CyberSecurity Options for Smaller Business with Lower Budgets

Hacking Passwords

More than at any time in history we rely on technology in both our personal and working lives. Most of us routinely carry a smartphone and many people have online banking facilities. We shop online, setting up accounts with vendors for convenience. And we use social media, where plenty information about us and our lifestyles can be deduced by others. On an individual basis, there is a lot of sensitive data stored electronically in many locations.

Now consider the situation for a smaller business. They will have a computer network that communicated with suppliers and customers. The data stored regards customers, suppliers and employees is potentially sensitive. That’s why we’re going to look at the subject of CyberSecurity, why even the smallest business needs to consider it, and the most affordable ways of enabling high levels of security.

Why is CyberSecurity Important?

Put simply. CyberSecurity is about protecting your online data from persons or organisations who may be interested in it. As we mentioned above, practically every individual’s bank details are digitally stored these days, and those with the technical knowledge know the weak points in data transfer. The internet and online communication work by networks of servers talking to each other and transferring this data. At certain points in the transaction it may be possible to extract such information from the system.

Larger businesses employ IT security experts full time to keep on top of the latest developments in cybercrime. You will have read of breaches in which personal and commercially valuable information has been stolen. However, for smaller businesses the focus is on getting the job done and potential growth: CyberSecurity is often overlooked, and one cannot afford to hire a full time IT security specialist. What’s the answer?

Outsource to a renowned and respected CyberSecurity Company who will dedicate time to ensuring your servers are as safe and secure as is possible. Let’s look further at what a company of this type can do for you.

Outsourcing IT Security Management

As you are not employing the security expert you will pay far less for a dedicated company to supply their expertise. This growing area of IT is one of the most important of the time. A CyberSecurity company will provide you with the following standard services and solutions:

    • Managed IT Security Services whereby the company will control and regularly update security on all your hardware including PC’s, Laptops, networks and servers, as well as on your hand-held devices used for business purposes. This will be carried out by experts at a fixed monthly rate that will be surprisingly affordable.
    • Full IT Solutions including full back-ups, advice on future network needs and implementation, and daily, weekly and monthly routines. You do not need to have an IT department as they will also attend to downtime and other problems.
    • Remote Office Support which we are going to talk about in the next section.

CyberSecurity and Remote Working

The ongoing effect of the covid-19 crisis has had a great influence on the way we currently work. If you are office based the likelihood is, you have been working from home of late. This has led to many businesses – especially the smaller outfits – considering this form of working as a future practice. The trend towards working from home is one that should perhaps have come about earlier as the technology is in place, and it makes some sense.

However, it does open up the way for cyber crime to expand. With employees communicating and performing their tasks over a long distance rather than in a closed network the opportunity for data theft is greater. This is why a CyberSecurity company will need to be engaged to ensure your remote working teams are properly protected.

There are methods of encryption, for instance, that the experts can use to protect data when it is moving between two servers, and plenty more that can be done by a dedicated security company too. If you are looking at having your teams work from home – even for just part of the working week – it is essential you talk to the experts and put the right levels of security in place.

CyberSecurity and the Future

The future working trends of smaller business will almost certainly involve some form of remote working and definitely involve computer networks. There is no such thing as 100% security when working with digital equipment, yet it is definitely possible to ensure that you engage experts who can make your system as secure as possible whether remote or in the office.

Talk to the experts right now and put your mind at rest by having a CyberSecurity company review your network and advise you on the best methods of improving your digital security.

Jennifer Thomas
Jennifer Thomas is the Co-founder and Chief Business Development Officer at Cybers Guards. Prior to that, She was responsible for leading its Cyber Security Practice and Cyber Security Operations Center, which provided managed security services.