Three key cyber security questions every small-business owner must ask

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Digital transformation has exploded over the last 18 months, with online e-commerce sales up 31.8 per cent compared to the previous year. With this increase in online activity and online shopping, we have also seen a rise in cyber attacks. The Australian Cyber Security Commission (ACSC) responded to 2,266 cyber security incidents and received 59,806 cybercrime reports from July 2019 to June 2020 – that’s one every 10 minutes.

In response, a Government report has proposed new cyber security rules that could see businesses face minimum requirements and tougher standards when handling personal information. Being aware of the risks and understanding how to deal with a cyber-attack is critical as a small-business owner. GoDaddy research of Australian small businesses in June found that only 15 per cent of respondents said they would know how to deal with a cyber-attack. So it’s imperative to understand the risks, the warning signs and how to protect your website and business.

Why are cyber security protections so important?

While GoDaddy research found that 76 per cent of respondents understand there is a real risk to small businesses, 15 per cent wouldn’t know how to deal with an attack, and 22 per cent had already experienced one. Being aware of the risks is one of the first steps to protection. No website is immune to cyber-attacks. Even a small-business website holds data such as customer addresses, passwords and credit card details that are considered sensitive. Attacks are automated and do not discriminate, and can cause serious financial and reputational damage. While it may sound daunting, there are straightforward ways to spot the warning signs and add protections to your website.

What are the warning signs?

There are numerous forms of cyber attack, from phishing and malware to ransomware and DDoS (Distributed Denial-of-Service). These types of malicious software are used by hackers to access your website and any personal details it contains. There are a few common signs of an attack. For example, if your website is suddenly offline without reason or warning or your email address is sending unsolicited emails. It’s not possible to 100% guarantee your website’s security, but there are ways you can help protect it with monitoring services that identify attacks and start immediate fixes as they are happening.

How can you protect your small-business website?

66 per cent of Australian small business respondents haven’t bought security protection for their websites, according to our research. If you’re one of them, there are a variety of tools to help protect your website and customer data. A firewall can help prevent malware and DDoS attacks. Malware scanning and remediation can help to get your website back up and running if there is a problem. Meanwhile, a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Certificate helps to encrypt the transmission of business and customer data and can be identified with a padlock in the URL so customers can see if your website has protection. Products like GoDaddy Website Security offer a host of services to help protect your website and boost your customers’ trust in your business.

In addition, there are various basic forms of housekeeping you can adopt. For example, use strong passwords containing a series of letters, numbers and symbols, regularly update them and never share them with anyone. And when there are system updates available for your website, computer and mobile device, install them immediately, as they often include the latest security updates.

Just like you wouldn’t dream of leaving your store or office unlocked overnight, today it’s imperative to add protections to your website. By being aware of the risks, understanding the warning signs and implementing a series of protections, you can help protect your website and the people using it.