Cybercrime is steadily rising in New Jersey and across the U.S. Even small businesses are at risk. Here are three ways to ensure you’re protected from hackers. 

Cybercrime is on the Rise in New Jersey: Is Your Business Safe?  

The word hacking doesn’t always hit home. When you hear the word, you imagine somebody sitting in a dark room at the far end of the world, trying to take down governments and major corporations. Surely your small business isn’t even on their radar.

Joe Cannata, owner a leading New Jersey IT Company says “Unfortunately, cybercrime is starting to hit home. Last year, there was an almost 17% increase in cybercrime compared to the previous year. In New Jersey alone, there were over 8,400 attacks totaling almost $80 million in damage. Unfortunately, the majority of these victims were individuals and small businesses.”

This means that hackers are now setting their sights a bit smaller. Governments and major corporations pump millions of dollars into their security infrastructure and teams, making them much harder to hit. Small businesses, on the other hand, may not even have a single cybersecurity strategy in place, making them much easier targets.

Cannata offers a few tips to help keep your company safe, here are some simple things you can do to discourage cybercriminals:

One of the biggest threats to your small businesses is your employees. They may leave their passwords written down or be willing to click any email that looks official enough. That makes them prime targets for cybercrime, which leaves your business susceptible, too. Establish internal guidelines for your employees and ensure that they are properly trained on them.

Hackers often look for the low-hanging fruit. Simply put in basic security hardware and software is often enough to deter them and send them elsewhere. Make sure that all of your machines have updated security software and that your operating systems are constantly updated so that they contain the latest defenses against nefarious actors. Set-up a firewall for your network and ensure that any employees who need to work from home or on the road require a VPN to access anything sensitive.

The very worst thing that can happen to your business is that somebody steals your data or causes damage that locks you out of it. Make sure to schedule automate data backups with a simple recovery solution. Ensure that any of your data which is considered sensitive is encrypted. This ensures that if you do fall victim to a phishing or malware attack, they cannot hold you hostage by locking you out of your system. You won’t be fully protected from cybercrime, but you’ll be able to control the damage it will cause.

Whether your business is based in New Jersey or anywhere else in the country, or even the world, cybercrime is a serious threat. By following the tips listed above, you’ll be able to mitigate the risks, but not eliminate them completely. In order to keep your business safe over the long-term, you must pay attention to the latest threats and constantly update your strategies and best practices.