Can your business afford a $25,000 bill? That’s about how much a cyber attack costs small businesses.

You might think that your business is going to get overlooked because you don’t have a big company. You’re actually the perfect target for hackers.

Cyber attackers know that small businesses don’t have the time, resources, or knowledge to put security measures in place.

They expect small businesses to have many security vulnerabilities to exploit. Fortunately, they’re right.

Don’t let a security vulnerability bring down your business. Read on to discover the common security vulnerabilities and how to detect and prevent them.

Common Security Vulnerabilities

Your first step is to understand the common security vulnerabilities small businesses face. Fortunately, they’re easy to identify and address.

Passwords that are easy to guess is a security vulnerability that most entrepreneurs overlook. They want to maximize productivity, but this is like leaving an open window for thieves.

Phishing emails that employees click on are another one. There might be issues because your business relies on outdated hardware or software.

If you don’t keep up with these changes, the business becomes vulnerable to cyber attacks.

How to Identify a Security Vulnerability

The best way to spot security vulnerabilities is by running a security audit.

Use a standardized security audit like the ISO 27001 audit. What is an ISO 27001 audit? It’s a prominent standard that’s used throughout the cyber security industry.

It covers everything from security documentation to testing for security vulnerabilities. You can do this yourself, or use an objective third-party with the expertise to perform a security audit.

Be sure to do this frequently. Cyber threats change and hackers get more sophisticated.

Prevent Security Vulnerabilities

The audit should reveal a lot of security vulnerabilities. You might get overwhelmed by the number of items to fix.

Prioritize them by the probability and risk the security vulnerabilities have. For example, a risk might have a high probability of happening and cause significant damage to your business.

This is something that needs to get addressed immediately.

Cybersecurity isn’t just about prevention. You need to be able to detect cyber threats. The average breach takes 212 days to detect.

Think of the data that gets into the wrong hands in that amount of time. It could devastate your business.

You also need to have a plan to respond to attacks accordingly. Speed minimizes the damage.

These steps should be thought out and practiced. It’s like running a first-aid drill for your business.

Don’t Lose Business Because of a Security Vulnerability

As an entrepreneur, you already have a lot to do and think about. You need to add security vulnerability mitigation to your list.

This brief guide showed you how to prevent and detect security vulnerabilities. Learn what the common security vulnerabilities are and audit your business. You’ll be able to develop a plan to prevent security vulnerabilities and protect your business.

If you liked learning about these tips for entrepreneurs, you’ll enjoy the other business tips on the blog. Check them out today!