Remote work arrangements will become part of the norm in post-COVID-19 workplaces, and businesses will have to rely heavily on cloud-powered technologies more than ever. But while these technologies give organizations unprecedented accessibility, they are also prone to cyberattacks. This is why investing in cybersecurity is paramount.
But not all small- and medium-sized businesses in Charlotte, North Carolina can afford to employ a whole IT department to keep their networks safe. If your organization is facing a similar challenge, the following strategies may help beef up your cybersecurity without burning a hole in your wallet.
Identify your cybersecurity needs
You don’t have to purchase and implement every cybersecurity technology available in the market. Instead, strategically allocate your resources on technologies that would create immediate, widespread, and lasting cybersecurity impacts on your company.
This entails identifying the biggest risks to your cybersecurity and focusing on them. This also means securing the basics of cyber defense, such as your antiviruses and firewalls. By being deliberate about what cybersecurity weaknesses to address and how to address them, you can cover critical bases with the guarantee that every penny is well spent.
Secure and limit access
Employ the principle of least privilege when setting up critical business information access. Also known as the principle of least authority, it is the strategy of giving users access to the apps and information that they need to be efficiently productive, nothing more and nothing less. Surely, people in your marketing department don’t need to be privy to payroll files; neither should your research and development staff have IT administrator privileges.
By controlling user access, you protect your networks from attackers who may use stolen credentials to gain entry into your system. After all, cybercriminals are usually only able to access low-level accounts without the necessary privileges that will allow them to wreak havoc on your systems.
Educate your workforce
A data breach is costly, not to mention meticulous and devastating, with its accompanying legal battles, compliance investigations, and reputational damage. You simply can’t afford not to invest in your first line of defense against cyberattacks: your staff.
Top cybersecurity company Kaspersky underlines that a huge percentage of breaches are caused by human error, either by neglect or oversight. Most of the time, employees fail to recognize compromised emails, and they end up clicking on malware-ridden links or downloading infected files.
Prevent similar cybersecurity mishaps by training your workforce to identify threats like phishing emails or voice scams. Run cyberattack simulations to ensure that your staff knows what to do when they encounter an actual cyberattack. Accordingly, draft a cybersecurity plan that outlines what employees should do if they ever accidentally download malware, including to whom they should report the incident and what steps they should undertake to mitigate its effects.
Hire a professional
Even if you have an in-house IT personnel, they can’t watch over your data 24/7/365. A team of professionals can. At SpectrumWise, for instance, a band of dedicated experts will observe your IT infrastructure round the clock. They will not only be on the lookout for malware, viruses, and attempted logins, but they will also ensure maximum uptime by fixing issues that may prevent your systems from functioning optimally.
SpectrumWise offers seven layers of security, which include monitoring and testing your systems, protecting and backing up your data, and enforcing effective access measures. We also conduct a security awareness training program that equips your team with the right mindset and tools to thwart cyberattacks. The best part? You get all of these for a fixed monthly fee.
Partnering with a managed cybersecurity service provider like SpectrumWise allows you to enjoy robust protection with clear financial insight so you don’t go over your budget.
Does investing in cybersecurity outweigh the cost of a data breach? The answer is always yes. SpectrumWise makes it worth your investment. We have a comprehensive cybersecurity plan for you, whatever your budget may be. Schedule a meeting with us to learn more about how we can protect your business systems.
