What is Cyber Security, and Why is it So Important?

We live in a world where more and more businesses are falling prey to hacking attempts and malicious attacks. These attacks cost businesses billions of pounds each year, whether through the loss of direct assets, through business shutdown, or through loss of data. What’s more, cyber security is crucial when you are trying to uphold a professional image. Any business running an operation without some form of cyber security services backing them up is running the risk of ruining their reputation.

It can also be easy to dismiss just how much you need from cyber security. It may seem simple to just set up an antivirus system and a firewall. However, there is a little more to it than that. What works at home isn’t always going to offer enough protection for commercial platforms. That’s why, from the word go, you should always have some form of security strategy set up. You owe it to your customers, and you owe it to the growth of your brand.

Here are a few reasons why you should never overlook cyber security.

Your Finances are at Stake

Think about how much money you could lose if a malicious attack brings down your whole network. Even if it is just a few hours or even a day, you could be at risk of losing serious business. That’s something you’re never going to be able to claw back, even if you have business insurance in place.

There is also the fact that many malicious attacks are directed at companies for direct financial gain. Some worms and viruses steal data to sell on. Others, meanwhile, will steal banking information from companies directly, or even from customer details on file. Even scarier, of course, is the rise of ransomware. This is where a malicious program will demand that you pay a large fee to regain access to your data. In some cases, for example, a hacker could ask for thousands of pounds or delete your data within 24 hours.

It can sound like something out of a Hollywood movie. However, the threats are very real indeed. Failure to hire cyber security services is going to put you at severe risk of falling prey to these kinds of attacks. If the NHS can fall to ransomware, so can you.

Your Reputation is at Stake

Your reputation is just as important as your revenue. Look at things this way. Without a reputation, your ability to earn is going to be severely stunted. It’s so important to build up a professional image. Therefore, why should you waste years of growth and development by throwing it away through poor cyber security?

Consider what might happen if customer data or sensitive information is lost, or stolen. Consider, too, that all of your data is wiped, and you don’t have a backup in place. How is that going to impact on your customer base, and on the industry at large? Failure to implement any kind of cyber security services could result in your name being dragged through the mud. It may mean that you have to rebuild your brand from scratch. That, if it happens, will mean serious reinvestment.

We’re not in the habit of scaremongering. Far from it – but the threats facing small to medium businesses are very real. Reputation is not something you can buy or trade-in. If you’re running a business and are playing fast and loose with cyber security, it’s high time to reconsider your priorities. Don’t ask ‘what is cyber security’ – get in touch with a team of experts who can protect you at all times.

Think Of Your Customers

If you run a public-facing business, you should be thinking about your customers at all times. You may have all manner of sensitive information on file that they have entrusted you with. That’s the key term here – trust – as once there’s a data leak or successful hacking attempt, you risk losing that trust for good. While it may seem easy to appeal to customers, something as high profile as data loss can be hard to forgive – especially if you weren’t doing enough to protect your data in the first place.

Put yourself in your customers’ shoes. Data loss or stealth can be very scary! Anyone who has accessed this information may be able to commit fraud, steal money, and cause undue stress to those who have been victimised. With a solid cyber security plan in place, you will never need to worry about these scenarios occurring.

Finding the Right Protection

Protecting against hackers and malicious code means more than running the occasional virus scan. You’re going to need a cyber security consultant or team on hand to continually upgrade and protect your systems from the latest exploits and bugs. You’re going to need to make sure that the data you hold, and share, is encrypted. You’re also going to need to ensure that the systems you use are up to date, and that the data you hold is backed up. Always have a remote copy of your data and sensitive information saved to the cloud. If you don’t, and you suffer a data wipe, it’s gone forever.

Cyber security can be a complex topic to navigate. However, that is never a good excuse for ignorance. By consulting an experienced team in network and hardware security, you’ll always be prepared to face off against would-be hackers and malicious attempts to bring your business down.

AAG’s seasoned IT experts know all the tricks of the trade. What’s more, we work closely with our clients to continue maintaining and supporting their security for years to come. If you’re unsure whether or not you are protecting your data and customers enough, it’s time to consult with a team who knows what action to take. Call us directly on 0114 303 0249 or email us via web form to get started.