Q & A with Alex Ongena
In Belgium, at least one instance of hacking at a company is reported daily, and that number is likely even a significant underestimation. Therefore, cybersecurity continues to be a hot topic and will become increasingly important in the coming years. AXS Guard explains why smaller businesses and organizations should remain vigilant.
“During an attack, cybercriminals exfiltrate all the data from a computer system in order to sell it on the black market. The next step is to lock the company's computers with ransomware until a ransom is paid. Larger companies are usually protected and insured against such practices, but most SMEs are not. This is because smaller businesses are often not well-informed about cybersecurity, or they are unwilling to invest in it.”
Cyberdefense Tailored to Your Needs
It's a misconception that cybersecurity is too expensive for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). "There are major, expensive players in the market, but they often target very large companies. Those budgets are not at all comparable. At AXS Guard, we focus on SMEs (companies with 5 up to 2500 workstations) to establish their cyberdefense at an affordable budget and according to their specific needs. Our comprehensive Observe & Protect solution consists of hardware, software, and full customer care service at a fixed price. Unfortunately, many organizations still underestimate the importance of cybersecurity, while the risk of cyber attacks is considerably higher than that of a fire. The likelihood of a data breach is up to a 1000 times greater than the likelihood of a fire incident. It's crucial to take this reality seriously and take proactive measures to ensure the security of your business."
"Cheaper than a mobile phone plan."
"A concrete example: for an organization with 20 employees, it only costs approximately 21 euros per person per month to protect everything. That's cheaper than their mobile phone plan! Ransomware attackers often demand a ransom payment that is equal to 10 to 15 % of the victim's annual revenue. A ransomware attack on a small business with an annual revenue of 2 million euros could cost the company 300,000 euros, or 15% of its revenue. This could have a devastating impact on the business, leading to job losses and financial ruin. And 15% represents actually just a fraction of all the damages. On top of the financial costs, you should still count on at least a month of recovery time. Ransomware attacks can also have a significant impact on a business's reputation, customer relationships, and the personal health of its employees. By investing in cybersecurity for only 400 euros per month, you can safeguard yourself against a major cyberattack and prevent a major catastrophe."
Conclusion
It is a common misconception that cybercriminals only target large players. On the contrary, small businesses are the most vulnerable. In most cases, the owner or a small business manages the IT by himself, which is fine for day-to-day operations. However, in reality, cybercrime has become far too complex. Nowadays, cybercriminals have access to advanced tools and programs that they obtain through the dark web, such as scanners that can detect whether an organization is vulnerable to infiltration. Therefore, now more than ever, cybersecurity requires the expertise of a specialist in the field.
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Do cybercriminals target only large organizations?