A Comprehensive Study of Cyber Security Attacks, Threats, and Risk Mitigation, and How to Reduce Impact on Small and Medium Enterprise by Creating and Using an Incident Response Plan

Cybersecurity is an ever-growing issue with more implications for world-wide impact than dedicated resources or tactics to resolve the threat. In a constantly changing and evolving world, where technology outpaces the ability to rationalize and understand its benefits, the disadvantages grow at an accelerated pace. For instance, the technology that exists to protect against computer attacks is obsolete as soon as developed and deployed. This starts a perpetual cycle for defense versus attack, and with the world becoming more interconnected and reliant on the internet of things, the issue will continue to get worse. Within this problem exists a way to help isolate, mitigate, and deter risk to individuals and corporations as they grasp a growing, connected world. This issue is intensified as small and medium businesses struggle to find themselves similarly equipped to manage modern challenges in cybersecurity, as many lack the technical expertise and staff necessary to combat cyber threats. To further understand the challenges of cybersecurity attacks and potential consistent ways of mediation, a review and analysis of literature about cybersecurity threats, risks and recovery methods was conducted. The articles reviewed help build the case that no industry is safe from attack, and that no consistent way to deter attacks and rebuild from them exists. By using the literature findings, it can lay the framework of finding ways to resolve this growing problem and the results of this study can support a way to offer a unified front to deter cyber-attacks and assist small and medium size businesses with protecting themselves from the growing cybersecurity threats.