Cybersecurity Tips for Startups and Small Businesses

Transcription

1 FOUR ESSENTIAL Cybersecurity Tips for Startups and Small Businesses

2 Cybercrime is a Big Problem for Small Business As you know, there s nothing small about the small business sector. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, the 23 million small businesses in America account for 54% of all U.S. sales, provide 55% of all jobs, and have created 66% of all net new jobs since the 1970s 1. Bravo! Although your data is critical to your success and you are integral to the success of the U.S. economy, many startups and small businesses let cybersecurity slip through the cracks. There is no shortage of negative news stories about data breaches in the small business sector. Check out this report about how many small businesses are handling lost data. 2 And, this story about how the impact of cybercrime can be disastrous 3 for a small business. And, finally, click here to read how many small business owners don t take adequate steps to protect their business from cyberattacks. 1 Small Business Trends, SBA.gov, U.S. Small Business Administration 2 The Wall Street Journal, Market Watch, Survey Shows Small Businesses Have Big Data Breach Exposure, March 6, PC World, Hackers put a bull s-eye on small business, August 12, Threatpost, Despite 800m in Losses, Small Businesses Scoff at Security, May 24, 2013

3 Like all predators, cybercriminals set their sights on the weakest targets. Small businesses often lack the budget, staff, and sophistication to assemble strong defenses, making them an easy target where the chances of thieves getting caught is much lower. No company is too small to be worthwhile for the bad guys. While many don t offer enormous paydays for criminals, even small companies have valuable intellectual property, access to financial resources, and in most cases, customer data that can be easily sold or used to commit additional crimes. Unless you are in the cybersecurity business, making sure you are adequately protected can seem like an overwhelming undertaking. You may not know where to begin. We ve identified these essential tips and created this E-Book to help you get started today to protect your startup or small business.

4 1. KISS Keep It Simple, Small Business Securing IT infrastructure is often an afterthought for solo startups or businesses with very few employees. But this is a mistake. According to a report from the Ponemon Institute, more than half of U.S. small businesses surveyed have experienced at least one data breach. 5 But when entrepreneurs decide to take steps to secure their new business, too often they can t afford to purchase and install multiple pieces of complex software that are designed for much larger enterprises. Even if they have the budget, they ll struggle to properly utilize and manage it. Small businesses should select SMB-specific software or select vendors that are well-known for providing intuitive, comprehensive security software in order to avoid the trap of paying too much for something they will struggle to use. Starting with antimalware software and testing designed for a small business is the best first move. 5 Ponemon Institute, Poll for HSB (2013)

5 2. Don t forget mobile security. With almost everyone now utilizing smartphones and/or tablets, it is inevitable that your corporate data will end up on a device that can easily be lost or stolen. Furthermore, most mobile devices have weak security, so it is incredibly easy for criminals to compromise these devices and gain access to, not only the data on the device, but also your entire business network. With so many people dependent on smartphones and tablets, it s not surprising that the bad guys are targeting these vulnerable devices and that mobile malware is on the rise. For small businesses, mobile security and device management capabilities should be highly considered when creating security for your organization. Mobile Malware Evolution Number of Unique Samples 80,000 70,000 60,000 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0 Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Source: Kaspersky Lab, April 2013

6 3. Think about encryption. It may seem like overkill at first, but as soon as you start processing and storing payment or other confidential information of customers, encryption is vital. If a computer gets infected with malware, or if an employee laptop gets stolen, unencrypted customer information can lead to crippling fines from regulatory agencies, and equally bad, a loss of trust from your customers. Also, data encryption is actually a requirement once you start setting up Point of Sale (POS) terminals (fancy language for cash registers) that accept credit cards. If you plan on having a storefront physical or online you need to familiarize yourself with Payment Card Industry (PCI) security standards and the risks of violating these rules.

7 4. Consider an integrated security solution. Implementing a security solution that s managed through a single console makes sense, especially for small companies that may not have dedicated IT security staff, much less an entire IT department. Because complexity is the enemy of security, it s critical that you choose cyberprotection that allows you to set, deploy, and monitor a single policy across your entire IT infrastructure, including all devices, systems, and platforms. As a small business, you likely don t have the expertise, time, or budget of a large enterprise, so finding a single solution that meets your anti-malware, mobile security, and encryption needs will be much easier to manage than tying together multiple products from different vendors. In short, look for one product that solves all of your needs and allows you to focus on what you do best--running and growing your business.

8 The Total Cost of Protection Now that you re aware of the growing malware battle, the risks to business, and the importance of maintaining proper cyberprotection, you re faced with the daunting challenge of finding the right anti-malware suite. Of course, everyone wants the best possible protection at the lowest possible price. But why purchase protection that you don t need just because it s part of the package or get a good deal that leaves your organization vulnerable? Kaspersky has developed a model for evaluating anti-malware software. The idea is to assist your organization in considering all the components of deployment during the evaluation process. Poor detection rates, a negative impact on system or network performance, complex administration, and poorly outsourced vendor support can increase costs and put data at risk. With Kaspersky s Total Cost of Protection, our experts help you make smart security decisions based on both the hard and soft costs associated with anti-malware deployment so you get the protection that s right for your organization at the best possible price.

9 About Kaspersky Lab Kaspersky Lab is the world s largest privately held vendor of endpoint protection solutions. The company is ranked among the world s top four vendors of security solutions for endpoint users. * Throughout its 15-year history, Kaspersky Lab has remained an innovator in IT security and provides effective digital security solutions for educators, consumers, SMBs and Enterprises. The company currently operates in almost 200 countries and territories across the globe, providing protection for more than 300 million users worldwide. Call Kaspersky today at or us at corporatesales@kaspersky.com, to learn more about Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business. SEE IT. CONTROL IT. PROTECT IT. With Kaspersky, now you can. * Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms, Peter Firstbrook, John Girard, Neil MacDonald, January 2, 2013.