Cybercrime is on the rise in South Africa, and small businesses are increasingly in the crosshairs. Many SMEs assume they are too small to be targeted, but the reality is that attackers often prefer smaller organisations precisely because their defences tend to be weaker. The good news is that a few straightforward measures can dramatically reduce your risk.
Five Steps You Can Take Today
- Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all email and cloud accounts. This single step blocks the vast majority of credential-based attacks.
- Keep software up to date. Unpatched systems are one of the easiest entry points for malware. Enable automatic updates wherever possible.
- Train your staff. Human error is behind most successful breaches. Regular, short awareness sessions on phishing and social engineering go a long way.
- Back up your data using the 3-2-1 rule: three copies, on two different media, with one stored off-site or in the cloud.
- Use a business-grade firewall rather than relying on your ISP router. Products like the Sophos XGS series provide deep-packet inspection and intrusion prevention at an SME-friendly price point.
At Livity ICT, we offer managed security assessments that identify vulnerabilities before attackers do. Get in touch to schedule a complimentary review of your current security posture.
