The Importance of IT Security

The Importance of IT Security

 Every business needs to invest in IT security. In addition to the traditional, physical security measures which protect a company’s physical assets, in the 21^st century, IT security is a necessity. In 2020, experts consider cyber attacks the greatest risk to businesses. Why? Because so much of a company’s day to day processes as well as their valuable and private customer information is stored digitally. Digital assets hold monetary value and therefore must be protected from attacks. IT security is constantly evolving to keep up with the fast-paced developments and changes in cyber security. Are you prepared for a cyber-attack?

IT security is about protecting something beyond the physical. Now that so much of a business, from its processes to its templates to its research and even something as simple as its social media content, is stored on computers and in the cloud, IT security is a fundamental need. IT security protects your Intellectual Property as well as more standard digital assets.

Put simply, cyber security protects your business from cybercrime. Back in the day, this threat may have only been a virus on your computer. Inconvenient but solvable and preventable in the first place with basic antivirus software. Today, cybercrime is far more evolved and with businesses so reliant upon digital processes, the stakes are raised.

Rather than infecting hundreds of privately-owned computers with ransomware to make money, cybercriminals are turning to businesses which hold larger amounts of data and information, both of which are far more valuable and therefore the hackers can demand higher ransoms or sell the data for money online.In addition to the financial implications, a business which suffers from a cyber-attack could see its reputation destroyed and therefore steps should be taken to minimise the risk of your business falling prey to such an attack.

Whether you are a small or large business, you could be at risk on an attack. Successful cyberattacks on multinationals make the news (think Facebook, Sony, Target, Yahoo, Marriott) but smaller businesses can be targets too. In fact, small businesses are easy prey because many owners do not recognise the importance of cyber security and fail to invest, at least before it’s too late. These networks are easier to access and are popular targets for cyber criminals looking for a quick win. They can hack systems, acquire valuable data and private customer information then demand a ransom from the business in order to prevent a leak.

We recommend that businesses invest in not only in cyber security but in education programs for their employees. Often, the security weakness is not within the software but a person who makes an error or falls victim to something called phishing where they are tricked into inadvertently providing cyber criminals with what they need to complete the attack.

Employees may accidentally share a password, leave a computer unlocked, grant access to the building or mislay a piece of equipment. Hyper vigilance from every member of the team is key when it comes to making it as hard as possible for cyber criminals to gain physical or digital access to our business assets. Educating your staff ensures they are armed with the necessary knowledge which not only allows them to act as the first line of security but also allows you to hold individuals to account, in the event of a breach.

It is important to note that cyber security is an ever-changing landscape. Unlike traditional security features such as a fence, a cyber firewall will need to be endlessly updated and upgraded to ensure it protects against the latest attacks. Think of it as a castle wall, always under fire from flaming trebuchet projectiles. Hackers and cybercriminals are doing damage all the time, picking away at the defences. And it’s our job, as IT security experts, to strengthen and reinforce the cyber firewall from the inside to ensure ongoing resistance.

Otto IT continues to stay at the cutting edge of this threat to our society. We are proud to offer our clients the most sophisticated and advanced cyber security available today which goes way beyond the standard anti-virus software which can be bought at any electronic store. We understand the importance of cyber security for all businesses and can deliver tailormade, layered security approach to deter and prevent cybercrime.

To find out more about our IT security services, call Otto IT today.