failure in apps or OSs could also cause you to lose data.
Viruses and other malicious attacks: Hackers are employing increasingly sophisticated tactics to attack companies and gain access to data. Many of these rely on human error as noted above – devious forms of psychological engineering and manipulation that rely on that most virtuous of human instincts, trust. One form of attack, phishing, is becoming an incredibly prevalent method of attack to steal sensitive data – both from a personal and commercial perspective. In a phishing attack, the cybercriminal will mimic an official style of email or website in the hope of fooling the victim to part with their sensitive information. Again, anti-virus software, limiting network access and firewalls can help minimize the risks of a phishing attack but the best protection is prevention through staff education to recognize the risks.
Physical disk errors: Traditional Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) feature many moving parts which, over time, can become prone to failure.
To protect your firm against a hardware failure, you should take regular back-ups of your data and hold them remotely - online or offline - but separate to your main network.
Other Articles:
No comments:
Post a Comment