3 Ways Malware Can Wreck Your Business
I know it’s not the most glamorous of topics, but besides your regular Adobe CC updates or camera firmware updates, it’s important to stay on top of this, too!
Malware is something annoying pop-ups warn you about on the internet. But instead of being something you brush off, you want to take it seriously, particularly if you are a business owner. Malware is unfortunately one of the most dangerous risks for companies the world over, damaging them in numerous ways.
Here are some of the ways it is harming you right now and why you should take immediate steps to eliminate it.
Image Source: Shamblen Studios
1. It Can Cause Downtime
The primary risk of malware is downtime. Viruses and other types of malicious code can derail your IT operations and prevent you from conducting business the way you normally would.
For example, some malware performs so-called denial of service (DoS) attacks. These bombard your systems with phony requests for bandwidth, preventing you from using them as you would normally.
Malware can also cause system-wide infections that stop you from using certain applications or, in rarer cases, prevent you from leveraging your systems at all.
This is one of the big reasons I am looking for business IT services near me. I just don’t want to deal with the fallout should someone take down my network. Having an expert who can help you or prevent these attacks is reassuring for anyone who relies on ones and zeroes to make money.
2. It Can Damage To Your Reputation
Another way malware is damaging your business is by harming your reputation. Once you leak sensitive information and people find out, it is harder for your firm to claw its way back. People become suspicious that you’re not offering a high-quality service or protecting their information properly.
Phishing scams are another common target of hackers trying to damage your brand’s reputation. Getting staff to hand over sensitive details is a well-known strategy for breaching your systems and generally causing chaos.
Finally, once the news does get out about a breach, it can have a substantially negative effect on your reputation. People find it much harder to trust you or take your business seriously if you constantly have problems with keeping their data safe.
Image Source: Shamblen Studios
3. It May Lead To Financial Losses
Failing to address malware losses can also lead to substantial financial losses. Companies that lose customer data are often subject to extensive legal ramifications, sometimes including losing their license to operate in a given area.
Most losses occur after data breaches. Hackers get customers’ credit card numbers and data and use it to commit fraud and identity theft.
However, it can also come in the form of ransomware, where criminals demand payment for the return of information. For example, they may steal your entire customer database, preventing you from accessing valuable marketing information you spent years building.
For these reasons, it’s always worth working with professionals who can prevent these problems from occurring in the first place. That’s because the risks they pose to businesses are often existential. Hackers can force you to shut down your operations and close your business if you don’t have the proper defenses in place to start. Brand damage can bring you down.
