Due to restrictions on physical movements to contain the spread of COVID-19, more and more activities and transactions have moved from the physical space into the virtual space. As online transactions flourish and become more widespread, the threat to cybersecurity and privacy also becomes more prevalent.
Small and medium enterprises are not exempt from such risks and probable attacks. Concerns like these are what Adam Bennett and his team in Red Piranha are trying to address. They are white hat hackers, also known as ethical hackers, who are the good guys that break into computers and devices to test an organisation’s defence against the bad guys.
Speaking to the EO community, Adam shared his knowledge and experiences with regards to cybersecurity, the realities and risks that are present in businesses as well as the struggles in building and running a business.
He began hacking as a hobby and has an intensive experience in professional management, especially in the security and risk management industry. He first talked about how hacking has begun and how it played a crucial role in hacktivism.
However, the influx of cybercrimes and cyber-attacks have disrupted many businesses that led to the closing down of ventures, especially SMEs. With more and more industries connected to the network and relying on digital technology, it is inevitable for online problems to increase. Adam sees two major challenges in countering such setbacks:
People don’t know where to start. Many businesses think that having an antivirus is enough to shield their online assets from possible attacks. However, these antiviruses can only protect a small percentage of the business. Professional help is needed to safeguard the remaining percentage.
Marketing. Promoting and campaigning for products and services, such as cloud services, before putting defence structures in place can expose businesses to risks. A good network design is needed to address such hazards.
Network architecture is built for office structures to defend a company. But the onset of COVID where many work-from-home arrangements are currently done, the cybersecurity landscape for businesses has changed as it provided many doorways to an organisation’s system.
As problems and threats evolve throughout the years, cybersecurity measures have also improved through technology and companies that help lessen the risks to one’s business. However, it was not an easy path for Adam and his business. While providing the solutions to cybersecurity problems, he also had to build his venture and ensure its longevity.
The entrepreneurial journey is like a rollercoaster ride and the first struggle he had to surpass was communicating a concept when the concept was not thought of before. They have to make people understand and accept a new idea. The second struggle was buy-in as more people want to invest in technology than on the business side.
Notwithstanding such challenges, Adam pressed on and continued to pursue his vision for his company and his mission to help SMEs. He is proud of their mission-driven culture as his teams endeavour to serve their clients.
It is important to have a full grasp of the risks and opportunities that technology may bring to your organisation. It is better to always consult with an expert and seek help when needed.
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How are you protecting your business from cyberattacks? What challenges have you encountered in your entrepreneurial journey? You can share your story by emailing communications@eomelbourne.org.