Every employer faces the reality that they could be the target of cybersecurity attacks or data breaches, which can jeopardize their credibility and cost thousands of dollars (or more) in damages. The total number of cyberattacks increased by 50% in 2021, with the education, healthcare and research industries getting hit particularly hard. By following simple preventative steps, business owners can protect their organizations from cyberattack risks. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted how, when and where we work. A large portion of the workforce is still working remotely, most if not all of the time. The change to remote work and a reliance on cloud-based services, such as online meetings and file sharing, has opened up more opportunities for cyberattacks. Businesses must focus on securing their company and customer data now more than ever. With threats of cyberattacks growing, companies need protection from data breaches. All organization should offer data security training and create a company-wide data breach policy with a response plan ready to implement when/if it is needed. The above slideshow highlights six cybersecurity risks that can wreak havoc on a business and how employers can train their employees to be diligent for cyberattack red flags.

Linda Comerford of AmTrust. (Credit: AmTrust)

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