Behaving like an ostrich is not the solution towards ransomware, malware, trojans and especially identity theft. It is approximated that over 18 million new malware threats were identified and healed in Q3 of 2016 alone. There are even smart malware who are surpassing antivirus and bypassing conventional firewalls. There was a 300% increase in ransomware attacks in 2015 alone, and this number has grown exponentially as numbers for 2017 are being compiled.

Do you open strange emails?

It gives a cold shiver to the spine of a CEO or Director of a multinational and keeps SME owners awake at night with fear if they are one of those 78% of people, who knowingly click on unknown links and become victims to one of the 5000 ransomware threats a day. It is not a matter of knowing it, it is a matter of teaching our mind and changing our behaviour towards these malicious attempts.

Being a curious monkey in a jungle who burnt his hands just trying to figure out why coal is so red will not protect your valuable data and network from malicious attacks, intrusions, ransomware, spammers, trojans or from your own internal network and computer users. It is rather having to take the correct measures with precise precautions, having all the systems up to date, so no Wannacry ransomware exploits your system.

Don’t feel lucky just because you didn’t pay attention to Microsoft when it released a security patch two months prior to Wannacry outbreak, or perhaps you didn’t want to listen to technology partners and be a victim of Bad Rabbit in October just gone. This was prevented by SonicWALL’s sandboxing, where they, in fact, blasted the suspicious script and struck gold by figuring out a major outbreak which was just being captured, and within an hour it was around the world’s devices with updates sent.

Protect your IT systems now

Every passing minute is bringing you closer to disaster if you haven’t taken the measures or given serious consideration to protect your IT systems for 2018. This will not just break your business cash flow, but will put you in a serious situation if you lose any valuable data by not having proper security in place and having no system against an outbreak of ransomware, being vulnerable to intrusion, having yourself available to identity theft, leaving systems open for malware and Trojans. According to Irish Central Statistics Office, if an SME loses their valuable data, they go out of business within 18 months of losing it.

GDPR – time to act now!

A serious issue this next half year is getting yourself in compliance for GDPR – it is like a sword over your head. This is very hard to accept, but the bitter truth is, being Irish, it will not be “all grand” this time. Imagine only 8% of firms are somewhat ready for GDPR. You have a small-time window to put yourself in measuring scale, side by side, factor by factor and aspect by aspect.

What IT and Cyber Security protocols are demanding is that, as a minimum, GDPR guidelines and procedures are in place to escape from hefty fines. Your business should raise aspect queries of your existing systems, should yell for a compliance audit, should look at IT and IT Security budget rather than putting it on a long finger as many Irish companies do! Make sure you are aware of the GDPR hype, which in fact is a FACT and is upon us.

Don’t be just waiting and sitting on bones for your android device to be exploded by cryptocurrency mine malware. Act upon and get your system Detected by experts, take all Preventative measures and have your IT Supported so you are not just becoming another disaster and opening one of 93% phishing emails which are a ransomware email.

Get your IT Systems checked out NOW!