In 2020, the number of cyberattacks increased by 67% compared to 2019. And, they’re only becoming more frequent and more sophisticated.
If you own a small business, you may be wondering if your current antivirus solution is enough to protect you from these threats. The answer is: probably not.
Why AntiVirus Is Not Enough
There are a few reasons why antivirus software is not enough to protect your small business from cyber threats:
Antivirus only detects known threats.
This means that new, unknown threats will slip right past your antivirus software undetected. And, since these new threats are usually more sophisticated than the known ones, they can do a lot of damage before they’re even detected.
Antivirus can’t prevent all types of attacks.
For example, ransomware is a type of attack that encrypts your files and demands a ransom to decrypt them. There’s no way for antivirus to prevent this type of attack – it can only detect it after the fact.
Antivirus can’t protect you from human error.
No matter how good your antivirus software is, it can’t protect you from mistakes made by your employees. For example, if an employee clicks on a malicious email attachment, your whole network could be compromised.
Antivirus is only as good as its last update.
If you don’t keep your antivirus software up-to-date, it won’t be able to protect you from the latest threats. This is why it’s so important to set up automatic updates for your antivirus software.
Antivirus can slow down your computer.
If you have an outdated or poorly designed antivirus program, it can actually slow down your computer and make it more difficult to use. This is why it’s important to choose a reputable antivirus program that’s designed for small businesses.
What You Need for Cyber Threat Protection
So, what do you need to protect your small business from cyber threats? In addition to a good antivirus program, you should also have:
A Firewall
A firewall is a piece of hardware or software that helps to prevent unauthorized access to your network. It’s like a gatekeeper that only lets the traffic you want through and blocks everything else.
Employee Training
Your employees are the weakest link in your security chain. They need to be trained on how to spot phishing emails, avoid clicking on malicious links, and keep their passwords safe.
A Backup Plan
In the event of a ransomware attack or other data loss, you need to have a backup plan in place. This way, you can restore your data and get back up and running quickly.
A Disaster Recovery Plan
A disaster recovery plan is a step-by-step guide for how to recover from a major outage or data loss. It should include steps for how to back up your data, how to restore it, and how to keep your business running during the downtime.
A Security Audit
Last but not least, you should have a security audit performed regularly. This is an assessment of your current security posture and can help you identify weak spots in your defenses.
Conclusion
As a small business owner, you can’t afford to take chances with your cybersecurity. Antivirus software is a necessary part of any security plan, but it’s not enough on its own. You need to have a comprehensive security strategy in place to protect your business from today’s sophisticated cyber threats.