2019 saw $3.5 billion in cybercrime losses for individuals and businesses, the FBI reports. Over the last five years, the losses total $10 billion. The biggest contributor by far was business email compromise (BEC).
The report released by the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) explains that BEC scammers are getting more sophisticated; the threat of email compromise itself is evolving.
This opinion was seconded by professionals in the cybersecurity industry. Does your business or organization have the most up-to-date security features designed to deter these attacks? It’s worth taking a long hard look at the antivirus software, email protection systems, firewalls, and other network security features you rely upon to guard your private data.
Antivirus Software
Antivirus software is a tool developed to scan for malware or software with malicious patterns and remove it from your system. This program will download threat definitions and scan files to search for matching codes. It allows the users to schedule scans, allows the user to initiate scans of a file or part of a computer or network, scan, identify, and remove any malicious code, and show the health of the computer construct as it pertains to malware and efficiency. All files will enter the scan and if they meet the definitions the program has as being a virus, they will be blacklisted, blocked, and quarantined. The user has the ability to override the antivirus at any time.
Spam Protection
Spam protection is a safety feature that is often overlooked. Not only is spam tiresome, but it also disrupts productivity since employees must waste time sorting through it. Worse, spam and other unfiltered emails can hold a treasure trove of malicious software and scams. Last year, the IC3 received nearly 24,000 complaints regarding email scams alone. No matter how much you trust your employees, anyone can be susceptible to these and other attacks. Enlisting the services of spam filters can help identify incoming dangerous emails from attackers and filter these emails so they come into the spam portion of your inbox versus your regular inbox.
UTM Firewalls
A UTM firewall will monitor network traffic to detect threats or violations of policy. If the firewall detects anything unusual, it can block the activity from happening while notifying the administrator. It will also update security solutions so that you can block out activity from malware processes. UTM will allow easy access to devices that have been approved by IT to lessen the risk of scammers.
Ask the trusted professionals at Machado Consulting who provide all kinds of cybersecurity solutions and know how to treat you like part of a team. We look forward to earning your long-term business. Contact us here or by phone at (508) 453-4700.
