The internet has really reshaped the business world. According to Knoxweb, the internet is responsible for more than 2.2 trillion dollars in annual retail sales.

If that isn’t astounding enough, WordPress users are equivalent to the population of Turkey. This explains why millions of entrepreneurs are migrating to online business to capture an impressive market share.

A study revealed that in 2016, an estimated 1.61 billion people worldwide purchase goods online; global e-retail sales amounted to 1.9 trillion U.S. dollars and projections show a growth of up to 4.06 trillion U.S. dollars by 2020. In Asia Pacific, e-retail sales accounted for 12.1 percent of retail sales in 2016 but only for 1.8 percent of retail sales in the Middle East and Africa.

This data shows how the market trend has changed. Every business aspires to produce goods or render services for profit maximization. However, it is not enough to produce goods or render services. One must have a market share comprised of loyal customers and clients. In our contemporary world, clients and customers are going digital. The conventional methods of sales, marketing and delivering goods and services to clients and customers are phasing out.

Clients and customers are now yearning for more efficient and quicker methods of buying products and enjoying services. They now want products and services made available to them at a snap of their fingers and in the comfort of any location they are.

This explains why millions of businesses are embracing ecommerce. However the issue is not with launching your online business, how secure is it against cyber-attack, hackers and unscrupulous competitors.

With the high incidence of cyber-attack, here are 4 ways you can protect your business;

1. Use Anti-virus Software

Anti-virus software is very easy to access and use. It can prevent the computer programs designed to infiltrate and damage computers without the users consent. Hackers use malware such as viruses, spyware, worms, Trojans, rootkits etc. in most data breaches. These can be done through suspicious emails, spam messages and pop up information requiring you to click on a dialog box. Once the infiltration is successful, malware can capture login information and keystrokes, infects your computer and locks it, restricting access to your computer system, preventing you from surfing the internet, accessing the hard drive or opening files.

However, these anomalies can be avoided by installing appropriate protection software to adequately protect your business from any form of attack. Internet security and antivirus software have greatly provided adequate cover for my businesses. Remember to regularly update your anti-virus since worms and other viruses raise their ugly heads on out-of-date anti-virus software.

2. Use VPN (virtual private network)

A virtual private network (VPN) is a technology that creates a safe and encrypted connection over a less secure network, such as the internet. The benefit of using a secure VPN is it ensures the appropriate level of security to the connected systems when the underlying network infrastructure alone cannot provide it.

As long as you are using the internet, you should pay to privacy. You may never know who is monitoring your business. You need to pay special attention to security especially when you do not fully trust the security of your local network provider. Using VPN (virtual private network) can help you prevent hacking, spamming, snooping by surveillance agencies and other cyber-attacks.

3. Sensitize your Employees on Cyber-attack

It is very crucial to educate your employees on cyber-attack. A mistake from one employee can take down the whole organization. Hackers regularly search for loopholes where they can steal passwords, accounts & other sensitive data. Once they have this information, your business is at their mercy. Employers are usually concerned with educating their employees on theft, shoplifting and financial crimes, with little or no emphasis on cyber-attack.

Educate your staff and train them how to handle confidential information, email safely and undertake security best practices. If employees don’t understand how hackers operate and how they can be targeted, they can’t be on the lookout for them.

4. Consult an Online Security Firm

The recent cyber-attack that affected universities, hospitals and businesses around the world shows that organizations should always be on guard. You have to hire an online security firm to adequate protect your business from cyber-attacks.

If you don’t deem it necessary to consult an online security firm to secure your online business, you may lose sensitive data, pay a ransom or lose precious business time trying to fix damages from a cyber-attack.

Richard Agu is a researcher, entrepreneur and freelancer, passionate about entrepreneurship and self-development. Currently, Richard writes for Entrepreneur.com, Goodmenproject.com, among others. Follow him on Linkedin.com by clicking here now.