No one in the business world can afford to ignore cybersecurity when you look into managed IT services. Perhaps everyone knows that but some business owners expose their operations to unnecessary risks by taking an informal approach. This is understandable for a sole proprietor who installs his or her own software patches and runs anti-virus software. However, if you are big enough to be incorporated, you face a variety of enhanced risks to your data and personal business information. You probably also have regulatory compliance to think about. Managing or avoiding these network security and other risks isn’t necessarily easy, because the threat landscape continues to evolve. This is one reason why paying for cybersecurity services can be a great investment.
The Challenges of Cybersecurity
Hackers keep developing new tricks. They find and share new software vulnerabilities. Whatever you use for online meetings or file sharing, someone probably knows how to hack it. Software vendors find security vulnerabilities and patch them, but that doesn’t mean everyone installs that patch. This is why hackers hang out on the dark web trying to buy information on the cybersecurity flaws of this or that popular business software. A variety of security risks can’t be mitigated with antivirus software or a firewall either; as basic network security doesn’t protect a company from the full range of threats.
Examples include:
- SQL (structured query language) injection attacks
- Phishing and spearfishing
- Social engineering
- Denial of service and distributed denial of service
- Fileless malware
- Supply chain attacks
Needless to say, those attacks can be very expensive and very damaging to a company’s reputation in addition to exposing a company to legal trouble. The variety of threats a business faces and the creativity of hackers are why investing in expert cybersecurity services can be a smart investment.
Benefits of Outsourcing Cybersecurity Services
From keeping your website running smoothly to protecting your reputation and finances, an investment in good cybersecurity offers several benefits. Moreover, these benefits are also important for smaller businesses – recent research shows that 43% of all cyberattacks target small businesses and 60% of small businesses close in the wake of a data breach.
1 – Better protection from internal and external threats. We often think of hackers and ransomware and attachments with malware in them, but some security breaches happen because someone inside the organization did something they shouldn’t have. This is how phishing and spear phishing work. Sometimes in a bring-your-own-device environment, someone unwittingly brings a device that’s been compromised in some way. Now you have a key logger or worm running on a computer. A disgruntled employee or contractor could also cause trouble.
2 – Regulatory compliance. Government regulations may require that a company follow certain cybersecurity practices, so you have to stay in compliance even when it costs time and money. However, you might also gain a competitive advantage by going above and beyond, complying with a higher standard of cybersecurity than required.
3 – Improved productivity. Remember those patches and updates you need to install? That work does take time from other, higher-value tasks. What about time lost at work due to slow network performance? While it could be your old computers or network hardware, slowness might indicate a cyberattack is happening.
4 – Cost savings. Avoiding data loss, disruptions due to ransomware attacks, and potential loss of money are three solid financial reasons for implementing a thorough cybersecurity regimen. Engaging a managed IT services company is one way to streamline all of the necessary technical work and monitoring while saving money that would otherwise have to be spent on an IT person.
5 – Building trust. In unregulated industries, adopting a widespread standard for data security might make your business more attractive to customers. You may also find it easier to retain existing customers who may leave to get better protection for their sensitive information. Consumer trust is easily damaged by data loss; any incident that exposes customer data will irritate customers and possibly drive them away.
6 – Disaster recovery help. Many cybersecurity firms also offer disaster recovery help regardless of whether a malware attack, natural disaster, or hardware failure destroyed some files. You can get end-to-end protection for your network and data, from keeping malware off the company’s machines to cloud recovery after a cyberattack or natural disaster.
Cybersecurity Metrics
How well does outsourcing cybersecurity services work? Well, we can apply some of the same metrics you might use to measure in-house security effectiveness:
- Incident numbers and types
- Speed of applying patches or updates
- Spam and attachments blocked
SQL injection attacks, suspicious links, unsecure websites, and potentially malicious code are among the things cybersecurity services defend against. You or the company you hire should be able to track relevant numbers and report. And, if there is data loss to ransomware or something else, data recovery in Nashville is still an option. You want an expert partner who knows how to recover data when that is possible.
Outsourced Cybersecurity Offers Compelling Benefits
Cybersecurity services from a specialized security firm can mitigate many risks at a modest cost. Cloud recovery, data recovery for Nashville-area firms, and network monitoring are among our other managed IT services. We have over 20 years of experience serving customers in a range of industries who need network monitoring, security, cloud computing, and cybersecurity services. If you want to secure your company’s hardware and data, contact the professionals at Net Works to find out how we can help.
