How to Keep Your Business Safe From Online Hackers in 2022

Whether your business is big or small, the digital age has opened many doors for different types of online hackers, so it's critical to stay a step ahead.

Below are a few of the most common hackers and ways you can prevent your online data from being hacked.

Black hat hackers

This is your stereotypical cybercriminal that breaks into your computer networks with malicious content. Their motivation is to steal the sensitive data that they collect and use it to make a profit. It can be difficult to control this problem because of how global black hat hacking is.

To help reduce exposure to hackers, keep your firewall turned on, and be careful of what employees download - setting restrictions so all downloads have to be authorized is a great way to monitor this.

White hat hackers

While white hat hackers have the same skills as black hat hackers, but their motive is a bit different. They’re known as ethical hackers and will use their skills to help governments and businesses spot security flaws that could lead to cyber attacks.

Script kiddies

This term is used for someone who's not as skilled as a black hat tracker and who lacks programming knowledge. Instead of learning how to create malware, the hacker will copy the existing software of experienced hackers to break into devices and private networks.

How to avoid online hackers

With many businesses relying on the internet to operate - especially in the cloud era with remote teams - it's critical to follow these best practcices:

• Train employees on the basics of how to keep personal information safe, as this is one of the main things that hackers go after. Don’t allow sensitive information to be sent via email, but leverage specialist programs such as ShareFile to help data safe yet accessible to relevant parties..
• Passwords are one of the most important aspects when it comes to protecting your information. Encourage employees to use secure passwords and to change them regularly. To do this, set up rules which require employees to create a new password every month that uses a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols to make it difficult to crack.
• Set up two-factor authentication so only those with permission can access your systems.

These days hackers can come in many forms. To continue to protect your business, check out the infographic below to stay up on the latest hackers and hacking protection tips for 2022.