It is a common misperception among owners of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that cyber criminals target those large organisations that have significant financial resources. The reality is that these bad actors are increasingly focusing on SMEs precisely because they have fewer financial resources.
In fact, Kaspersky's latest research found that 78% of South African SMEs experienced at least one cyber security incident during the past year, demonstrating that smaller businesses are no longer flying under the radar of cyber criminals.
Essentially, SMEs are likely to become targets because they cannot afford to have more security measures in place, despite having the same digital dependencies – such as e-mail, online payments, cloud applications, mobile devices, remote work and shared business data – as enterprises.
Fewer IT resources, weaker cyber security controls, remote/hybrid work, personal or mobile devices, delayed software updates and limited IT security expertise are just some of the reasons why SMEs make perfect targets for criminals. For the owners, the consequences of such an attack include operations brought to a standstill, stolen customer data and significant reputational damage – any of which can be catastrophic to a small business.
The challenge for these organisations is twofold: they often lack the people, time and specialist expertise needed to manage security properly, while simultaneously lacking the budget to be able to afford an enterprise-grade security stack.
To this end, Kaspersky, which has regularly proven to be trustworthy by the most respected anti-virus testing labs in the world, offers the Kaspersky Small Office Security (KSOS) Premium. This solution combines high-level protection with expert assistance and security awareness support, reducing both technology risk and human error.
KSOS Premium helps small businesses protect their devices, data and people through a lightweight, easy-to-use endpoint protection package tailored for businesses with up to 50 computers and no dedicated IT team. It further enhances the core security suite with specialised, human-led services.
The solution will allow SMEs to close the security gaps that attackers exploit, and help them to build a realistic cyber security baseline by delivering big business protection, without the big-business complexity or the cost of a big IT set-up.
KSOS Premium offers an all-in-one anti-virus, virtual private network (VPN), password manager, encryption and server protection – in a single console. It enables users to protect their businesses within minutes, across every team member and device.
Furthermore, real-time link protection is designed to block fake sites and malicious downloads across every device, while a built-in private VPN encrypts connections, wherever work happens. At the same time, encrypted backups keep business data secure and recoverable.
The specialised, human-led services offered in conjunction with this product include expert installation support, allowing customers to get up and running quickly through a guided set-up from security experts, and Premium Priority Support, which ensures faster responses and direct access to security specialists when it matters most.
In addition, the Expert Virus Check & Removal service affords expert help to remove pre-existing infections. Finally, the Human-Risk Defense service provides integrated security awareness training to help employees avoid falling foul of phishing and other similar types of scams.
Ultimately, Kaspersky Small Office Security provides a comprehensive solution tailored for small businesses, offering robust anti-virus protection, a smart firewall and capable remote management from a web console. It works quietly and effectively in the background so your team can stay focused, fast and productive, delivering a wealth of stiff security measures at a price point that the average SME can certainly afford.
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