How do I keep my business safe from hackers?
To keep your business safe from hackers, you need three things: software that stops attacks before they happen, backups that can't be deleted, and a plan for what to do if an employee clicks a bad link.
Hackers don't care what your business does. They want to lock up your files and force you to pay to get them back. You don't need an expensive IT department to stop them, just these three protections.
The three protections
1. Stop the attack before it happens (Endpoint Protection)
The Problem: Basic, signature-based antivirus doesn't reliably stop modern ransomware. It mainly looks for viruses it already knows about.
What to do: You need Next-Generation Antivirus (often called EDR). It watches what programs are *doing*. If a program suddenly tries to lock all your files, the software instantly kills the program and isolates the computer.
2. Backups that can't be deleted (Immutable Backups)
The Problem: When hackers get into your system, the very first thing they do is look for your backups and delete them. If they delete your backups, you have to pay the ransom.
What to do: You need "Immutable Backups." This is a type of backup that, once created, cannot be changed or deleted by *anyone* (not even you or your IT guy) for a set number of days.
3. A plan for when someone clicks a bad link (Security Training)
The Problem: You can have the best security software in the world, but if your office manager clicks a link in a fake email from "FedEx," the hackers get in.
What to do: You need to train your team on how to spot fake emails. You also need a simple rule: if someone clicks something suspicious, they must report it immediately without fear of getting fired.
How to know if you are vulnerable right now
- Are your employees using the same password for their email as they do for their personal accounts?
- If all your office computers were locked right now, how long would it take you to get your business running again?
- Do you know for a fact that your backups work, or do you just assume they do?
If you don't know the answers to these questions, your business is currently at risk.
What this costs
Business-grade cybersecurity usually costs between $125 and $250 per employee, per month.
Downtime and recovery from a single attack can cost far more than years of protection, and some small businesses never recover. Cybersecurity isn't an IT expense; it's business insurance.
Casper B2B provides cybersecurity and managed IT for businesses on the North Shore, including the software, the backups, and the training. Book a 15-minute call or take the free Cyber Risk Quiz.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my business too small to get hacked?
No. Hackers don't sit at a keyboard and decide to hack "Joe's Plumbing." They write a program that scans the entire internet looking for unlocked doors. If your door is unlocked, the program attacks you automatically. Small businesses are frequent targets because they usually don't have security.
Doesn't my cloud provider (like Microsoft or Google) back up my files?
Not the way most owners assume. Microsoft's own services agreement recommends that you regularly back up your content, and built-in retention in Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace is limited. If a hacker deletes your emails or files, recovery may not be possible. A third-party backup is the safe choice.
What is a WISP and do I need one?
If you store personal information about Massachusetts residents (a name combined with a Social Security, driver's license, or financial account or credit card number), Massachusetts regulation 201 CMR 17.00 requires a Written Information Security Program (WISP). It's a document explaining how you protect customer data.
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