$ 100 million
The cost to Sony of a phishing attack in 2014
SOURCE : REUTERS
25 %+
Percentage of 2020 data breaches that targeted SMBs
SOURCE : VERIZON
the full email address in the ‘ From ’ line rather than just the name of the sender , to check that the domain is the correct one for your organization ,” adds Pratt . “ Although these , too , can be forged or compromised , in most cases the scammers don ’ t bother , so it ’ s a useful check .”
Keeping software up to date , enabling two-factor authentication , choosing strong passwords , and using a password manager can also go a long way in protecting small businesses from hackers .
Pratt adds that choosing technology designed with security in mind can significantly mitigate the risks and reduce the potential damage caused by an attack . For example , HP PCs come standard with
HP Essential Security , a suite of security features including
HP Sure Sense and
HP Sure Click , which proactively prevent threats and ensure fast recovery if an attack does happen . SMBs can upgrade to
HP Pro Security for advanced protection against malware and phishing attacks .
“ Sure Sense is a next-generation approach to spotting malware that uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to stay ahead of attackers ,” Pratt says . “ When the user clicks on a potential phishing site that is trying to steal their credentials , we can alert them that they shouldn ’ t enter any passwords or other details .”
HP Sure Click provides an added layer of protection without relying on detection . “ Basically , for any potentially risky activity — like opening an email attachment or clicking on a link — it ’ s going to create a virtual machine in the background , a disposable computer , to perform that particular task ,” Pratt explains . “ That disposable computer is going to live just for the life of the task , and only have the access and resources required for that task , no more . When the task finishes , that virtual machine is automatically thrown away .”
While many small businesses equip their staff with generic cybersecurity software , Pratt warns that such services are often insufficient to protect them against increasingly sophisticated attacks , especially in a remote workplace setting .
“ Just using anti-virus software isn ’ t enough these days ,” he says . “ Now everybody has to take this stuff more seriously and use more sophisticated approaches to security .”
24 %
Increase in impersonation attacks between January and June 2020
SOURCE : MIMECAST
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