LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) — Area business leaders heard firsthand how cyberattacks and online fraud can threaten the future of their companies during a cybersecurity panel featuring experts from law enforcement, banking and information technology.
Representatives from the Lima Police Department, Superior Credit Union and Tomorrow’s Technology Today discussed the growing cybersecurity risks businesses face and the steps owners can take to reduce those threats.
The panel emphasized that acting too quickly when faced with a suspicious email, phone call or financial request can lead to costly mistakes. Speakers encouraged businesses to slow down, verify information and follow established security procedures before taking action.
Lisa Niekamp-Urwin, CEO and founder of Tomorrow’s Technology Today, said preparation and employee education are critical because a single mistake can have devastating consequences.
“This can be a business ending event. So it is important to have those milestones, figure out how you’re going to get there, how you’re going to keep protected, how you’re going to have those employees understand that if they click on something, it can devastate and they may not have a job tomorrow because of this.”
Jessica Holliday, fraud director at Superior Credit Union, encouraged businesses to establish safeguards and verify financial transactions before sending money.
“Have your dual controls in place. Make sure that you’re verifying before you’re descending. Life is hectic. We know that. But stopping and verifying could save you, know, it could save you your business account.”
Matt Woodworth, a detective with the Lima Police Department, said victims of cybercrime should avoid turning off affected devices because valuable evidence can be lost.
“When you shut off a device, there’s data that’s stored there. And it’s the caching of data. When you shut that off, that data gets erased out of the phone. So if you keep it on there, it gives us a bread trail of where to go back through and see where this possibly originated from.”
The panelists also stressed the importance of creating a cybersecurity response plan and regularly practicing it within an organization. Niekamp-Urwin said 60% of companies that experience a cyberattack close within five years of the incident, underscoring the need for businesses to prepare before an attack occurs.
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