Call Today: 1-866-802-9405

Avoiding Risk is Not Devoiding Risk: October is Cyber Security Awareness Month

Security Vitals Shares Expertise in Mitigating Security Weakness

Pontiac, MI – One of the largest threats and persistent risks to small and medium-sized businesses is the potential for a security breach. Hacks, scams, and phishing requests come in every size and shape, and are exponentially getting worse as nefarious individuals, organizations, and companies, both locally and abroad, continually invent new schemes targeting hard-working people.

What makes these threats so difficult to combat is the incredibly fast moving dynamic nature of the industry. What may solve a problem one day can be obsolete the next in today’s data-driven tech climate.

Cyber security awareness month (October) is important because with all the best security technology, people are still the weakest link and biggest threat to losing data.  Helping them understand basic ways to prevent data loss, through ongoing awareness training, is a sound investment.

Cyber security is something that takes time, discipline, and resources.   A systematic approach that improves security over time (crawl, walk, run) delivers great value without breaking the bank.

Some best practices business owners may want to consider when investing in cyber security initiatives to protect their business information include:

  1. Have a budget for cyber security as a part of your business. Protect your technology investments and plan for cyber security expenses. Having systems in place could save you in the long run.
  2. Security awareness protects your investments. More than 85% of breaches are perpetrated from exploiting internal users. Take preventative measures to ensure your organization has proper education, so your organization knows the difference between fishing and phishing.
  3. Compliant doesn’t mean secure. Most businesses deal with some cyber security compliance standard or another. Just because you check the boxes doesn’t mean your information is secure. Are you doing enough to keep your data safe?
  4. Take a layered security approach. Do you have a fence around your yard? Does that negate the need for a front door? Cyber security works the same way; protect everything from your internet connection down to the endpoints. Treat wired and wireless connections the same; guard your network from unwanted/unapproved access.
  5. Keep your systems updated. Sometimes the simplest solutions can save you from the biggest headache. Some of the largest ransomware outbreaks and data breaches could have been prevented with simple software patches. Are you scanning your network to ensure your critical systems are up-to-date?

Information has become one of the most valuable assets in business today.  Like any other asset, it needs to be protected.   Organizations that do not recognize the value of their data and take the necessary steps to protect it are putting the business at significant risk.

 

About Security Vitals

Security Vitals is a cyber security solutions firm that helps organizations identify and effectively mitigate risk.  Offering a blend of technology and consulting services, Security Vitals helps clients address the many challenges related to ongoing compliance and IT risk. securityvitals.com