Islamabad : In today’s connected world, small businesses are increasingly being targeted by cyber attacks. With limited resources and expertise, these businesses often struggle to defend against sophisticated threats. However, by implementing robust password protection measures, small businesses can significantly improve their security posture and protect their sensitive data. On World Password Day, Kaspersky reveals simple but essential cybersecurity measures for password protection in small business environments.
A study conducted by Kaspersky at the end of 2023 found that 76% of small businesses worldwide and 88% in the META region experienced at least one cyber incident in the past two years. The consequences of these attacks have been severe, leading to the leakage of confidential data, damage to reputations, loss of customer trust and more. Around 9% of small companies worldwide and in META even had to suspend some areas of their business. When examining the reasons for these cyber incidents, it is clear that one of the main causes was the use of weak passwords or failure to update passwords regularly. This reason accounts for almost a quarter, second only to malware downloads.
To solve this global problem, Kaspersky suggests strengthening small business password policies by creating strong passwords and ensuring passwords are robust and unique for each business service. Weak and repetitive passwords are easy targets for cybercriminals who use automated tools to crack them and gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds another layer of security by requiring users to provide additional authentication beyond just a password. While small businesses may perceive MFA as complicated or unnecessary, it is a critical security measure that can protect against a variety of cyber threats, such as password theft and unauthorized account access.
“Even the smallest businesses face significant cybersecurity risks. That’s why it’s important that they prioritize security measures and use specialized cybersecurity products to protect their operations and customer data. For example, our Kaspersky Small Office Security, tailored to the needs of small businesses, offers a practical solution security with “install and forget” protection and allows companies to save their budget, which is especially important in the early stages of business development. It provides comprehensive protection against malware, phishing, ransomware, weak passwords and much more”, comments Hafeez Rehman, manager of Kaspersky’s technical group .
Small business owners should encourage employees to change their passwords regularly and enforce password expiration policies to prevent old passwords from being reused. Employee awareness is also critical to effective password protection and overall online security in small businesses. By fostering a culture of cybersecurity awareness, small businesses can empower employees to play an active role in protecting sensitive information and mitigating cyber threats.
