Each year more and more businesses run applications via an internet connection which opens businesses to more security risks. Fortunately, there are many ways to minimize these risks. Here’s a look at five of the biggest security risks associated with the increase in online applications and how to defend against them.

Internet of Things (IoT)

The Internet of Things refers to the interconnectedness of physical objects that are embedded with electronics, software, and networking connectivity that allow them to collect and exchange information. Because of IoT companies that rely on VoIP for their communication solutions are at risk since their devices can be accessed and controlled remotely by anyone with an internet connection and the know-how.

DDoS attacks

DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks can render a network or networked device unavailable for users by exploiting limitations of TCP/IP, ICMP floods, and peer-to-peer attacks. In other words, someone can orchestrate an attack on a network by flooding the bandwidth thus making the network unusable.

Social media attacks

One security threat that’s on the rise is social media attacks which is expected to increase by 400% this year. Social media attacks occur when malicious content is placed on social media channels in the hopes of getting users to unknowingly distribute malware.

Mobile malware

Mobile malware is malicious software that is specifically built to target mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. It’s an especially big security risk for companies that have a bring-your-own-device policy. When employees use their own personal mobile devices on the company’s network, the company could be exposed to mobile malware attacks.

Third party attacks

When businesses team up with third party providers or contractors to handle some services, they open themselves up to third party attacks. This is what happened to Target last year when hackers were able to steal credit and debit card information via a third party that Target used to process credit and debit card transactions.

Defending against security risks

Defending against security should be a top priority for any business. Data security starts with the provider. The advantage to teaming up with Equiinet is that we offer a wide range of security services to keep your business safe from security threats. From firewall to antivirus, to data and voice encryption, we have the tools to defend against cyber threats.