What Level of IT Management is Right for Your Business?
Did you know that about 60% of all small businesses fail within six months of a cyberattack (U.S. National Cyber Security Alliance)? IT Security is essential to all companies, from large corporations to small businesses– although the degree of protection may vary. Instead of waiting till something happens to take preventative steps, learn what level of security is the right fit for your business needs.
Level 1: Simple Employee Training and Password Protection
Internet security is becoming an increasingly larger part of modern company culture. Even simple email communication or website maintenance stores important customer and company data, which can be costly to restore in the event of a cyber attack. The first level of IT protection begins here.
From mobile device access to online credit card payments, customers and clients trust your business with their personal information. Protecting this trust requires training employees in best safety practices. Examples include establishing strong passwords not stored in public spaces, internet usage guidelines, and clear punishments for violations of any of the above policies. Research shows that “most system infiltrations don’t come from brute-force hacking but rather poor employee decisions, like falling for a phishing scheme, volunteering login information, or choosing a weak and easily guessable password”. Implementing password training is a great place to begin. However without IT expertise, it can be hard to navigate these trainings on your own or scale security programs as your business expands hiring, computer usage, or locations. That’s where level 2 protection comes in.
Level 2: Offsite Storage and Backup Recovery
From securing email and payment data, it’s important to monitor how this information is passed. Firewalls and securely encrypted wifi networks will help prevent breaks into employee internet access. It’s also important to store backup copies of critical records offsite or in the cloud – for which you may need 3rd party resources.
Also key to proactively preventing data breaches is implementing expert-verified antivirus software and updated programs. Regular updates in antivirus, firewalls, and wifi is vital to keeping company data within the company.
Level 3: Engineering Live-time Support Systems Compliant to Industry Guidelines
Over time, expert hackers will still manage to get around regular passcode encryption and secure internet practices. Depending on your industry, different types of data can be extremely valuable in the black market – this is where 3rd level design-engineering can help stop break-ins before they even begin.
A live IT support system that’s familiar with your business and your data can create detailed case-by-case solutions: it also helps ensure maintenance and security in your most desirable and/or vulnerable access points. These systems are often created by knowledgeable teams who are up-to-date on industry guidelines and emerging threats, to protect you and your business.
Getting Started
Prospera IT provides complete IT managed solutions for a consistent monthly fee so your business has one single point of contact for all of your personalized IT needs. Prospera offers unique services to meet your business at its exact level of need.
Learn more here.