Is your Company's Cybersecurity Strategy “Newsworthy”? (Let’s Hope Not!!)

                                     Avoid a cyber-breach and stay out of the headlines

In public relations circles they joke that ‘bad PR is better than no PR’ – but that is not true. Just ask any CEO of a company in the news for a cyber-breach!

Every year, around this time, we reach out to all clients with a reminder about cybersecurity and the smart action that best protects your organization. Sometimes the very topic causes company leadership to freeze or, worse, organizational paralysis sets in and the company does not properly address cybersecurity, leaving unknown vulnerabilities, and opportunities for the dark web!

We are often brought in to help strengthen and ‘shore up’ a client’s cybersecurity plan to ensure integrity. All too often, though, we are summoned after the horses are loose from the barn. It is far less costly to have a strong plan in place (and enforced) than to have to recover from a disaster – one that hopefully is never newsworthy in the first place.

Cybersecurity is always ‘top of mind’ in every company – at least that should be the case! Hopefully, it remains high on the list, as a constant, on your IT whiteboard list of priorities.

While the world of IT Management and Cybersecurity are always changing, there is much sage advice that applies today. Make these four points a top priority, strategically, and put our team to work to help you avoid negative news headlines:

• Protect your information and secure your systems
• Minimize your risks
• Set proper IT policies and procedures
• Enforce company policies using technology and HR
• Access control
• Password management

Here are a few things that your company can (ought to) do to minimize risk, lower your vulnerability, and maximize your protection.

1.     Designate your company’s Cybersecurity Officer. Support the person in that role with proper management, leadership, training, and the proper budget to implement the company plan.

2.     Decide who has access to what kinds of information within your company and use network technology to control and monitor to ensure best protection.

3.     The company HR policy manual ought to address the ‘risky on-line behaviors’ to be avoided. Ongoing, all employees must be educated about data protection, and the importance of developing a security-aware mindset.

4.     Ensure that your IT systems and policies meet or exceed all external requirements for your business and industry, including PCI Compliance, for example.

5.     Utilize cloud storage to support your cybersecurity and data protection requirements. This is especially important if your IT department is not properly staffed with information security experts. Encrypt all data where appropriate.

6.     Enable controls over all mobile electronic devices used by your company. Be sure that capabilities such as remote wipe are activated, so that control is maintained.

7.     Back up your data – and test your back up and restore policies, procedures and technology. You do not want to wait for disaster to strike only to discover your current solution is inadequate.

8.     Proper security software is deployed on all mobile devices accessing the company’s network and business systems. Bring your own devices (BYOD) are properly managed and secured, as are all social media policies an access.

It’s a good time - right now - to make sure you gain powerful protection against cyber-threats

According to Microsoft, Cyberattacks will likely cost $6 trillion worldwide by 2021. Of course, they admit (and we concur) that the Office 365 collection of threat-protection solutions helps protect against a wide range of threats. 


     Vigilance is required. Take the next step.
 

Cybersecurity is a constant priority, requiring smart oversight and monitoring. Yes, we can help you stay out of the headlines, but you must call us before those horses get out of the barn.

In their research, Microsoft has found that 74 percent of small and medium-sized businesses don’t believe they’ll ever be the victim of a cyberattack. However, the reality is much harsher. As many as 41 percent of similarly sized businesses have already been attacked. So, what steps can you take to protect your business?

We want to send you Microsoft's State of Security report to get answers to your most pressing security questions, along with:

• Concrete recommendations to reduce the odds of an attack on your business
• Action plans for recovery in the case of a successful attack
• Insights into how your peers view cybersecurity threats

Simply request the report via email to mcarlow@ctsservices.com. We'll get it right over to you!

Let us help you be ever-vigilant about security - and keep you out of the news as well!


Need immediate help with your cybersecurity? Call us at 508.528.7720