Cybersecurity is more important than you might think in the day-to-day running of a business. When the number of work increases, it gets to a point where you need the help of Internet services to keep everything up to date. In logistics and supply chain jobs, they use different automated systems to control their shipments, product deliveries, transport fleet control, etc.
The problem is that an external party can often hack these systems. If these systems are not protected, they become an easy target to be breached. This would affect both the buyer and the company. So, cybersecurity is the best weapon, as it helps to protect IT systems from any cyber-attack.
What is cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity is a combination of procedures and tools implemented to protect information generated through computers, servers, mobile devices, networks and electronic systems.
According to experts from the Information Systems Audit and Control Association, known as ISACA, cybersecurity is defined as “a layer of protection for information archives”. The term computer security or electronic information security is also used to refer to cybersecurity.
One of the objectives of cybersecurity is to build trust among customers, suppliers and the market in general. In a hyperconnected world, where most of our activities are done through internet and electronic devices, the security of operations is needed.
Business people and world leaders consider cyber-attacks as one of the main risks they face today and cybersecurity as their biggest challenge.
History of cybersecurity
The first hacker in history was Nevil Maskelyne. In 1903, he intercepted the first wireless telegraph transmission, showing the vulnerabilities of this system developed by Marconi.
Lately, John Draper appeared. He was the first cybercriminal, better known as Captain Crunch.
As the years went by and technology advanced, networked information became increasingly valuable and important to both organizations and cybercriminals.
Then, the malware was born and in the 80s, it increased its presence at the same time as more efficient antivirus software was developed. At the end of this decade, Kevin Mitnick used social engineering to gain access to personal and confidential information.
In the early 1990s, the need to deal with cyber-attacks became a topic of international discussion. It was in 1995 that a committee of computer crime experts was formed in Europe to work on strategies to counter Internet attacks.
Why is cybersecurity important?
Cyber attacks have increased over the years. They are more common and in 2023 the average amounted to 2.13. That’s 26% more attacks in just one year, which is a figure that should put e-commerce companies on alert. Because suffering a cyber-attack means losing your own and your customer’s data, as well as suffering a reputation crisis. That is why it is necessary to protect oneself and use cybersecurity as a shield against this attack. In addition, 94% of customers who shop online say that cybersecurity is key for them to buy from a website.
What are the different types of cyber-attacks?
Not all cyberattacks have the same modus operandi for the same purpose. There are three types of attacks: brute force, phishing, and malware. In reality, there are more types, but these are the most common ones suffered by e-commerce. The most common is phishing with 19%, followed by ransomware at 18% and malware at 14%.
Phishing is also the most known by customers, as it affects them directly because they are the ones affected. It is about fake emails with corrupted links that allow the hacker to enter personal data, and its purpose is to steal mostly the number of bank accounts. Then, the brute force cyber-attacks affect the vulnerability of the company’s software, exposing private information. Finally, malware aims to damage the software to cause damage to the operating system and allows you to take control of that device. That’s why it’s essential to know how to detect and prevent them.
How to protect yourself with cybersecurity against hackers
The first thing is to choose a good server because this hosting will store all customer data. Some servers have better cybersecurity but more barriers to protecting the information. In the same way, it is also important to do vulnerability tests to do a simulation to check if there is any breach in the system.
Then, if you sell online, the company has to add a Secure Socket Layer, SSL, and protection to make it a safe place by encrypting the data. This also refers to the padlock that can be seen above the URL. If it is closed, it is safe to buy on that page. Likewise, it is necessary to make a follow-up in real time of possible attack attempts. Invest in programs that are constantly monitoring the web page to see if someone has tried to hack the systems at any time.
Also, VPNs help to camouflage your VPN address. For example, online casino experts like ArabianBetting advice their users to use a VPN. They can play at the best legal casinos but with maximum online protection. It does not matter if they play roulette, any other game in the sector or they are betting on the most important sports. The important thing is that the information provided when playing with real money or using one of the different payment methods offered is protected. Another example is using and advising the VPN the banks, more and more transactions can be hacked.
Finally, cybersecurity also means being prepared for an attack, for instance, making copies of all the data. Similarly, it is important to make employees and consumers aware that cybersecurity is crucial. It is always said that prevention is better than cure in cybersecurity because it is better not to face a crisis of this type. After all, what is at stake is personal data.
In the end, cybersecurity benefits both the company that does not want its database to be stolen and the consumer because unprotected it can be subject to theft. On the one hand, the company can suffer a crisis; if the cyber-attack is big, it can lose everything. These hackers steal private information and account numbers, and they block the systems, and recovering them is complicated. Meanwhile, consumers can get scammed or, worse, suffer bank robberies. That’s why cybersecurity is so important in e-commerce.
