Whether it’s rainbows on windows or clapping for carers, the COVID-19 outbreak has seen lots of people coming together across the UK and across the world (figuratively of course). Unfortunately, not everyone has the same unified spirit. The government has recently reported a rise in cyber-crime, with some unscrupulous groups or individuals looking to benefit from the unprecedented situation.
In this post, we explore why cyber security is critical at the moment and how to protect your business.
The government’s daily updates have become part of the furniture in recent weeks, with many of us tuning in at 4.30pm to see how things are progressing. In mid-April, the topic of conversation was crime. More specifically, it had fallen. Just weeks into the lockdown, overall crime rates had fallen by 21%. With pubs and shops closed and travel restrictions in place, that’s no surprise.
However, at the same time, some issues have become more prevalent. A domestic violence helpline reported a 120% rise in calls, for instance. On top of that, there have been various reports of fraudulent behaviour. The City of London Police reported a 400% increase in scams with total losses of almost £1 million before the end of March.
This covered a range of scams, including offers to go shopping for vulnerable people in self-isolation. However, a large share of it is down to cyber-crime, with dodgy ecommerce stores selling sought-after hand sanitizer and face masks plus fake sites offering tax relief to people who have suffered a loss of income.
With this rise in cyber-crime comes a growing threat for businesses. As well as targeting vulnerable individuals, there are always going to be hackers looking to exploit businesses too. That risk is amplified in the current circumstances with more employees working at home, in many cases using personal computers.
Here are some steps you can take to minimise the risk to your business:
It seems obvious, but make sure any devices your employees are using have up-to-date anti-virus software. You’ll likely have this installed at the office, but it’s easy to forget about with the quick-moving nature of these unprecedented times.
To further minimise the risk of any leaks or theft, make sure your assets are stored securely – ideally in the cloud. A dedicated digital asset management system goes beyond storage, providing seamless sharing and editing in one central repository.
Whether it’s the first time or a refresher, now is the time to provide up-to-date cyber security training for your team. From avoiding ominous links to setting strong passwords, make sure all bases are covered.
At iBase, we put robust security at the heart of our digital asset management system. Our software is hosted in Amazon’s AWS environment and constantly tested with penetration checks. That’s paired with sophisticated roles and access permissions for members of your team, plus comprehensive auditing and reporting for any actions carried out.
What are you waiting for? Start your free trial today and take the first step towards secure asset management.
