The National Institute of Standards and Technology's framework, better known as the NIST framework, is not in any way mandatory by law but it has become a necessity in cybersecurity. The number of cybersecurity risks is not expected to drop any time soon, which means businesses and organizations will have to continue their battle against cybercrime.

Billions of businesses all over the world operate online, whether completely or partially. Each business or company that uses IoT, cloud storage solutions, online platforms, or any other form of internet technologies is exposed to an inevitable risk of cyber-attacks.

One of the reasons why many small businesses neglect the importance of cybersecurity is because it seems way too complicated. Following safety procedures might seem complex at first but there are ways to make cybersecurity easier to implement in your business.

The NIST cybersecurity framework offers voluntary guidance about securing businesses and protecting their networks and data from cybersecurity threats. According to the National Cyber Security Alliance, 60% of small businesses close down only six months after a cybersecurity attack.

Millions of devices and security systems were compromised in 2018 because of a large number of data breaches across various different industries. Even though some of the world’s largest corporations, such as Facebook, suffered plenty of consequences, small businesses took the largest portion of the damage.

We live in a world where digital technology connects everything around us. Businesses, institutions, individuals, and even governments use digital technology to communicate, transfer data, and conduct complex tasks and procedures. However, as much as the rapid technological advances have contributed to the improvements in the quality of life, they have also brought about numerous risks.

The main reason why so many security systems get hacked is because of poor protection protocols or the complete lack of online safety policies. It is your duty as a member, or the owner of a business, to ensure that the company you are involved with is completely free of vulnerabilities that might be the cause of future cybersecurity industries.

Coming out of 2018, we’ve learned a lot about the importance of proper cybersecurity structures and safety measures. The previous year has witnessed an increased number of cyberattacks and data breaches that left millions of people’s data compromised.

The year of 2018 has been a wild ride when it comes to cybersecurity worldwide. The year before, in 2017, cyber-attacks cost small and medium-sized businesses an average of $2,235,000, as stated by Ponemon 2017 State of Cybersecurity in SMBs. We are still waiting for official statistics on how many cyberattacks took place during 2018. For all we know, there were too many data breaches and security incidents to count.

Security assessments sound complex, which is why many business owners often neglect them. However, each business, no matter its size or the industry it belongs to, should have its security measures properly assessed in order to ensure all pieces of the puzzle fit together.