In a recent CNBC quarterly survey of over 2,000 small businesses, only 5% of small business owners consider cyber security the biggest risk to their company. That is not a typo. It’s 5%. Five! I would be concerned if it were ONLY 95%!
What’s even more concerning…if there could be anything worse…is that it was 5% at the same time last year. That means that in a year when the Colonial Pipeline was hit with a ransomware attack and Russia attacked Ukraine, and small businesses still did not sense they were at risk of cyber attack.
While companies may not pay attention to the threat landscape, consumers are.
Although only 5% of companies see cyber security as a threat, 55% of consumers state that they would be less likely to shop with companies that are victims of a cyber attack.
We often hear that small businesses have a tough time making. While other factors make it difficult (economy, pandemic, labor pool, etc.), one factor that a business can have some control over is whether they are a victim of a cyber attack.
One of the concerns I often voice is that organizations that make a token effort develop a false sense of security. For example, by installing anti-virus, they believe they are secure from all threats. NOT TRUE!
All organizations should be implementing good basic cyber hygiene tools and practices. These include updating and patching, multi-factor authentication, backups, anti-virus, and strong passwords.
In fact, the survey shows that less than half of the companies surveyed have taken any action at all to strengthen their defenses.
Ignorance of the threat is no excuse. Especially when I’ve been yelling it from the mountaintops for so long… THE THREAT IS REAL!
CYBER NEWS
A cyberattack hits the Los Angeles School District, raising alarm across the country
A cyberattack hits the Los Angeles School District, raising alarm across the country
The ransomware attack on the country’s second-largest school district sounded alarms across the country, from urgent talks with the White House and the National Security Council.
news.wsiu.org • Share
Ransomware attack on leading Georgia art college leads to data leak
Ransomware attack on leading Georgia art college leads to data leak
The Record by Recorded Future gives exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to leaders, policymakers, researchers, and the shadows of the cyber underground.
therecord.media • Share
Chinese Hackers Target Government Officials in Europe, South America, and Middle East
Chinese Hackers Target Government Officials in Europe, South America, and Middle East
Hackers from China used the PlugX malware to attack government officials in Europe, the Middle East, and South America.
thehackernews.com • Share
Cisco won’t fix authentication bypass zero-day in EoL routers
Cisco won’t fix authentication bypass zero-day in EoL routers
Cisco says that a new authentication bypass flaw affecting multiple small business VPN routers will not be patched because the devices have reached end-of-life (EoL).
www.bleepingcomputer.com • Share
CYBER HUMOR
VOCABULARY WORD
IDS: IDS, or Intrusion Detection System, is a monitoring system to search network traffic for malicious activity to block it and report it.
TWEET OF THE WEEK
Commonwealth Sentinel
Commonwealth Sentinel
@CwealthSentinel
If the world’s largest distributors of books can be hit with #ransomeware are you ready to stop it?
World’s largest distributors of books Baker & Taylor hit by ransomware https://t.co/HKKDHOh6i9 https://t.co/yG2bPi9EkL
4:14 PM – 31 Aug 2022