Small Business a favorite Attack Vector

Small businesses are hardly immune to attacks by hackers.

• The illusion of low attack risks comes from the publicity that only huge corporations get when they are breached, like Target, Sony and Anthem. These are giants, so of course it makes headline news.
• But when a "ma and pa" business gets attacked, it's not newsworthy.

If you own a small business, ask yourself just how the mega-giant Target got infiltrated by cybercriminals in the first place. Answer: a ma and pa HVAC vendor of Target's!

Cybercriminals thrive on the myth that only big companies get attacked. They know that many small outfits have their guards down; have only rudimentary security measures in place. Never assume you know everything that a hacker wants—or doesn't want.

Think of it this way: Which burglar is more likely to make off like a bandit? One who attempts to infiltrate a palace that has a 10-foot-high stone wall, surrounding a moat that surrounds the palace, with motion sensors everywhere that set off piercing alarms; an army of Dobermans; and a high tower where guards are keeping a lookout?

Or the burglar who tries to break into a small townhome with only a deadbolt and window screens for security? Sure, the palace has millions of dollars worth of wall art alone, but what chances does the burglar have of getting his hands on it? The little townhome just might have some electronics and jewelry he can sell underground.

No business is too small or its niche too narrow to get a hacker's attention; just like any burglar will notice an open ground floor window in that little townhome at 3 a.m.

• Never use lack of funds as an excuse to cut corners on security.
• Share security information with competitors in your niche.
• Consider the possibility that a cyber attack can be an inside job in your little company—something relatively easy to pull off (e.g., every employee probably knows the direct e-mail to the company owner).
• Get cyber attack insurance. A halfway-sized cyber attack could cripple any small company and have tangential fallout.