Small business cloud hosting provider, Cloudways, a DigitalOcean company, has analysed cybersecurity data to reveal which time of year businesses experience the most cyberattacks, making that period the most dangerous month for businesses’ cybersecurity.
Security is paramount for creating a successful business and building customer trust. One study showed that 45% of customers would not use a company if their data was compromised in a cyberattack. Online retailers and businesses need to ensure their cybersecurity is watertight to protect their customers’ valuable data – especially when they’re looking to drive sales and conversions. But e-commerce businesses be warned: the most dangerous months for cybersecurity may be during your peak sales season. The study names February, March, October and December as the most dangerous season for cyberattacks.
The research by Cloudways identified February as one of the most high-risk months, with an average of 83 companies breached every year, leading to an average of 767,475,033 breached records.
To make matters worse for businesses, February and the new year is preceded by three other high-risk cyberattack months. October, November and December also rank highly as dangerous months for cyberattacks.
Extra caution needs to be taken by small businesses as their websites are the most vulnerable on the Internet. Sixty percent of SMBs fall victim to a cyberattack within the first six months of operations.