Norton, a consumer Cyber Safety brand of Gen, has announced Norton Small Business, an all-in-one cybersecurity solution designed to help entrepreneurs and small business owners protect their financial futures.

While nearly 98%  of businesses in Australia (compared to 90% of businesses globally) are small businesses, many lack the means to protect their digital environments, Norton says. 

Norton Small Business makes triple-lock protection accessible for small businesses to safeguard their teams online activities, devices and customer data in an easy, all-in-one cybersecurity solution.

"Owning a very small business often means each member of the team wears different hats, and usually cybersecurity expert isn't one of them," says Massimo Rapparini, General Manager & Head of Small Business Safety at Gen.

"Unfortunately, cybercriminals are aware of this and often target such businesses more than half (57%) of small businesses experienced a security, data breach or both in 2022," he says. 

"For entrepreneurs and small businesses, falling for just one phishing email can have a devastating impact."

Scams Taking Down Small Businesses

Small businesses face a barrage of scams and phishing threats, just like consumers, and are considered one of the greatest risks to small and medium businesses. This is despite data from the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) stating that 62% of SMBs in Australia have experienced a cyber security breach. 

Of these threats, phishing for example, emails trying to trick you into clicking a link or transferring money is the most common way cybercriminals try to access small business systems, private data, financials and intellectual property.

Businesses with under 10 employees often lack IT support, putting companies at great risk if cybercriminal attacks are successful. Between 2021 and 2022, the average cost per cybercrime had risen to $39,000 for small businesses in Australia. Norton Small Business is designed to help small businesses disaster-proof their critical data to minimise the risk of financial loss. 

Entrepreneurs Pursue Financial Freedom

Entrepreneurs often start their own businesses in pursuit of financial freedom and invest significant time, energy and personal savings to build their business. Yet, small businesses are being heavily targeted by cybercriminals, leaving them at a much higher risk of collapsing compared to larger firms when hit by a cyberattack.  

With heightened risk and so much at stake, it is surprising that about half of businesses with under 50 employees have no cybersecurity budget at all. 

"The effects of a cyberattack extend beyond financial consequences, and it is time cybersecurity is pushed to the forefront of small business priorities," Norton says.

Setting Up Your One-Person IT Department

Norton's all-in-one solution provides 24/7 cybersecurity protection and a variety of features, including:

• Secure Browser, Password Manager and VPN to help secure day-to-day online activities 
• Automated PC cleaning and optimisation to keep healthier PCs for longer 
• Secure Cloud Backup for PCs to help reduce the risk of loss of business data   
• Software and driver updaters to help keep software up to date, so there are fewer vulnerabilities for cybercriminals to exploit IT coverage and maintenance for up to 20 devices 
• A 100% Virus Protection Promise

"We have built our small business products and services with the same approach in mind as we do with our consumer portfolio, so entrepreneurs don't need to worry about becoming cybersecurity experts," says Rapparini. 

"Norton is here to make cybersecurity accessible and easy so they can focus on building thriving businesses."

Norton recommends these top tips to protect your small business:

• Learn to spot signs of phishing and teach your employees 
• Only click links or download attachments from known sources 
• Avoid sharing personal information or private company data over email 
• Always keep your operating system, applications and drivers up-to-date 
• Make sure your WiFi network is protected with a strong password 
• Regularly back up your data 
• Require employees to use a VPN when doing company work on a public WiFi network (think airports and coffee shops) 
• Always use multi-factor-authentication for an extra layer of protection 
• Don't neglect mobile devices make sure they are password protected and use security software Invest in a cybersecurity solution such as Norton Small Business