Cybersecurity preparedness is a requirement for modern enterprises. While there is an increased effort to ensure business are safe, many misconceptions still float around about the cybersecurity space.

In this post, we will bust five common cybersecurity myths.

Only the IT department/ Security team is responsible for cybersecurity

Though the IT department implements policies and processes to keep cybersecurity in a top state, it cannot do everything. The buck stops with each employee when it comes to cybersecurity.

All employees need to be careful when opening emails from third parties. If hackers infect just one email, there is a high chance of  infection for  all computers in your department. To curb cyber risks, everybody must play a role.

Having a strong password is enough

Well, having a strong password on your accounts is essential  for safeguarding your data. However, no password is 100% secure. No matter how long and complex a password is, there’s always a possibility someone can crack it or leak it.

Big organizations like Facebook have experienced breaches despite having high profile technicians. Using two-factor authentication (2FA) or an app like Google authenticator and can go a long way towards making your accounts more secure.

 Threats are only spread through the internet

Computer users may think that disconnecting from the internet and working offline guarantees their safety from threats. That’s not true, however.

Imagine an employee unknowingly uses a flash disk that is infected. He/she plugs into a computer, infects the computer, then takes the same disk and uses it in different computers in the organization. All computers in the organization become at the risk of losing important data. This underscores that cyber risks are transferred in many forms.

Using antivirus software is enough

Two decades ago, using antivirus software to secure your business was more than enough. Nowadays, you are not secure by just using an antivirus program. Hackers have developed sophisticated ways to disable antivirus software and hide malware on your computer.

With ransomware gaining more popularity, hackers just need seconds to infect your devices and access your confidential data. It pays to stay informed about the latest threats and find the best solution for your business.

Only certain industries experience cyber attacks

Many businesses believe that since they are small, they are safe from attack. This is not true. Hackers are well aware that small and medium-sized companies have their guard down. Consequently, 58% of data breaches target small and medium enterprises.

What’s more, some businesses believe that they don’t have anything of importance in their system that hackers would want, so they don’t invest in better security systems. A costly mistake indeed! If hackers get access to private data like credit numbers and addresses, for example, they can cause severe harm.

Finally

Keeping your business safe is a continuous effort, and it starts by busting the above common myths. If your company is a victim of any of the above misconceptions, perhaps it’s time to re-evaluate your cybersecurity training.