With the web playing an increasingly vital role in the development of all our businesses – especially in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic – turning your attention to cyber security has never been so important. Keeping your business safe online is essential for businesses of all shapes and sizes, and it all starts with those cyber defences.
Hackers are using techniques that are more and more sophisticated. Cyber-attacks are now becoming sophisticated enough to get around many traditional anti-virus software products and firewalls deployed by companies to keep their business, loyal customers and data safe. But that’s where penetration testing comes in…
Penetration testing, also known as a ‘pen test’, simulates a cyber-attack on your system or network to reveal vulnerabilities that could potentially leave your business, its customers and their data exposed. Here we explore why every business, including yours, should consider penetration testing.
Because every business is a target
It’s not just big name, high earning corporations that make the ideal targets for hackers and fraudsters. Due to their presumed vulnerability, small businesses and sole traders are prime targets for cybercriminals. According to Hiscox’s latest Cyber Readiness Report, companies employing 1 to 9 workers were most at risk of cyber-attack, and this figure is rising.
Every business’s data is valuable to cybercriminals with information held by smaller businesses just as likely to be targeted as that of a large, multi-million-pound company. By recruiting an experienced penetration tester to conduct regular tests and vulnerability scans on your behalf, you can safeguard your small business effectively.
Because you have a legal obligation to your customers
In accordance to the latest GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), you have a legal obligation to protect your customers’ data.
If you don’t put various measures in place to safeguard the customer data you hold, you could be liable for fines. A penetration test means you can close loopholes that could be exploited by hackers to successfully protect your customers.
Because cyber breaches are particularly costly
If your business becomes the victim of a cyber-attack then you’re likely to have more than stolen data and GDPR fines to worry about. Cyber security breaches are particularly costly – at an average of around £11,000 to small businesses last year.
Cyber-attacks can put an unnecessary burden on your business finances. Ransom payments demanded by hackers, the expensive replacement of hardware, and the costs of business disruption all have a devastating financial impact on any company. Further costs such as the profit you’ll lose as a result of damaged reputation and loss of trust can also cause significant financial damage.
By spending money on penetration testing now, you’ll be able to not only protect your business’ reputation, and safeguard your company and customer data, but save a staggering amount of money. Pen tests are extremely affordable, especially when compared with the amount of money a cyber-attack could cost your company.
Because it could spell the end of your company
The staggering costs of a cyber-attack and the potential for irreversible reputation damage means that being targeted by a cybercriminal could spell the end of your business. By undertaking a pen test on a regular basis, you can make your cyber defences as iron clad as possible, and give your business every chance of success in the short and long term.
