As businesses welcome new innovative devices and technology to help better serve clients and customers, an increasing amount of cybersecurity threats also arise.

Many bad actors are eager to exploit networks for multiple reasons. Cyber attacks can be coordinated by many parties, such as competitors, hacktivists, organized crime groups, foreign governments, or extortionists. Inevitably, a cyber attack will result in financial losses and damage a company’s reputation.

What are the threats to your business?

The most common types of threats are malware, phishing, and ransomware. Such attacks involve simple tactics such as sending a target an email that appears legit but contains bogus links. If a user opens the link, the computer and network could become infected with malware, or a hacker could unleash a full-scale ransomware attack.

DDoS attacks are still common, where an attacker overwhelms servers with more traffic than they can handle, so it slows or crashes. This tactic weakens the network to launch a much more severe attack.

With the rapid advancement of AI and the IoT, hackers have even more entry points to exploit. Algorithm manipulations are an emerging threat in the field of AI, resulting in cyber security analysts employing machine learning to monitor user behavior and spot anomalies faster than a human can.

How can you boost your cyber defenses and prevent a cyber attack?

Here are 5 strategies and solutions that every business should adopt:

1. Cloud-Based Services

If you use multiple third-party vendors for software, email accounts, applications, and different devices, you’ll have to rely on the creators to update and maintain adequate security for users. Unfortunately, such a complex setup leaves many backdoors in your network for intruders to exploit.

Fortunately, there are more straightforward solutions, such as migrating your operations to cloud-based IT platforms. This means you’ll have an “all-in-one” environment for all accounts and applications. You can also restrict access to sensitive data, encrypt storage spaces, and back-up critical data to comply with regulators.

2. Secure Your DNS

DNS is a fundamental aspect of the internet. Every time we enter a URL, a query is sent to your chosen DNS servers, and a matching IP address is found to display the correct website.

By default, your ISP offers its DNS servers. However, they may lack adequate features to prevent sophisticated man-in-the-middle attacks, which most businesses are at risk from. Therefore, outsourcing to a professional DNS provider offers more robust protection from DDoS attacks. A dedicated DNS provider will monitor internet traffic for unusual behavior that could signify a hacker is testing the boundaries before launching an attack.

3. Shield Your Internet Connection

You’ll need to protect your internet traffic with strong encryption, and one such way is with a VPN.

You can use a software VPN for single computers or purchase special VPN routers that provide full network-wide coverage for any device that connects to it. So even devices unable to host software, such as the IoT, can benefit from the data encryption the VPN offers.

4. Create An Action Plan

Prevention is better than cure; therefore, draw up an action plan to deal with potential scenarios.

An action plan should identify vulnerable points within a network and how attacks could unfold. Secondly, determine how quickly your team can respond to an emergency while minimizing disruption to your business operations. Finally, build an emergency response team that consists of members from all departments and train each member on how to act in the event of different scenarios.

Navigating the world of cybersecurity is challenging and costly, yet necessary in today’s digital realm. Protecting your business from cyber attacks is essential to stay aligned with state regulatory bodies and avoid the hefty costs of recovering from a data breach.

Also, demonstrating that you have robust cyber defenses strengthens the relationship with your clients or customers, giving them peace of mind that their data is in safe hands.