Many of us have heard about a cyber-attack or a computer virus, but how many of us actually know what the consequences are of one? There are several factors to consider when learning about the consequences of a cyber-attack, so if you want to know what can happen if you do not get your cybersecurity under control, then read this piece!
Differ Cyber Attacks = Different Consequences
First, it is important to know that different attacks or breaches will cause different types of destruction to your data and property. Some attacks are created to disable your systems, some are designed to infiltrate the system and either steal data or corrupt it, and others are designed to lock you out of your systems. It is worth bearing in mind that these are just a few of the ways that cyber-attacks can work. Not only because they are ever-evolving and mutating, but also because different cybercriminals can have different goals.
Some of the devastating consequences can include data theft, which is dangerous for both your business and the clients, or unauthorized malware that can interact with your systems on behalf of the criminal after being ‘tricked’. That being said, there are cyber-attacks that will create more than one of the consequences, leaving you with an even bigger mess to sort out.
Psychological Impact
Victims of online attacks, be it personal or business, can experience some disturbing psychological consequences. There have even been studies to suggest it is akin to suffering from a terrorist attack. Unfortunately, even without taking into consideration the physical consequences of a cyber-attack, the mental and emotional consequences can also be damning. Because of the personal violation that someone experiences through a cyber-attack, the emotional trauma that might be felt after can lead to anxiety and depression, which can worsen if left unchecked or treated.
To minimize the risks of this happening, make sure to speak to an expert on how you can best protect yourself or your business from a breach happening. Experts can take you through and explain anything from SQL injection prevention and patch updates to professional anti-malware software, so you can feel at peace with your and your customer’s data safety.
Damage to Reputation
A data breach in any business can be a terrifying thing, but the results can often end up being devastating for small businesses. While traditionally, it is much easier to lose trust in a small or independent brand than the bigger chains, it is also much more difficult to recover from a tarnished reputation as a small business than the larger corporations. Customers have trusted you with sensitive information and depending on the nature of the business, this can be frightening to those involved and worrisome if the business has been negligent with cybersecurity. That being said, if this does happen, it is not the end of the world! There are ways in which you can manage and improve your reputation after a data breach and get things back on track.
