Like many businesses, pest control companies are not immune to cybersecurity threats. These threats can be particularly damaging due to the limited resources most companies dedicate to security infrastructure and employee training.
These threats can lead to financial loss, data breaches, reputational damage, and legal issues, making it essential for small businesses to invest in cybersecurity training, tools, and practices.
During National Cybersecurity Month in October, PestSure wants to spotlight the leading cybersecurity threats pest control companies typically deal with:
- Phishing Attacks: Phishing is one of the most common and dangerous threats to small businesses. Attackers send fraudulent emails that appear to come from legitimate sources to trick employees into providing sensitive information like login credentials, financial data, or access to internal systems.
- Ransomware: Ransomware attacks involve malware that encrypts a business’s data, with the attackers demanding payment (usually in cryptocurrency) to restore access. Small businesses are particularly vulnerable because they may lack the sophisticated backup and recovery systems needed to respond to these attacks.
- Weak Passwords and Authentication: Many small businesses rely on simple or reused passwords for accessing critical systems, making it easy for attackers to exploit weak authentication. Lack of multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds to the vulnerability.
- Insider Threats: Whether malicious or accidental, employees or contractors with access to sensitive information can pose a significant cybersecurity risk. Insider threats can include deliberate data theft or unintentional actions that lead to a security breach.
- Unpatched Software and Vulnerabilities: Small businesses often struggle to keep their software and systems updated, leaving them vulnerable to known security flaws. Cybercriminals exploit these unpatched vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access or plant malware in company networks.
How to Protect Your Company
Small business owners can take several steps to improve their overall cybersecurity protocols. By following these practices, pest control business owners can significantly reduce the risk of weak passwords and phishing attacks compromising their systems and data.
Enforce Strong Password Policies
- Minimum Length: Require passwords to be at least 12 characters long.
- Complexity: Enforce the use of a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.
- No Common or Simple Passwords: Prohibit the use of easily guessed passwords (e.g., "password123," "admin").
Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
- MFA adds an additional layer of security by requiring users to verify their identity through a second method, such as a code sent to their phone or email. This significantly reduces the risk of password-related breaches and phishing attacks.
Use a Password Manager
- Encourage employees to use password managers that generate and store complex, unique passwords for each account. This eliminates the need to remember multiple strong passwords and prevents the reuse of passwords across different services.
Regular Password Updates
- Require employees to update their passwords periodically (every 60-90 days). Automated reminders can help ensure compliance.
Monitor for Compromised Passwords
- Use tools or services that monitor for password breaches and alert employees if their password has been compromised in a data breach. These tools can help businesses stay proactive in resetting compromised passwords.
Limit Access to Critical Systems
- Ensure that employees only have access to the systems and information necessary for their roles. This principle of least privilege reduces the risk of compromised accounts leading to major breaches.
Security Awareness Training
- Provide ongoing training to educate employees about the importance of strong passwords, the risks of using weak or reused passwords, and how to recognize phishing attempts aimed at stealing login credentials.
Email Security Tools
- Use email security tools that filter and block phishing emails before they reach employee inboxes. Many email providers offer built-in phishing protection features. Ensure robust spam filters are in place to reduce the number of malicious or suspicious emails entering the system.
Verify Requests for Sensitive Information
- Train employees to double-check and verify any requests for sensitive information, financial transfers, or account changes, particularly when these requests come from email. A quick phone call or direct communication with the requester can confirm legitimacy. Encourage employees to look for inconsistencies in email addresses, names, or domain names that may be subtly altered to look legitimate.
Secure Websites and Links
- Encourage employees to avoid clicking on links in unsolicited emails. Instead, they should visit the site directly by typing the URL into their browser. Teach employees to hover over links before clicking to verify the actual URL destination. Phishing emails often use fake or slightly altered URLs to trick users.
PestSure – Your Partner in Safety
Founded in 1980, PestSure is the only insurance and risk management provider that is 100 percent dedicated to the pest management industry. It offers industry professionals a full suite of insurance, risk management, and safety training and education offerings.
PestSure provides insurance, safety and risk management consulting to pest management companies representing $2 billion in revenue, $750 million in payroll and more than 16,500 service vehicles. The program is administered by Alliant Insurance Services.
Call 888.984.3813 or visit our contact page for more information.