Step two – Know Your Threats
AVG’s SMB market landscape report 2011 has identified the fact that the majority of SMBs remain focused on the more traditional threats to IT security, such as email and web-based viruses.
However, there are many new ways in which ‘organizational’ security can be compromised, including intellectual property theft and social engineering techniques.
Increased awareness of new threats is of fundamental importance; it is something which affects businesses of all sizes and if ignored, can cause a great deal of harm.
Organized cybercrime is the new shape of industrial espionage and is on the increase, as recently reported by the UK Government’s Headquarters Communications Headquarters.
The “traditional virus” has also spawned new strains and variants. This in turn means that cybercrime ‘attack vectors’ are now many and varied, so security protection layers need to be comprehensive, intelligent and robust.
The engineered genetics of viruses, worms and other malware have reached the point at which they can be targeted to reprogram industrial targets and deliver their “payload” into commercially active businesses of all sizes.
While the risks are increasing, we also amplify threats by using technologies from USB sticks to Instant Messaging and social networking. Put simply, the threat of malware is pervasive and it comes via a multiplicity of channels.
Keep up to date on the latest threats and viruses by reading AVG’s news and threats blog. Also read AVG’s quarterly threat reports to keep yourself abreast of the new ways and means that cybercriminals are using to target individuals and businesses.
Here are the first three reports:
Next steps
- Keep up to date with the changing threat landscape
- Read AVG’s 2011 threat reports
- Read through AVG’s 2011 SMB Market Landscape Report
