Every time you access the internet, you’re opening up the possibility that someone will compromise that connection, and use it to access the data stored on your systems. Whether that data takes the form of company information, customer data, or even financial information, the impact of a hack can be devastating. Your whole business could come driving to a halt if processes are affected, and you might even be faced with legal action if sensitive customer data ends up in the wrong hands.

This is the fundamental reason why you need strong internet security, and it’s been the case for as long as the internet has been around. Small businesses in particular can’t afford the downtime that comes with a major security breach, so they should ensure that they have all the necessary precautions in place to stop this from happening. A hack could put you out of action for days as you try to find the problem and then resolve it. During that time, not only will you be unable to continue your day-to-day operations, but your reputation could also take a serious knock, as the public view you as unreliable when you aren’t up and running as usual. Why take the risk, when you can easily install some cheap antivirus software to stay safe?

However, especially nowadays there are a whole host of new reasons why strong internet security is essential. The primary reason is the rise of cloud computing, and the opportunities that it presents to hackers. In case you’re not already aware, cloud computing allows users to access systems remotely, so that they can work from anywhere. It means employees no longer have to be at their desk to access vital files, so it really opens up a whole new world of possibilities. However, it’s also a new opportunity for hackers to break into those systems. With your in-house hardware, you can be sure that all the antivirus software is up to date, but when people are using their own devices, there’s every chance that malware and viruses from those devices could compromise your internet security.

So, what can you do to ensure that your systems stay fully protected? The best thing to do is make sure that your antivirus software is fully up to date, and installed across all devices which will have access to your network. Older versions and free versions of antivirus software won’t be able to protect you from all the latest viruses and malware used by hackers, so your systems could well be compromised by newer viruses. You don’t necessarily need the most expensive solution on the market, since cheap antivirus solutions can often be just as effective as top-end versions. What’s important is that you have that layer of protection in place. If you’re a business that lets staff access your network through the cloud, then you should also ensure that employees only use approved devices with that same antivirus software. Make sure you take action today, so that you don’t experience any of these problems!