When we think about cybersecurity, viruses and hackers in the shadows tend to be considered as the most important threats faced today. It’s important to note, however, that it is entirely possible to compromise entire servers of data without a single virus or individual hacker being the cause. This is one of the reasons why having the facts regarding data security is so important. When you understand the threats you’re facing, it becomes much easier to adapt your practices in a way that better enables you to keep your data safe. With that in mind, here are ten facts you need to know about data security.

1. Cyber Attacks Heavily Target Small Businesses

While cybercrime is not one relegated to the professional realm, it’s important to note that the majority of small businesses have experienced some form of cyber attack. As many as 63% of small businesses in the United Kingdom have reported that they’ve been the target of web-based crime, including social engineering and phishing attacks, botnets and malicious codes attacks, and denial of service attacks. It is imperative that owners and managers of small businesses have a firm grasp of the challenges they will be facing.

2. Most Cybercrime is Preventable

Given the numbers above, you might be wondering how you can avoid being part of the unlucky 63%. The good news is that most cybercrime can be prevented. It is important to follow good practices when it comes to data security. Taking the time to establish good security measures can be the difference between a thwarted attack that keeps data safe and one that was successful and managed to compromise important information. Ensuring that the latter doesn’t happen is vital for many reasons, not the least because the price of compromised data is incredibly high.

3. Data Breaches Cost Trillions Annually

What exactly is the real cost of a data breach? The answer to this question can be a bit complicated because there are many factors to consider when arriving at accurate figures. Juniper Research recently conducted a study into this area, however, and determined that by 2020, data breaches will cost about $2.1 trillion across the globe. This same study also found that the average cost of a data breach will be more than $150 million by 2020. While this amount will obviously scale along with the business size, it should be noted that these breaches are incredibly costly and can seriously impede the ability to conduct business.

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4. Email Security is Important

Many people believe that they are sufficiently aware of cybersecurity threats involving email. And while some certainly are, it’s a good idea to remember that security risks evolve along with the times. Today, many people run into phishing emails that can redirect traffic to compromised domains or even lead to malware. Take the time to carefully vet every email you receive before you open it and be careful about clicking links even if they look legitimate.

5. Mobile Security Can Make or Break Your Protocol

In addition to securing your desktop systems against attacks, don’t forget about mobile devices connected to your network. Your overall security is only as good as its least effective element. If you have poor mobile security practices, in other words, it doesn’t matter how good the other aspects of your security protocol are – attacks will have a foothold into your network regardless. Make sure to build comprehensive guidelines to keep your data safe and sound even in the face of organized attacks.

6. DDoS Attacks are Increasing in Severity

Because they’ve been around awhile, it might seem like distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks are no big deal. Unfortunately, this is not the case. DDoS attacks are steadily increasing in severity and, according to Nexusguard, have grown by 500% in size over the past few years. That means that when they do hit, DDoS attacks stand to do quite a bit of damage and can put you out of commission for longer than in the past. Taking measures to protect against this kind of cybercrime can save you a lot of trouble in the future.

7. Customers Hate Data Breaches

This might sound like an obvious take-away, but customers hate data breaches. They want to feel as though their data is safe and in good hands when they take part in a transaction. If they begin to feel as though the opposite is the case, they’re much less likely to come back to your business or make a purchase in the first place. Instead, they’ll look for a business that appears to have their customers’ best interests in mind. Avoid losing income by protecting against data breaches to begin with and stop them before they become an issue.

8. Clearly Defined Security Rules Matter

In a perfect world, everyone would have a good grasp on cyber safety and understand what to avoid. This is not that perfect world, however, and many people don’t know even the basics of cyber and data security. That’s why it’s important to put very clearly defined security rules in place for your employees. Give them a list of guidelines that you enforce to help ensure that the security across the board is uniform.

9. Downtime Impacts Your Bottom Line

You can’t make money if you can’t work. It stands to reason, then, that avoiding downtime is a good rule of thumb for businesses. One of the many problems that data breaches cause is a disruption of work activities. You might find yourself unable to work as you normally would while the breach is being uncovered and the damages assessed. Good data security practices can help avoid this problem.

10. Data Breaches can Last for Months

It’s comforting to think that data breaches are detected and secured immediately, but that’s not the reality. It is far more common for data breaches to continue for months and months before being detected, and which point immeasurable amounts of data have already been compromised. Don’t be complacent in your security practices – actively monitor your network for unusual activity.

Data security doesn’t have to be an elusive goal. Whether you’re hoping to keep your business’ data safe or want to keep your personal data off of sites like Nuwber, the tips above should help. Take the time to review the industry’s best practices and implement some smart security solutions today to keep your data safe.

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