Journal 4:

1. What are the costs and benefits of developing cybersecurity programs in business?

2. How can you tell if your computer is safe?

Cybersecurity is one priority, particularly on just about everyone’s radar in some way, shape, or form for 2020-2021. With national news and anecdotes regularly featuring stories of cyberattacks to businesses of all sizes, small businesses are starting to wonder about the risks they face and whether they’re doing enough to protect themselves. As with many core business functions, cybersecurity often requires a monetary investment and needs space on your budget. The costs stemming from a cyberattack can vary tremendously but are inarguably significant. Recent studies have shown that the average cost of a data breach to Small businesses can range from $120,000 to $1.24 million. And that’s strictly limited to a small business market. Stepping outside the small business filter, IBM’s 2019 Cost of a Data Breach Report recently found that the average cost of a data breach was $3.92 million. Those breaches cost smaller businesses more relative to their size than large businesses. It’s essential to keep in mind that the actual cost of a data breach isn’t always what it appears. Expenses can be spread out over time, with about a third of costs coming after the first year following the breach. There are various costs associated with a data breach, some of which are obvious and repairable, others of which are more ambiguous and/or irreparable.
On the other hand, to determine whether the computer and the data are secured or not, we need to observe the condition of the computer itself when running specific software. Here is a clear sign that your system has been infected if your antivirus and task manager software crashes or is disabled, and a malicious virus may have retained essential system files. You may not be able to click on dependable applications once; viruses may prevent you from opening your favorite files. One of the side effects of malware is slow hardware, and your device becomes slow, freezes, or even hangs. If you start to notice some of these symptoms, your computer may be infected with viruses, trojans, or a viral worm. Malware usually works in the background and uses the resources of your infected device secretly while it’s running.

REFERERENCE:

  1. The cost of cybersecurity and how to budget for it. Maureen Data Systems. (2019, November 22). https://www.mdsny.com/the-cost-of-cybersecurity-and-how-to-budget-for-it/.
  2. Eisenstein, W. by L., & Eisenstein, L. (2020, March 5). Business Benefits of Practicing Strong Cybersecurity. BoardEffect. https://www.boardeffect.com/blog/what-business-benefits-practicing-strong-cybersecurity/.
  3. Myers, L. (2013, October 17). How to Tell if Your Computer is Secure (in 5 Questions or Less). The Mac Security Blog. https://www.intego.com/mac-security-blog/how-to-tell-if-your-computer-is-secure/.
  4. How to Tell If Your Computer Has a Virus and What to Do About It. Stay Safe Online. (2019, June 5). https://staysafeonline.org/blog/how-to-tell-if-your-computer-has-a-virus-what-to-do-about-it/.