Network Communications News (NCN) August 2017 | Page 19

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to be an especially easy prey for
hackers: at least 60% of small
companies in the US experienced
at least one cyber attack in the
past year.
Besides targeted cybercrime,
small companies suffer from
malware, rogue software,
unprotected Wi-Fi and other
worrisome threats.
For example, an employee may
open an email attachment that is
infected with a virus and spread
it across the network. In phishing
attacks, a small business owner
or their employees can get a fake
email tricking them into revealing
their personal information. In
password attacks, a hacker could
try to hack the system by trying
to guess password combinations.
And in ransomware attacks,
hackers may ask for ransom
in exchange for unlocking the
company’s data. 
While there could be many
types of attacks on your system,
we have selected a few common-
sense solutions that every startup
owner should know.
3. Use a VPN
(Vir tual Private Network)
VPNs connect you to the Internet
through an encrypted tunnel.
A VPN server acts as a relay
between the Internet and a
company’s device, so nobody can
see what data is being shared
over the Internet. All that can be
seen is that you are connected
to a VPN server. A VPN service
provider, such as NordVPN, can
offer multiple benefits to small
businesses, including secure data
connections for remote workers
and increased safety for business
owners to share sensitive
company data via an encrypted
connection, so it’s not seen by
any third parties.
4. Update your firewall
Most systems have an
automatically installed firewall –
just make sure you keep up with
its regular updates.
5. Use anti-virus
Marty’s top 10 tips Use an updated virus protection
to make sure your system is
protected from malware such as
malvertising (advertisement online
with malicious codes).
1. Avoid opening emails from
unknown senders 6. Strong passwords and two-
factor authentication
The rule is simple: if you are
not familiar with the sender,
better not open any emails, and
never click to download any
attachments or any links they
might send. Perhaps the most basic
requirement for any online account
setup is using strong passwords.
Weak passwords make it simple
for hackers to break into your
system and cause severe damage.
Two Factor Authentication, also
known as 2FA, is a two-step
verification system that adds an
extra layer of security. Besides
password and username, it
involves something that only the
user can potentially know.
2. Use only https URL
Make sure all websites that you
give your data to, have the secure
‘https’ URL. The ‘s’ in the URL means
that it is a secure protocol and your
data is encrypted properly.
‘Cybercrime
attacks went
up by 50% in
all segments
in 2016.’
7. Update your operating system
It sounds simple and easy to do,
but it happens that we ignore the
pop-up reminders for software
updates. However, it’s one of the
most important things to do with a
computer, as such updates often
fix security vulnerabilities and
system bugs.
8. Secure your mobile
If you are happy that your system
is now secure, you might be
forgetting one important part –
your mobile devices. You probably
store important passwords and
other sensitive information on
your smartphone, so don’t forget
to encrypt your phone either.
9. Be reasonable with rules
It’s not reasonable to ban the use
of company’s computers or Wi-Fi
outside of the company’s network.
People need to connect when it’s
most convenient for them. A more
productive and efficient approach
is to cultivate the expertise in
cybersecurity for staff members.
10. Don’t single out one
responsible person
Cultivating a secure mindset
should be the responsibility of
the whole team. And if an attack
does happen, the real culprit is
the hacker, not your staff member.
Blaming employees for cyber
attacks will only lead to them
hiding potential threats.
For further information visit:
https://nordvpn.com
August 2017 | 19