As the craft beer industry continues to boom, there are over 9,000 breweries in business across the United States. The more these small businesses grow, the more they must protect themselves with cybersecurity. Cyber attacks cost the U.S. economy billions yearly, and no company is too small to be a target. Indeed, hackers often view small businesses like craft breweries as easy marks because of limited resources to handle IT and a lack of enough knowledge related to cybersecurity.
Of course, one light but potent tool that every craft brewery should consider putting into action is a Virtual Private Network aka VPN. VPNs provide an additional layer of security for the brewery by encrypting its internet. Workers will be granted secure links in-house or remotely because of the encrypted traffic. Here’s a closer look at craft breweries’ cybersecurity risks and how a business VPN can help mitigate them.
Cyber Risks for Craft Breweries
It turns out, however, that craft breweries are vulnerable to many of the very same types of cybersecurity threats as any small business:
- Phishing and malware attacks that trick employees into clicking on malicious links or attachments, thus potentially spilling sensitive data
- POS system intrusions that steal the payment information of customers
- Ransomware attacks that lock up brewery data and systems until a ransom is paid.
- Unsecured public Wi-Fi use by employees, especially when traveling or working remotely.
- On top of this, some special risks and considerations affect the brewing industry:
- Most of the breweries have complicated supply chains and partner networks, which increase the attack surface.
- The industrial control systems that drive brewing equipment can be hacked.
- Breweries are adopting more cloud and mobile technologies which require careful security configuration
How a VPN Protects Breweries
Probably the most cost-effective cybersecurity tool at your disposal as a craft brewery is the business VPN. Here are some key benefits:
Encrypted connections
It does this by encrypting all traffic moving between a brewery’s network and the users’ devices. This makes it very hard for hackers to intercept sensitive data or breach brewery systems in such a case.
Secure remote access.
A VPN is also necessary with more brew house staff working remotely. This provides secure access to company networks and applications from anywhere. The VPN authenticates the remote worker’s identity and encrypts their traffic.
Protected public Wi-Fi use
Brewery employees often need to make use of public Wi-Fi networks while they are traveling or working off-site. A VPN secures these connections, providing privacy for that online activity and shielding it from snoopers.
Reduced costs
Implementing a business VPN is generally much cheaper than other network security solutions, like upgraded firewalls. Many VPN providers have relatively cheap plans for small businesses. Surfshark is one of the most affordable and trustworthy VPN providers out there.
Scalability
What is more, with a VPN, in case of brewery enlargement and starting to hire new staff, it is easy to scale up users and device protection. This scalability is essential while the breweries are in rapid growth.
Conclusion
Craft breweries sink a lot of elbow grease and creativity into your perfect pint. It’s essential to defend that hard work from cybercriminals. A business VPN is an easy way for breweries to secure their networks, give employees safe access remotely, and protect them from very costly data breaches. As the threat landscape continues to evolve, those craft breweries prioritizing cybersecurity will be better prepared to continue thriving.
