Technology | Digital Protection
How to keep your business safe from hackers, scammers and cyber attackers DI Solutions is a Waikatobased cybersecurity company with a vision to educate SMEs on how to protect themselves from the rising threat of cybercriminals. With hackers, scammers, and cyber attackers becoming a growing concern, no business with a computer or an email account is safe. Waikato cybersecurity expert and owner of DI Solutions, Bradley Whittal says, “Businesses of all sizes need to act before they are hacked”. With many businesses beginning to move online and embrace digital adoption, the risk of a small-medium sized business experiencing a cyberattack continues to increase.
Doing nothing is no longer an option Recent MYOB showed nearly a quarter (24 percent) of SMEs have been a victim of a cyberattack or malicious cyber activity. “SMEs often believe they are too small for cybercriminals to bother about but it’s not true. “Cybercriminals will exploit and take advantage of any business, no matter the size and even a small attack can be costly and timeconsuming,” Bradley says.
A cyberattack could stop your business in its tracks Bradley frequently asks business owners, “Could you continue operating your business if you lost access to your emails?”
The truth is, no one is ever 100 percent protected from hackers and online scammers - but there are things we can do to lessen our chances of an attack. He believes business owners don’t understand the serious impact a cyberattack could have on their business. “For example, tradies often use a calendar app to schedule appointments, tell staff where to go and what to do etc. If they lost access to that app and their emails, business would stop in its tracks. “Right now, they are currently booked out three to four weeks in advance. It’s unlikely they will be able to remember all that information. The bigger your team, the bigger the risk.”
Education is your frontline defence Bradley has seen the impact a cyberattack can have when his grandfather lost his pension money in a scam. This unfortunate incident is what inspired Whittal to start his business, DI Solutions, three years ago.
1. Are your software and operating systems kept up to date? 2. Are your wireless networks secure? 3. Have you set up firewall and other security?
“I wanted to help others protect themselves and their assets, so it doesn’t happen to them.”
4. Do you have secure access to your devices and computers?
Today, DI Solutions’ clients range from law firms and podiatrists to tradies and cafes.
5. How educated are you and your employees on cyber security?
“We focus on providing education. The enduser, the human staff member, is the weakest link in the chain.”
Good cyber security involves the following:
“Sixty seven percent of all ransom attacks are caused by someone unwittingly clicking on a link or attachment contained within a phishing email.”
Staying safe Here’s three tips from DI Solutions to help keep your small business systems and data safe from cyberattacks: Get a password manager A password manager requires you to only remember one master password. It is a directory of all your passwords so if something is compromised, you can search for that compromised password and change it. Set up Two Factor Authentication (2FA) either via Google Authenticator or text notification If your password is breached but 2FA is enabled, your account is still secure as the hacker will not have access to the six-digit code sent to your mobile. If you are using Google Authenticator, the passwords reset every 30 seconds. Go back to basics If someone sends a request for payment or personal details, make sure it is coming from the right email address. If you are suspicious, just phone them. It takes two minutes to phone someone to make sure it has come from a trustworthy source. 26 | www.canterburytoday.co.nz
How cyber secure are you/your business?
1. Determining what assets you need to secure. 2. Identifying the threats and risks that could affect those assets or your business overall. 3. Identifying what safeguards you should put in place to deal with threats and secure assets. 4. Monitoring your safeguards and assets to prevent or manage security breaches. 5. Responding to cyber security issues as they occur (such as an attempt to break into business systems). 6. Updating and adjusting to safeguards as needed (in response to changes in assets, threats and risks).
DI Solutions provides phishing education and training to help business owners and their staff learn how to spot, avoid, and report dangerous cyber threats to protect themselves from attack. They also offer Dark Web Monitoring to help stop potentially costly and widespread data breaches. Would you like to test your staff’s ability to protect your business from a phishing attack? Then contact Bradley Whittal at DI Solutions on techsupport@disolutions.co.nz, or freephone 0508 444 888.
