Cybersecurity - best practices for SMEs

Cybersecurity, hacker attacks and ransomware assaults are no longer foreign terms in the digital world. This is because the increasing digital vulnerability of users and their systems is also leading to a rise in the rate of cyberattacks. It is therefore all the more important for companies to proactively protect themselves against such attacks and to know what is important should an incident still occur.

As SMEs are increasingly finding themselves in the crosshairs of such cyber attacks, we will use individual best practices to explain how small and medium-sized enterprises can secure themselves and increase cybersecurity in certain situations.

Cyber-attacks and their variety

The range of different cyber attacks is extensive, and so too is the risk of being affected by one. Typically, a cyber attack on businesses is an action aimed at accessing or even destroying systems that are relevant to production or operations, or business data.

To achieve this goal, there are several entry points, such as ransomware, phishing emails, or what is known as social engineering. Here, interpersonal relationships are exploited to obtain personal data, such as passwords. Often, humans are the risk factor through which a cyber-attack is successfully launched: a cyber-attack can originate from a simple click on a sent link, the disclosure of login details via a single channel, or the exploitation of stressful situations. These are just a few examples of how to gain access to the company network, its systems, or company data, and yet it is immediately clear how essential protection against such cyber-attacks is – also for SMEs.

For this reason, the following outlines various aspects that have an impact on the security of your IT infrastructure and the entire company.

Best Practices – Entry Points for Cyber Attacks and How to Prevent Them

There are not only numerous types of cyber-attacks but also several ways to protect yourself. The challenge for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), however, is that the capacity to implement these protective measures is often lacking. As a result, the most important cybersecurity tasks in SMEs quickly fall under the radar and are only noticed when it is too late. For this reason, it is recommended to entrust IT professionals with increasing IT security within the company. This way, even SMEs can receive the necessary protection to calmly focus on what matters.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) should focus on the following topics to increase their cybersecurity:

Staff training

One of the biggest vulnerabilities from a risk assessment perspective in „cybersecurity“ for any company is its employees as IT users. Cybercriminals often exploit human ignorance and thus credulity to gain access to a company's network or steal sensitive data. Therefore, it is fundamental that you educate your employees about the risks in the area of cybersecurity. This includes, among other things, training on password security and phishing scams. And since attack vectors and approaches are constantly changing and evolving, continuous employee awareness and training are likewise the most fundamental and important means of ensuring IT security in your company.

Secure passwords and multi-factor authentication as a protective shield

Using strong passwords and multi-factor authentication is essential for protecting your company's sensitive data. Encourage your employees to use complex passwords that are difficult to guess and must be changed regularly, ideally through technical measures. Multi-factor authentication provides an additional layer of security by requiring a second form of authentication, such as a fingerprint or a text message.

Security through regular software updates

Regular, reliable software updates are important for closing security vulnerabilities in your system. Cybercriminals frequently exploit outdated software to gain access to a company's network. Therefore, it is important that you keep your software up to the latest patch level. Here, professional, proactive services such as Managed Services support, to install updates and patches in a timely manner, and to enforce effectiveness.

Protection software and firewalls – the security wall

Protective software such as antivirus solutions, as well as ransomware detection and endpoint detection and response applications, provide important basic protection on end devices. Modern next-generation firewalls are essential for protecting your company network from cyber threats.

Remote Work – but safely!

Remote access to your company's network can pose a security risk because it involves accessing a protected environment from the outside, thereby increasing the risk of introducing malware into the company. Therefore, if access is absolutely necessary, it is important to use secure remote access solutions. These solutions, such as a VPN connection, provide a secure connection to your network and protect your data from cyber threats – even when your employees are working from home. In this context, it's worthwhile to review the necessity of such access and restrict it to a minimum. With modern file-sharing solutions, many „traditional“ workflows can now be implemented not only more securely but also more effectively for users.

Consult experts

In addition to all the technical measures, a conversation with your own insurance provider is also worthwhile in order to consider the case of a cyber incident from the perspective of entrepreneurial risk. As IT security for SMEs is a very dynamic and continuously evolving topic, which is also closely monitored by insurance companies, it makes sense to seek the expertise of a specialised IT partner in this regard as well.

The aspects listed above represent only some of the challenges that entrepreneurs should consider with regard to cybersecurity. The most important thing is to develop your own risk awareness and not underestimate that SMEs like large corporations and public institutions are equally exposed to the same cyber risks.