Cyberattacks seem like a fact of digital life – one of the costs of doing business in the 21st century. It’s the unfortunate reality facing every single company today. But this doesn’t have to be the de facto reality limiting business owners.
Sure, you absolutely must be aware there are cyber criminals out there who want to harm your company and the people who trust you to protect their information. But that awareness gives you the power to prepare and plan to protect your business in any situation.
Protecting Your Data and Livelihood Requires a Certain Frame of Mind
They want whatever they can get from you and it’s not always about trying to score a payday – sometimes it’s for the amusement and joy they get from causing your company and your customers serious damage and concern.
Understanding and accepting the fact cyber criminals are targeting businesses like yours is critical to maintaining the mental fortitude and willingness to commit to an aggressive cybersecurity process. What helps these hackers, phishers and plain ol’ cyber terrorists more than anything?
Careless employees. Seriously.
Human error and inattention to detail cause nearly 40% of all successful cyber attacks. Think about it like this: your business is your castle surrounded by a moat, and you control the drawbridge. If someone shows up asking you to lower the bridge, but you can visibly see a Molotov cocktail in one hand and a sword in the other – are you going to lower that bridge?
No, you absolutely would not. That’s because you are paying attention and using your better judgment. Employees who don’t pay attention are clicking in the phishing scam emails, providing sensitive company information to someone posing as a vendor or another employee, and so on.
You must be vigilant in dealing with careless employees – otherwise it will cost you at some point.
Take the Lead by Adopting Proven Cybersecurity Processes
It all starts with having the right people in place. From having a dedicated cybersecurity team that proactively monitors your security infrastructure, to screening potential employees during the hiring process, there’s no such thing as doing too much these days.
Preventing cyber criminals from taking advantage of gaps in your cybersecurity measures means having people with a broad range of skills and a wide variety of experience in network and data security. Trusting your network defenses to someone that knows just a little about IT security isn’t nearly enough, and you’re just asking for trouble if that’s the extent of your network security process.
Cybersecurity processes designed to fit your company and industry must be clearly documented and communicated throughout your organization, and your security strategy should be multi-level and in-depth to be effective. Additionally, you must have complete buy-in to these cybersecurity processes and controls from every single person with access to the company network – period.
Sometimes Outsourcing IT and Cybersecurity IS the Right Solution
It’s okay if you don’t have the internal team to provide a comprehensive network security defense. Hiring the right type and number of well-trained and well-educated IT professionals required to truly protect an organization from cybercrime can be expensive. Outsourcing your IT and network security needs is often the most effective, and even most responsible solution.
PCH Technologies has been working with clients for over a decade and has a proven team of IT professionals that are dedicated to protecting businesses and the information they hold. PCH Technologies makes certain that once your network is up, and meets strict PCH standards, that it stays up.
When you’re ready to have a conversation about your unique business network security needs and requirements, a dedicated PCH Technologies professional will be available to speak with you.