SMBs Being Increasingly Targeted by Cybercriminals - McAfee

SMBs or small and medium businesses (SMBs) owners' interests are being abused by a large number of spear phishers as increasing spell of attacks hijacks SMBs at a disturbing rate, the regional Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of security giant McAfee, Michael Sentonas warned, reported CSO on May 30, 2013.

As per McAfee's new State of Cyber security in Australian SMBs research - Not just two-thirds of SMBs in Australia had been struck by a computer virus, Trojan or worm over the last one year or past 12 months, but 51.5% had been hit 3 or more times during the same time phase.

The constant victimization of small firms suggests that in spite of of huge education drives regarding modern cyber security threats, most small company owners still click aimlessly on emails showing free videos, celeb pics, and the same.

Because some of the security basics are not being complete, most people's networks are infected.

"Most firms networks are being hijacked as some security essentials are not being completed," the security firm noted.

Unluckily, according to McAfee currently ransomware is the chief attack vector targeting SMB. In essence your data gets locked by the crooks and your computer are not unlocked if you don't pay a ransom. An estimated 30.5% of McAfee's respondents claiming that they had been target with ransomware in the last one year, with 36.1% of distressed respondents paying ransom to cyber crooks to get back their data.

Further, according to McAfee, 49% SMB had experienced a (DDoS) or Denial of Service attack and 28% in excess of three times. DDoS is used to get other competitors site down and expose flaws. 47% suffered embezzlement of proprietary details. 58% 'lost 'portable (USB Stick) that includes sensitive details and 44% lost three or more devices because of human error. 62% lost data because of human errors.

Robbie Upcroft, SMB Sales Manager for McAfee says that everybody has a price. If insightful details get a competitor's hand it is generally not by some amateur hacker beating the SMB's defenses. The key to defending is to bolt the information to a need to know, as published by itwire.com on May 29, 2013.

» SPAMfighter News - 6/8/2013