How have small businesses fared against the threat or ransomware in 2017? Not very well.

According to USA Today, cyber-attacks have caused small businesses anywhere between $84,000 and $148,000 in losses. 60% of small businesses go out of business within the first 6 months of an attack, and 90% of small businesses don't use any data protection at all for their company and customer information (citation). Hopefully, you’re not making the mistake of leaving your company wide open for cyber hackers to get at your company’s sensitive financial information.

What about the Cloud? There are two issues with cloud applications and cyber safety: 1. Most business will need a hybrid IT environment, so you will still need to secure your on-premise servers, computers, network, and applications. 2. Another big problem is that your cloud applications may not provide backup of your company’s data. Oh yes, Office 365, Salesforce, and even GSuite need a third-party application for backup and recovery.

We’ve been providing data and network security since 2001 and recommend a multi-layered approach to data and network security that includes perimeter security (firewall, antivirus, anti-malware, etc…), employee education, and business continuity/disaster recovery. If you’d like to see our signature 4-step process to cyber security, view our free report, “4 Ways to Protect Your Company from Ransomware, Malware, and Other Cyber Threats.”