Cyber breaches don’t discriminate. Theft of digital information occurs at companies large and small, from local banks to major defense contractors, and has now surpassed physical theft as the most commonly reported fraud. According to the business magazine Fast Company, federal agents delivered the somber news last year to more than 3,000 U.S. companies that their computer systems had been hacked to the tune of $215 million. President Obama identified cyber attackers during a recent White House summit as a major threat to the U.S. and world economy.

Whether your business has a sophisticated, high-technological Internet presence or merely uses email and maintains a website, cyber security ought to be part of the overall game plan. Every business using the Internet is responsible for creating a culture of security that will enhance business and consumer confidence.

Usually cyber threats are blamed from the outside where crooked programmers pilfer corporate intelligence and raid your financial data. But sometimes the threat is created from the inside out when employees’ ignorance literally opens the door to cybercriminals. This can’t happen, and doesn’t have to.

It’s important to train and educate your employees BEFORE you have a data breach. Waiting to react is a mistake. Create a culture of cyber vigilance and have in place policies that will leave you cyber secure. Here are things your employees need to know to stay on their cyber toes. [Read more…]