Cybercrime is one of the most significant threats to business owners. As figures from the US National Cyber Security Alliance suggest that over 60% of businesses were targeted in 2018, it’s essential for companies to be aware of the risks of cybercrime and the benefits of investing in cybersecurity.
What exactly is cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity is a means of protecting your business through securing systems, networks and devices. With effective cybersecurity measures in place, you can reduce the risk of breaches and attacks dramatically, protecting your business, your employees and your customers.
There are several solutions, techniques and measures that can be introduced to nullify threats and to lower the risk of data breaches, including 24/7 system monitoring, firewalls, access controls, multi-factor authentication, security updates, and malware scanning.
Why is cybersecurity important?
Cybersecurity is important for a number of reasons and it is increasingly crucial in an age where cyber attacks are becoming more commonplace, and every business is vulnerable. Although we often read about high-profile breaches in the media, small and medium-sized companies are targeted most frequently. The most significant effects of cybercrime and security breaches include:
- Loss of revenue: Gartner estimates the average cost of downtime at $5,600 per minute. Security breaches can increase the risk of unexpected, unscheduled downtime, contributing to direct loss of income, as well as indirect losses through lost customer confidence.
- Damage to your reputation: customers want to be able to trust the companies and brands they buy from. Security breaches can impact consumer confidence by damaging brand image and reputation.
- Intellectual property and data: cyberattacks are carried out to access data and intellectual property. Targeting intellectual property can affect the ability of your business to compete.
Which cybersecurity solutions are best for my business?
Every business is different, and companies have varying requirements in terms of cybersecurity. In the vast majority of cases, IT departments and managed service providers utilize a series of techniques, methods and security systems and products to strengthen defenses and lower the risk of attacks.
If your business doesn’t have a dedicated IT department, working with an external provider offers an array of benefits. Managed service providers can analyze and evaluate existing security systems, detect threats and weaknesses, monitor systems continually, and recommend changes and additions to bolster defenses and enhance cybersecurity.
Experts will be able to design a package of solutions tailored to your requirements and the threats your business may encounter. If you’re in the midwest looking for a managed service provider in Kansas, there are many great MSP companies that can help protect your business, optimize performance, efficiency, and save money.
Summary
Cybercrime is an increasingly potent threat for businesses of all sizes across every sector. Cybersecurity is a means of bolstering defenses and implementing systems and monitoring methods to identify threats, prevent attacks and protect valuable data and intellectual property. If you’re worried about cybercrime, or you think you could benefit from tougher measures, it’s wise to seek advice from expert IT providers.