TIPS TO KEEP BUSINESS SAFE FROM CYBERCRIME

Cybercrime have become a major concern in companies. Although absolute security is an illusion, prevention is the best help and is in our power.

Adding to the prevention a cyber insurance for companies is also an essential option to enjoy total peace of mind, whether or not we are capable of containing cyberattacks and information leaks, since on many occasions we are the ones who open the door.

In this article we give you the keys to protect yourself against the most frequent computer crimes. Without further ado, let's start by defining the basics.

Cybercrime, in general terms, are criminal acts perpetrated on the internet through electronic devices, whatever they may be, the computer and mobile phones being the most widely used. Its objective is the theft of information, whether corporate or business, to perpetrate another fraudulent act of greater economic or social significance.

Hackers are responsible for carrying out these criminal actions using various methods, discreet and, due to their persecution, unpredictable. It goes without saying that the number of cybercrimes is increasing year after year in all countries. Furthermore, cybercrime is the fastest growing crime in the world, and 70% of the attacks are concentrated in companies.

You may think that if you are a small company your data does not interest anyone. The truth is that they are usually important only to you, but cybercriminals know this and that is why they hijack your data to ask you for a ransom later. Big or small, the risk is very high.

Most common cybercrimes

Although its forms are varied, the most common and usual cybercrimes in companies are the following:

68% infection of computers through malicious programs

Of all, perhaps the best known for its media impact is Ransomware. A program that encrypts the data of the equipment until the payment of a ransom in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. In this black list we can add the programs that spy on our data and behavior (Spyware) to sell them to a third party or the no less famous Viruses: Trojans or worms that normally seek to destroy the information stored on our computers.

15% unauthorized access

As bugs, deficiencies or obsolescence of a program that can allow a non-legitimate user to access the information or carry out operations that are not allowed remotely. These security holes can be exploited by cybercriminals to access systems without any limitation.

11% fraud

These cyber or computer frauds are carried out through the use of a computer or the internet. Hacking is a common form of fraud, in which the criminal uses sophisticated technological tools to remotely access a computer with confidential information. Another form of fraud is through the interception of information in an electronic transmission, which can lead to the theft of passwords, the number of bank or credit card accounts, or other confidential information about a person's identity.

The rest of the most common crimes are:

Denial of services

DDOS or Denial of Services attacks are a type of attack that consists of denying access to a website or server to its rightful owner, blocking or canceling it for hours. It can also cause substantial data loss.

Cybercrime of Identity Theft

Hackers gain access to banks or bank cards and use them to make purchases or transactions on real or fictitious sites.

Phishing Cybercrime

It consists of replicating corporate websites for users to enter their data. Once picked up by hackers, they are used to commit a crime.

Cybercrime of Harassment and Invasion of Privacy

Users receive threatening messages and are extorted at the risk of airing their activities and private life.

Tips to avoid Cybercrime

Since fleeing to a forest and going incommunicado is not an option, here are six tips to help you stay safe from hackers and cybercriminals:

Use hard-to-remember passwords

Use combinations of at least ten characters that mix uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.

Don't repeat the same password on all sites and change passwords regularly; in the case of very sensitive data, at least once a month.

Also using a system to remember passwords

Use antivirus

These programs provide real-time protection against threats from malware and ransomware. Set them to update the virus database automatically for added security.

Update your operating system and applications

Hackers often take advantage of flaws in operating systems (exploits) to find backdoors to your information.

Keeping your antivirus software up-to-date will help you minimize this risk. As well as being up to date with the new forms of cybercrime that exist.

Strengthen your communications system

The use of a VPN will encrypt all your communications both at origin and destination.

In case of being intercepted by a hacker, he will be unable to interpret the data.

Mentalize your employees

None of the previous points works if your employees are not aware. Having regular meetings with them and informing them of the consequences that their actions may entail will be the best prevention, since the company is not a meeting of machines but a mission of people.

Always be alert

You never know when a cyberattack may occur or by whose hand. By action or omission, data can be stolen. Being vigilant is the best advice that can be given in addition to tackling these problems in their early stages and minimizing damage.