4 Cyber Risks That Business Owners Should Be Aware Of
Businesses today are more reliant on technology than they ever were before, and with good reason. Data can be stored for the long term without a need for printed copies and can be easily referenced by employees and business owners alike. In many ways, it’s much more difficult for businesses to operate without moving forward in terms of technological progressions.
But there are risks that open up when businesses become reliant on technology, as unavoidable as this reliance may be. It can be difficult for employees who are not tech experts to stay abreast of how best to prevent security threats. This is why employers must work with technical support for businesses. Not only will this make work more efficient and easier; it will also prevent or assuage some of the risk factors that we’ll look into below.
1. Security Breaches
One of the most serious threats to businesses that rely on technology like the cloud is the issue of security threats. Hackers have always been concerns for businesses owners, ever since the internet became widely available. But though cyber security is now taken even more seriously, there are also more means through which hackers can access secure information. Furthermore, many employees are unaware of the threats that they can expose their employers to simply by making a few thoughtless mistakes.
Not only can IT support for businesses check up on these types of security risks; they can also educate employees about what they can do to prevent these types of risks from becoming a reality. When new employees are onboarded, IT experts can educate them about how to keep their employers’ information secure. Employees should ideally change their passwords every month. Furthermore, they should understand escalation management when a security issue should be referred to IT support. This kind of education cannot be handled by laymen and should instead be left to IT professionals.
2. Data Loss
One of the reasons why outsourcing IT to expert technology consulting firms is that IT professionals understand the warning signs of failing technology. The average employee probably won’t. Therefore, it’s rather easy for employees to keep using their computers and other types of technology without realizing that they’re about to collapse, and that data may be lost in turn.
It’s estimated that about 25% of all organizations never test their data recovery systems. This is likely in part because they do not employ technical support for businesses. When a business has proper IT support in its corner, there is much less of a risk of data loss because IT support professionals understand how best to back up data and ensure that even if it is lost, it can be recovered.
3. Security Flaws
The reason why technical support for businesses will regularly update security systems is that every time a new security system enters the market, cyber criminals begin attempting to understand it and breach it. Over time, new flaws can be identified in virtually any system, which is why businesses constantly need to update them.
While business owners can make the final decisions regarding their security systems, they should do so under advisement from IT professionals. This way, they can choose security systems that are not merely cost effective, but properly preventative.
4. Data Theft
While business owners understandably want to trust their employees, there is always a risk that employees will commit data theft. This would involve copying data or sending it to a third party, often a competitor. Once data theft has been committed, it can be difficult to undo the damage. But business owners do need to know who committed the theft, and thieves understandably make great efforts to prevent this information from becoming available.
Technical support for businesses can not only implement systems to prevent data theft; they can also help business owners identify thieves. This will help make the business more secure in the future.
Cyber security is something that business owners should take seriously. But at the same time, it’s virtually impossible for a business to be relevant today without also being technologically connected. This is why every business owner should have IT professionals they can rely on.