The use of the internet has become almost unanimous within companies in all segments. With the help of this tool, it is possible to carry out tasks of all types and ensure that the company remains competitive in the market. However, making cybersecurity mistakes can ruin everything, exposing confidential information and hindering the smooth running of day-to-day tasks.
For this reason, it is essential that these companies take essential precautions so that the internet is used intelligently and safely, so that productivity is maintained and information is protected at all costs. And this concern should also be extended to small and medium-sized companies.
It is a fatal mistake to underestimate the impact that cyber attacks can have on smaller companies. This is because over the years, cybercriminals stopped focusing their activities only on large companies and started carrying out attacks also targeting smaller companies , causing great losses and causing these companies to spend a lot of money to recover from the damage caused.
In this sense, it is necessary for these companies to invest in cybersecurity to be able to stay protected and avoid damage of this type to their businesses. With the arrival of the General Data Protection Law , penalties against companies that do not comply with basic information security requirements have become substantial, making it necessary to adopt protection tools that adapt to legislation and business needs.
Cybersecurity: What is the role of this strategy within your company?
According to the 2024 Global Threat Report issued by Crowdstrike , the 2023 cybersecurity landscape demonstrated a wide variety of diverse and sophisticated cyberattacks. Data extortion and ransomware were one of the main focuses of cybercriminals last year, claiming an even greater number of victims.
The results of this research demonstrated a growing concern about attacks that exploit device and system vulnerabilities to avoid detection, highlighting the need for extra care on the part of companies. Rapid technological development has meant that smaller companies do not focus their efforts on protection strategies, ending up exposed to cyber attacks of different types.
The good news is that the development of more accessible and intuitive tools has allowed these companies to implement a smarter protection strategy, avoiding the main cybersecurity mistakes that put their information at risk.
We need to understand that regardless of the sector in which they operate, companies deal with sensitive data all the time, from registering customers and employees to contacting their suppliers and partners. Protecting this information must be a priority within business , avoiding not only the penalties imposed by the General Data Protection Law , but also the damage caused to its image among consumers.
What are today's main cybersecurity risks?
Just as we have more modern and intelligent technological tools, cybercriminals also develop more complex solutions to carry out different types of cyber scams. In this sense, different types of strategies are implemented to cause problems for inattentive users, as we will see below:
Data leak
Companies that deal with sensitive data have data leakage as the main risk in the routine and carrying out of daily activities. Leaking information not only favors the incidence of LGPD but can also generate legal consequences for this organization.
The protection of sensitive and confidential data must be a priority within companies that deal with this information, adopting tools and strategies that prevent this information from being exposed. Adopting more complex passwords and encryption can be a useful solution to prevent fundamental and confidential data from being used by unauthorized users.
Phishing
Phishing -type attacks are the oldest on the internet, and consist of the strategy of deceiving the user by posing as a known sender or company related to the victim. Through this attack, the user receives an email requesting confidential information such as access credentials with passwords or financial data.
To appear legitimate, the cybercriminal uses addresses very similar to the real ones and masks the profile and appearance of the email so that it is as similar as possible to the original. This type of attack can cause countless losses in addition to financial losses, as well as the leakage of information and the installation of malicious applications on company devices.
Ransomware
Information hijacking, ransomware , is one of the most used cyber attacks today. Through this type of attack, the cybercriminal blocks or encrypts a company's confidential information and requests the payment of a ransom.
In most cases, payment for these ransoms is charged in Cryptocurrencies , making it difficult to track this money. Companies from different segments suffered substantial financial losses from this type of attack, damaging not only their day-to-day functionality but also their image among consumers.
Spyware
Spyware attacks are mainly focused on monitoring the digital behavior of a company's network or device. Through this type of application, the cybercriminal is able to view in real time everything that is carried out on the devices and also the confidential information that is exchanged between users.
Although in some ways this type of application may seem harmless, spyware can steal confidential data and strategic information from the company , causing great harm to its growth and competitive positioning in the market.
DDoS attack
Distributed denial of service attacks, DDoS , aim to prevent legitimate users from accessing a company's networks or services. By overloading the company's website or platform, cybercriminals can make a business' demand completely unavailable, causing large financial losses.
Large attacks can last days or even weeks, resulting in large losses. To avoid this type of attack, it is necessary to have a specific protection tool that helps monitor traffic and identify suspicious behavior in the type of access carried out on your company's platform or service.
National cybersecurity overview
The massive increase in cyber attacks in recent years has shown companies from different segments that concerns about cybersecurity must be a priority. For this reason, investments in security tools have grown considerably , showing that companies are now concerned about the confidentiality of information and data security within the business.
According to a survey carried out by Fortnite in 2023, in 2022 alone Brazil suffered 103. 16 billion attempted cyber attacks , worrying data that raised relevant questions for companies regarding their protection strategy. The year 2023 ended with more than 161 billion cyber attacks, according to data from Trend Micro , representing a record.
The Cyber Defense Index published by Insights brought worrying data regarding the defense strategy of Brazilian companies. According to the research, Brazil is in an unfavorable position in terms of cybersecurity, being among the countries with the lowest investment in cybersecurity , even after the demands brought about by the pandemic and after the advent of the General Data Protection Law.
Moving slowly towards more robust cyber defense strategies and policies , Brazil was second only to Turkey and Indonesia. Research like this shows that many national companies are still not adequately concerned about protecting their information, placing confidential data at unnecessary risk and causing great concern regarding their cyber protection strategy.
What are the main cybersecurity risks for small and medium-sized businesses
As we saw previously, your company can expose itself unnecessarily by not adopting intelligent and effective cybersecurity strategies. In addition to great concern about the financial losses that can come from financial fraud and the penalties imposed by the General Data Protection Law, there is a wide range of problems that can be caused by cyber attacks.
Attacks of this type can considerably damage your company's image in the market. In addition to causing great dissatisfaction among customers who may have their data exposed, cyber attacks damage the company's image vis-à-vis the competition, causing future consumers to consider other alternatives rather than closing a deal with your organization.
We also need to remember that the General Data Protection Law includes the exposure of companies that have suffered penalties as one of its punishments, being a way to avoid new failures. This public exposure does nothing to help your company recover after a cyber attack, showing that avoiding this type of situation is the most important thing.
Seven mistakes that put your company at risk
To be able to adapt and establish improvements, it is necessary to know where the error lies. For this reason, we have separated the seven cybersecurity errors that can put your company at risk and cause countless problems for the smooth running of your activities:
1. Underestimating cyber attacks and their consequences
It is first necessary to understand cyber attacks and the problems they can cause for your organization. As we said, there are different types of cyber attacks, each with different objectives according to the strategy implemented by the cybercriminal, so the more knowledge you gain about this attack, the easier it will be to prepare.
Contrary to what was thought for many years, cyber attacks are no longer only targeted at large companies, it is also the responsibility of small and medium-sized companies to establish improvements to guarantee the protection of their information and avoid the exposure of their data.
2. Lack of investment in cybersecurity
Investing in cybersecurity is no longer just a strategy focused solely on IT but has become a requirement for the organization's success. Failing to invest in this protection protocol is a major failure that could cause losses for your company.
In this sense, we are referring not only to applications and protection resources, but also to devices and staff prepared to deal with cybersecurity situations.
3. Inadequacy to LGPD
The General Data Protection Law is already in force and contains in its text several requirements that must be implemented by companies to guarantee greater protection of information. These requirements must be adopted by organizations to avoid most digital security problems and ensure that the company complies with what is specified by legislation.
Lack of adequacy can generate fines and penalties for the company, and it is essential to implement all necessary improvements and adjustments to maintain your organization's compliance. If necessary, a specialized company can be hired to assess the needs and improvements that must be implemented within your company to fully comply with the LGPD.
4. Update of application systems
System and application updates are developed with the main focus of keeping the tool optimized, effective and protected. Failing to update is not a smart alternative for companies that are focused on protecting information and want to avoid cybersecurity errors that could expose their confidential data.
For this reason, all updates must be carried out as necessary, always keeping up to date with the main strategies used by cybercriminals. This way, these hackers will not be able to use vulnerabilities found in your resources to illegitimately penetrate the systems used by your company.
5. Lack of Training
Just as your tools must be prepared to deal with cyber attacks, your team also needs to be prepared to recognize cyber threats and adopt a preventative stance. organizational culture must focus on protecting information and must be built on the preparation and training of all employees.
In this sense, the employee training and qualification process is essential to keep your team well trained and prepared to deal with today's cyber threats.
6. Lack of backup
We need to be realistic about the incidence of cyber attacks and the dangers they pose today. For this reason, no matter how well your company and your team are prepared, it is still possible to suffer cyber attacks , so it is essential to have a contingency plan.
A backup strategy will help ensure a backup copy of your company's information so that activities can continue even in the event of a cyber attack. This way, activities can continue while the responsible team deals with recovery during an attack without harming the progress of the company's activities.
7. Lack of internet access control
Although it is essential, indiscriminate access to the internet can be a real risk and also one of the cybersecurity mistakes that can harm your organization. This is because this environment is full of extremely dangerous traps that can expose confidential information and facilitate cybercriminals' access to your company's networks and devices.
For this reason, controlling internet access is essential to keep your employees out of trouble and prevent cybercriminals from finding points of vulnerability. This way, the internet can be used with intelligence and strategy, thus avoiding the main damage that indiscriminate access can cause.
How to improve cybersecurity for small and medium-sized businesses?
There are currently several solutions that can be implemented to improve the digital security strategy for small and medium-sized companies. As we have seen, cybersecurity errors are varied, but they can be easily overcome with simple and effective strategies .
Using a complete tool, for example, can make all the difference in controlling and monitoring the internet within the organization , helping managers stay aware of everything that happens within the company's networks and devices. In this sense, adopting the correct tool can be decisive for success and safety .
For this reason, it is essential that the selection process is made according to the organization's real needs, considering what managers really need on a daily basis.
