For too long, businesses have relied on reactive cybersecurity measures. Action is often only taken when a hacker is successful, putting consumer accounts at risk and effecting the loss of thousands of dollars. Rather than playing a cat-and-mouse game with those attempting to gain illegitimate access to their networks, businesses must develop a proactive approach to cybersecurity strategy.
Build a profile of your threat landscape.
Your entire organization is responsible for cybersecurity, and to completely understand the unique needs of your business, you must build a holistic profile of emerging and existing threats. Your threat landscape ranges from business risks and security weaknesses to insider activities and company policies. Transparency in existing efforts to protect data will expose areas that need strengthened, and running scenarios, such as cybersecurity war games among employees, will encourage better understanding of inherent risks. Once developed, this profile will guide a cybersecurity strategy that will proactively defend against malicious attacks.
Set well-defined goals.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to cybersecurity, which is why knowledge of your threat landscape is so crucial. Your cybersecurity goals should reflect the needs and challenges of your business, as well as remain relevant, taking into consideration the changes that occur within your industry. This is the time to incorporate updated policies and offer ongoing training to employees. Goals should include establishing and maintaining employee compliance, which starts with building loyalty amid a culture of cybersecurity best practices. Your business goals will shift as threats continue to advance, but a solid foundation is necessary to sustain a proactive approach to cybersecurity.
Expect evolution.
Proactive cybersecurity requires constant monitoring by everyone within an organization. Not only should your IT infrastructure contain the proper updates and security measures, but your employees should have the knowledge necessary to protect the organization. Intelligence from every corner of your organization is your best defense against hackers and data breaches, with an established, continuous feedback loop in place to stay informed of shifting threats. With this critical information on hand, you can adjust goals as necessary, whether it is every month or every year. Your business must be able to adapt to hacking attempts that are becoming more advanced every day.
Businesses can prevent and react to threats more effectively with improved intelligence, which is not limited to your IT department. Proactive cybersecurity is a culture that demands action from everyone, ranging from alerting management to a phishing email to stopping a virus in its tracks with a vigilant monitoring system. A proactive approach empowers everyone and ultimately offers better protection.
A managed service provider can offer your business the best solutions possible and work diligently to ensure that the percentage you budget to IT is worth every cent. Partnering with the right managed services provider does make a difference. Today’s MSP does more than just provide technology and facilitate server upgrades; the right MSP is an integral layer of your cybersecurity. At thinkCSC, cybersecurity is simply factored into everything we do. We can partner with your Columbus region organization to develop a unique solution designed to fit your business model. Take the first step towards advanced cybersecurity practices and contact us today to learn more about our enhanced Managed Security options.
