“60% of all attacks in 2014 were directed towards small and midsize companies.” – Symantec 2016 Internet Security Threat Report.
Small businesses are at grave risk of cyber security attacks than imagined. An experiment by CSID revealed that hackers can take down a poorly guarded small business website in less than an hour.
But, why are small online businesses targeted when there are even bigger fish with deeper pockets to catch?
Small businesses form a large population of any industry. They are consistently growing in terms of revenue, customer accounts, and online cash balances. But, they are weak in cyber security intelligence. Small business owners often overlook or fail to set up adequate measures to protect their data integrity.
They make terrible mistakes of storing critical information on online mediums which makes it easy for hackers to sink their teeth into. Here is a quick snapshot of the kind of information that small businesses store that they are ought to protect diligently.
To make things worse:
- 31% of small businesses are not investing in cyber security measures to safeguard themselves
- 53% of small businesses do not consider email id and phone numbers as critical data
There is a widespread ignorance about the need for cyber security measures and tools. Small business owners need to get their basics about cyber security and data integrity correct so that their business longevity and reputation remains protected.
There is a need to understand the various cyber security essentials and adopt them with feverish dedication. SSL certificate is one such cyber security essential. SSL certificates offer encryption-level security which helps small businesses prepare themselves for the next-level of cyber security attacks.
Here are some reasons why every small business must arm itself with the might of a SSL certificate.
Protects Customers
Businesses have an explicit responsibility to protect customer information. Customers entrust their data, be it name, identity, location, address or payment information, it is with the trust that it will be safeguarded. Every business which collects customer confidential information has to protect it by all means. For a small scale business it starts with configuring a SSL certificate for its website.
A large chunk of today’s business transactions are conducted over an email. Bids are sent through mails. Video conversations happen over the Internet. Cross-border wire transfers are done from a single desktop. All this critical information can be stored only with the help of a proper cyber security measure like SSL certificate.
Instills Trust
Customer do more business with a brand that they trust. Be it in a shopping mall or an online, trust forms the thread that connects a customer to a brand. SSL certificates help a instil trust in the minds of customers who are otherwise skeptical about purchasing, doing business or entering their confidential information with a small business.
The benefit of a SSL certificate is that, it does not cost a bomb to purchase and install as there are many SSL certs exists as per website security requirement. For example, if small business has requirment to secure single domain and its sub domains then Wildcard SSL comes in the first choice for cheap price and number of sub domain security on an annual basis that becomes affordable for any business.
Ensures Compliance
If you are a business that collects credit card information or other similar payment information from customers, then PCI Compliance becomes applicable beyond a threshold. Enabling HTTPS by having a SSL certificate is one of the prerequisites of ensuring PCI compliance.
Gives SEO boost
In 2014, in its Official Webmaster Central Blog, Google had asserted security to be its top priority and declared HTTPS as a critical ranking signal. So having an SSL certificate turns out to be a disguised advantage. It gives an organic boost for your search rankings. If you have SEO-optimized web pages, blogs or website with HTTPS then chances are higher to rank higher in search results.
Put cybersecurity as a top priority for you, for your customers & for your stakeholders.