Businesses should protect themselves from increasingly sophisticated cyber criminals, an IT company says. Nick Marlow, pictured, director at Kidderminster firm Minster Micro Computers, has issued the warning saying businesses, especially SMEs, are under ‘extreme risk’ as criminals create ways to simultaneously hack thousands of IT systems.
He said: “Viruses and other malware are constantly evolving but the blunt truth for any business here in the UK is if you don’t have adequate protection through properly deployed anti-virus software, you will be attacked. Online criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated and it means businesses could have their systems affected even if they aren’t the intended target.
“There are countless examples from across the region where businesses have unintentionally sent spam emails to customers and compromised their security, personal information and reputation. Even worse, there is a growing trend in businesses having their files encrypted and held to ransom. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.”
He said businesses need to be pro-active and carry out a full review of their network security, identify their potential failure points and review their disaster recovery plan.
“All desktop computers, laptops, mobile devices and servers connected to a network have to be protected. Statistics show that people are more likely to be attacked through their computer than in person. It’s frightening but true and that’s why businesses and individuals must take action, protect themselves with robust and more sophisticated anti-virus software, and fight back against cybercrime.”
About the firm
Minster Micro Computers is a provider of IT security software, including BitDefender and server monitoring applications, with tools to minimise downtime. The company is an accredited SAP Business One Partner and is a provider of Pegasus business software. The firm supplies payroll software, training and IT support services. Visit www.minstermicro.co.uk.
