IT Attacks Abound – Even in Cyber Security Awareness Month

National Cyber Security Awareness Month kicked off with JP Morgan Chase disclosing a data breach that exposed the personal information of millions of individuals and small businesses.

October 2014 also saw announcements from other large organizations that they, too, had experienced data breaches. Staples, K-mart, AT&T, Fidelity National Financial and Dairy Queen were among the companies that made the headlines last month related to cyber security incidents.

But it’s not only major companies that have been in the news recently. Small and medium-sized businesses also reported IT security issues.

• Cyberswim, an online retailer that sells specialty swimwear for women began informing customers in early October that hackers had installed malicious software on the company’s web server, potentially compromising customers’ credit card data and other personal information.
• Flinn Scientific, an Illinois company specializing in educational scientific supplies, notified at least 500 customers who made purchases on the company’s website that their personal information, including credit card data, may have been compromised in a malware attack.
• And on October 21^st, American Soccer Company, Inc. (aka SCORE), a California-based sports uniform manufacturer discovered unauthorized access to the server that processes its customers’ payment information.

New white paper looks at cyber risks for small businesses

So what can you do to reduce your business’ risk of a data breach in this brave new world of constant cyber threats?

For starters, you may want to check out the new white paper, “Why Your Small Business Is at Risk of a Data Breach” by Kaufman Rossin’s IT security and compliance specialists, Jorge Rey and Richard Salinas.

In it, you will find information on the following topics:

• Why cyber security is not just an IT issue
• The real risks in a business environment where data is everywhere
• Questions to ask about your business’ IT security
• Statistics on small business cyber attacks
• 4 types of data security nightmares to be aware of
• Real-life examples of small business data security vulnerabilities
• What you can do to reduce your business’ risk of a cyber security breach

Nearly half of all small businesses have been a victim of cyber attacks, according to a 2013 study by the National Small Business Association. You don’t want your business to be next. Contact us to learn more about how you can help protect your business from IT risks.

Download the white paper