Today more than ever it’s difficult to turn on your television, tablet, smartphone, or computer without being alerted that another attack on the internet is taking place. At times we hear about hackers taking control of millions of computers with the looming threat of shutting down hundreds of organizations or limiting access to consumer-owned devices. It seems as though it’s a daily routine. Don’t make yourself an easy target for a hacker.
Being hacker aware by making data security a priority to business owners and consumers alike; after all, we’re all someone’s customer.
What are we supposed to do and where do we start?
This is a good beginning to giving you an idea of where some of the faults can be found. Take a look at this interesting Cyber Risk Pressure Test provided by Traveler’s Insurance, to see where you stand. Guidelines like these can help you implement policies in your business, as well as being more conscientious when it comes to protecting the security of your own identity.
Knowledge Is Power Hacker Beware!
Navigating the road to safe payments is the first thing any business owner should be thinking about. Not just to protect your personal business assets but to secure sensitive customer data from being stolen and used fraudulently. The Payment Card Industry (PCI) has established a guideline for business owners to follow in order to protect themselves and customers from wrong doing.
The following is a sample of some shocking statistics compiled relating to businesses being hacked.
$20,752 the average cost to a small business due to hacking
60% of small businesses experienced a cyber breach
71% of hackers attack a business with under 100 employees
60% of small to medium sized businesses involved in a breach close within six months
69% of American consumers worry about the theft of their payment card data
Reference: PCI Security Standards
How To Reduce Your Risk
- Always change default passwords to strong passwords that aren’t easy to guess ex. Fr0gHa!R95
- Keep software up to date
- Install and schedule regular virus scans
- Encrypt data whenever possible
- Protect any network connections, including wi-fi with a strong password
At Card Systems we not only provide our customers with the best and most secure means of payment processing, we also partner with our sister company eGuarded in order to provide the best guidelines outlining the hiring process.
Our customers are our most valuable asset and so is your protection. If we can help please call 866.207.3298 or email your questions
