Attorney General Rokita is providing tips to help protect small business owners from cyber security threats.
During Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Attorney General Todd Rokita is alerting small businesses of rising cyber threats and providing tips for them to protect themselves and their customers.
The average cost incurred by a business from a data breach is now more than $4 million, and approximately 40% of small businesses worldwide have reported losing essential data due to cyber-attacks. According to the US National Cyber Security Alliance, 60% of small businesses that suffer a cyber-attack go out of business in less than a year.
To keep your small business and consumers protected, Attorney General Rokita encourages Hoosiers to follow these tips:
- Establish basic security practices and policies for employees, such as requiring strong passwords.
- Require employees to use unique passwords and change passwords regularly, as well as consider implementing multi-factor authentication that requires additional information beyond a password to gain entry.
- Protect information, computers, and networks from cyber-attacks by having the latest security software, web browsers, and operating systems.
- Provide firewall security for your Internet connection so you can prevent outsiders from accessing data on a private network.
- Make backup copies of important business data and information and regularly backup the data on all computers.
- If you have a Wi-Fi network for your workplace, make sure it is secure, encrypted, and hidden.
- And employ best practices on payment cards by working with banks or processors to ensure the most trusted and validated tools and anti-fraud services are being used.
If you believe you are a victim of a security breach, fill out an Indiana Data Breach Notification form, which can be found at Indianaconsumer.com or by clicking here, and email it to DataBreach@atg.in.gov.
For more information, visit indianaconsumer.com or call (800) 382-5516.