The vast majority of today’s businesses are now heavily reliant on the Internet for many of their day-to-day operations – from online accounting to e-mail messaging. Unfortunately, when problems arise with our computers, they often occur suddenly and can be difficult to resolve, even with all the information available on the Internet.

Cyber breaches are a bigger threat than ever before

According to the UK Government, more than three quarters of small businesses in the UK experienced a cyber-breach during a 12 month period between early 2012 to early 2013. With the cost of these breaches estimated to be as much as £30,000 for these small enterprises, the consensus is clear that businesses of all shapes and sizes should ensure that any Internet-receiving devices they have, whether they are PCs, laptops, tablet or iPhones, are adequately protected from malicious activity.

The UK Government has also announced its intention to create a ‘cyber reserve’ of expert IT professionals to protect public services from online threats, which will be discussed in more detail by the Ministry of Defence later in 2013. Of course, if hackers are unable to break into Governmental websites in future, they may begin to divert their attention to smaller, more vulnerable firms that are failing to use anti-virus technology on their computers.

Small businesses are more susceptible to online dangers

According to a recent Symantec survey of almost 2,000 small businesses, approximately half of owners believed that they were not in danger of computer viruses because they were a small enterprise.  However, the company revealed that around 40 percent of cyber attacks such as hacking into personal information or denial-of-service attacks were targeted at small and medium-size firms in 2010, while only one fifth of large companies were targeted.

Educate your employees and recognise potential risks

IT experts can give businesses invaluable advice on how to identify malicious activity on a computer, install anti-virus software and learn ‘preventative measures’ to stop any viruses from reaching a computer in the first place. One of these measures is making sure that none of your employees transfer confidential data with an unsecured wi-fi network, a mistake still made by around one fifth of small and medium-sized enterprises according to IT firm Modis. An IT repair company can also keep you up-to-date about all the latest online threats to safeguard you from new viruses circulating across the web.

Computer repair companies can provide expert support

By hiring a PC or laptop repair team in your local area, you can receive a visit from an expert technician in a matter of minutes and have your computer back in full working order in no time. When you need day-to-day support or more comprehensive advice on how to protect your computer from viruses, you can book prepaid support hours to ensure that you receive all the help you need.

Author Bio: Jamie Gethin John is an expert when it comes to setting up cyber security measures for companies. He works as a consultant for Clifford Computers, a firm which provides the computer repairs Essex businesses need to continue to work efficiently and cost-effectively.