Small businesses will face the most difficult cyber security problems in 2022

Our world lives, works, and plays on the internet. Even though the internet makes us more connected and efficient, it also brings a lot of new risks.

Cyberhacking, cyberattacks, and why cybersecurity is important

Since the pandemic began, there have been a lot more cyber threats.
Even though we often hear about big attacks like the recent ransomware attack on Kronos, thieves are also going after small businesses. Cyberattacks can happen to anyone, but small businesses are one of the most common targets. 43 percent of all cyberattacks are aimed at small businesses.

There are more cyber threats to small businesses than ever before

In 2022, there will be a lot more cybersecurity risks and breaches than ever before. In 2022, there will be more data breaches and cyberattacks than ever before. This was because there was a global epidemic and a lot of political unrest. It looks like 2023 will be even harder, which is sad. When we think about 2022, we think that being aware of cybersecurity is one of the most important skills a small business owner can have. We have made a list of the biggest cybersecurity risks that your business will face in the next year. To protect yourself from these dangers, the first step is to understand them.

Cybersecurity is the practise of protecting computers, servers, mobile devices, networks, and data from cyberattacks. This means keeping your business, your employees, your clients, and your vendors safe. Every day, cybercriminals get better at what they do, make more money, and work around the clock, seven days a week, to try to break through their defences.

Watch out for these 6 cyber security risks for small businesses in 2022

Here are some cybersecurity risks that small businesses should be aware of in 2022:

Ransomware and other bad software

Malware is one of the most general terms when it comes to cyberattacks. It includes any programmer that is meant to do harm to a computer system.

When malware gets into a network, it does something bad, like encrypt, delete, or steal data.

It can also be used to keep track of what a user is doing or to take over their computer or other device.

Malware includes things like worms, viruses, Trojan horses, and spyware.

Ransomware locks up a person’s files or computer and asks for money to unlock them.
Ransomware spreads when people open phishing emails or go to a website that has been hacked.

2. Employees who work from home

With the epidemic still going on, working from home is becoming more and more common.
In this new normal, there will always be a mix of people at work.
Because of this, all the problems that come with keeping a remote workforce safe and productive will almost certainly still be around in 2022.

Also, spam related to COVID will remain a cyber security issue that businesses need to be aware of.

3. Sharing Without Intention

We’ve all made the mistake of hitting “reply all” on an email when we only meant to send a reply to one person.
Then, all of a sudden, everyone on the email gets a personalised reply that you only meant for one person.

Sharing without meaning to is a similar problem. This happens when information is shared by accident.

The most common cause is a mistake made by a person, not malware or a hacker.
Personal and business information can be sent by accident through email, chat services, social media, and forms that aren’t secure.

4. Email scams

Phishing is still the most common way for small and medium-sized businesses to lose data.
Your employees at your company get a lot of emails and other messages every day.
Phishing is a type of cyberattack in which a criminal pretends to be a trustworthy company in order to get sensitive information.

Most phishing attacks happen when someone clicks on a link in an email that looks real. Most of the time, clicking on the link takes the visitor to a fake website that collects personal information.

Hackers know this, so they will send fake emails and posts on social media to everyone in your company. If you click on their malicious link, your whole company will be hacked.

5. Smashing, or SMS-based phishing, is a type of phishing, but there are a few things that make it different.

SMS, which stands for “short message service,” is one of the most common ways to send a text message today.
In general, phishing is done through emails or browsing the Internet. When you get SMS text messages on your phone, this is called “smishing.”

The hacker will send you an SMS message with a link in it. The attack starts when you click on that link.
A common phishing attack looks like a message from your bank telling you to enter your social security number.
You might also get a request from a shipper, like UPS or Amazon, to schedule a delivery time.

6. Getting around the rules: Credential stuffing is a type of attack in which a user’s login information is used to get into their account.

This is what happens when the same login information is used for many sites or accounts.
Because so many people use the same login and password for multiple sites, if those credentials are revealed (for example, through a phishing attempt), an attacker can use those credentials to get into dozens or even hundreds of other accounts.

Credential stuffing is a type of attack that is also called a “brute force attack.” The process of brute forcing involves trying different passwords on one or more accounts or guessing a password.