Despite frequent news of large enterprises getting hacked, attackers now appear to be shifting their sights away from these organizations. Attacks that target large enterprises have slowly gone down in recent years. Instead, hackers have now turned their attention to small to medium businesses (SMBs).
Large companies are increasingly improving their protection by adopting complex solutions to make sure that they don’t get breached. In contrast, SMBs spending on cybersecurity remains paltry. 55 percent of SMBs reportedly are either not spending enough or unaware of their budget for cybersecurity. This is why SMBs have now become more ideal targets as weaker security translates to greater chance of success for attackers.
The trend has started to show. In 2018, it was reported that 67 percent of SMBs suffered a security breach.
Fortunately, cybersecurity stakeholders are moving to address the issue. While many solutions providers look to provide premium solutions oriented to large enterprises, ventures such as Reason Cybersecurity are focusing on providing multi-feature solutions designed to protect SMBs from cyberattacks.
Known for its privacy-focused consumer antivirus, Reason recently announced the launch of its Business edition. The company hopes that it will be an affordable subscription-based solution that SMBs can easily fit into their meager security budgets. To make their solution even more appealing, the company also slashed prices for its standard yearly offering by half. Their Premium version now only retails for just $30 a year.
These should come as welcome developments for SMBs. Despite the rise of cyberattacks targeted at SMBs, 60 percent of these organizations still have not yet prioritize security precautions against security breaches even if they should be rushing to. Being hit by an attack can be quite catastrophic as 60 percent of SMBs go out of business after an attack.
Reason for Business looks to offer a multitude of features that can help mitigate modern cybersecurity threats. First and foremost, it features antivirus and anti-malware capabilities including real-time protection and threat removal. The solution can detect and block malware and other malicious files and processes from deploying their payloads on Reason’s protected devices. Reason feature data-driven analytics to fuel its detection engine to ensure accurate identification and removal of threats.
Many businesses now use teleconferencing tools for communication purposes. However, these devices can put them at risk as webcam and microphone hacking has also become a popular methods used for hackers to spy on users. Using remote access tools (RATs), hackers can gain access to devices to invade privacy and record videos to be used for extortion, sabotage, and theft of intellectual property. Their private and company-related conversations can be tapped and can be used for various criminal activities. To counter this, Reason for Business features webcam and microphone protection that blocks hacking tools from gaining access to built-in communication devices and peripherals.
Companies are also implementing bring your own device (BYOD) schemes as employees believe that BYOD and constant connectivity allow them to be more efficient and effective at work. However, BYOD can also pose a threat as these devices may contain unpatched vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit. Since administration of these devices are often left to employees, they may also be used for personal risky activities such as accessing unsecure sites and services. Hackers can obtain sensitive information and critical data from breached devices that they can easily sell on the black market. Companies can readily protect each device with Reason.
Reason also feature ransomware protection. Ransomware is also used by cybercriminals to target small businesses. It is used by hackers to encrypt and deny access to computer files unless a ransom is made. In 2018, 70 percent of ransomware attacks reportedly targeted SMBs with an average ransom demand of $116,000. SMBs can suffer data loss and downtime while dealing with a ransomware attack. Reason can safeguard computers from malicious encryption attempts.
With the rise of security threats, the availability of affordable security solutions such as Reason can’t be timelier. SMBs can finally move away from free anti-malware solutions that are incapable of detecting and eliminating modern threats. Adopting such solutions will create more secure computer systems and networks where both company and customer data will face less risks of getting compromised.
In the end, cost-effective protection will benefit all stakeholders.
