Cyber crime affects all industries and sectors. It also impacts businesses of all sizes. 1 in 2 small businesses experience a cyber incident each year. Therefore, it is crucial that all business have a rigid cyber security plan.

This is especially true of marketers, as they are the important bridge between businesses and audiences. This can make them prime targets of cyber criminals and more susceptible to data leaks.

As well as financial loss, cyber-attacks can devastate the carefully cultivated brand image that marketers work hard on. Protecting against them is always a good idea.

How can cyber attacks affect marketers?

Marketers often control the information that comes in and out of the business to the public. This could include overseeing reading and responding to emails, messages, or calls to the company.

Many scammers target businesses through phishing attacks. This is when criminals pose as someone else (such as a client, bank or governmental body) and ask for private information. If a marketing team cannot skilfully detect genuine emails from scams, they risk exposing the business to attacks.

Cyber security for marketers

Marketers also need to ensure they are protecting private business and client data when producing marketing materials. For example, if you take a photo or video in the office, cover any visible computer screens. This prevents you from posting confidential information online.

If a cyber attack does occur, marketers need to do crisis-resolution to improve the company’s image. Data breaches can foster distrust towards a business and turn people away from buying from them. Therefore, marketing teams would need to work to improve the tarnished brand image. Criminals can also hack into social accounts and further damage your company’s reputation.

Types of data breaches

Data breaches are when private or personal data is compromised in some way. This could be in the form of:

  1.  Confidentiality: data is stolen or leaked to a third-party, putting clients at risk
  2. Availability: employees or clients can no longer access important data. This includes ransomware, where criminals ask for a ransom fee in exchange for their stolen data
  3. Integrity: criminals change information or data, putting clients at risk

How to improve cyber security

The best way to protect your business and improve your cyber security is to do a digital security course. The National Cyber Security Centre can provide businesses with training and cyber security certification. External attack surface management (EASM) can also help prevent cyber crime.

You should also teach employees how to detect phishing scams. Consider installing software to filter and flag suspicious emails.

Have employees set unique passwords and update them regularly to prevent hackers from accessing company systems. You can also implement multi-factor authentication to further protect employee accounts.

Backup all your important company data to a cloud-based system. To be extra secure, also create an external backup, such as with a memory stick. This will defend you against ransomware attacks.

Limit permissions on company devices. For example, only allow admins to install software to prevent employees from downloading malicious software.

Require a VPN for remote workers to improve server security and website protection. Also, make sure employees are accessing company information from private locations only.

Delete files and employee profiles which are no longer required, as these can be gateways to data leaks.

At GIANT, we offer a range of marketing services. We also implement strong cyber security measures to keep your data protected. For more information, call 01604 250 900 or email info@gogiant.co.uk.