There’s no denying that cybersecurity is complicated. Attack surfaces are larger than ever today, now that smartphones, cloud computing, and internet-connected devices are ubiquitous in the modern workplace. Hackers are getting bolder, and their reach is getting wider. In many ways, cybercriminal syndicates mimic the processes of legitimate businesses. They’re highly organized and powerful, and they’re using more varied techniques to get their hands on the digital world’s most valuable commodity — data.
It’s no surprise that most companies, 73% by some reports, are woefully unprepared for a cyberattack. However, this lack of preparedness is due to a faulty notion by many organizations that they are not attractive targets to warrant investing huge sums of money in cybersecurity strategy. In truth, all businesses and individuals are potential targets, especially smaller organizations that yield fewer rewards compared to big business but are less difficult to attack. Every industry sector is a potential target too, with healthcare and finance being the favorite targets.
Related article: Here’s your essential checklist against cyberattacks
How a lack of strategy compromises information security
In the early days, cybersecurity was largely a matter of hiding the corporate network behind a firewall and restricting access on endpoints. Now that attack surfaces go far beyond conventional perimeter defense measures, it’s a different picture entirely. Furthermore, the cyberattack landscape is constantly changing and evolving alongside technology. Every disruptive technology, be it the cloud or the Internet of Things (IoT), introduces both risk and opportunity to organizations. On one hand, no business can afford to eschew modern technology, but on the other, they need to retain control over their data.
In many enterprise computing environments, security measures are tacked on as an afterthought instead of being considered integral components at the start. It’s this lack of strategy and foresight that leads to legacy systems being left vulnerable and newer technologies being adopted prematurely. Rather than simply following the hype and implementing the newest technologies for the sake of it, businesses need to consider their operational priorities first. Now more than ever, decision makers need to align their goals with implementing new technology, and start thinking about security from the outset.
Data migration woes in the age of the cloud
The cloud is one of the most pervasive buzzwords today. It promises a wealth of business benefits, ranging from enhanced productivity to limitless scalability to better collaboration in siloed organizations. However, while the benefits of the cloud are undeniable, data migration woes remain a key obstacle for businesses to fully embrace cloud computing. Many business leaders think of the cloud as the destination rather than a journey; this attitude leaves them open to severe breaches while their data is in transit. Another key decision regarding information security is whether to build a hybrid infrastructure or choose server colocation instead.
Related article: Here’s your essential checklist against cyberattacks
Since conventional cybersecurity focuses largely on the perimeter, cloud migration requires a new framework and a different way of thinking about protection. To keep security at the forefront, companies need to think about factors like cloud threat modeling, securing their deployment pipelines, and implementing round-the-clock monitoring. These are all complicated matters that require a high degree of expertise and technology to address. Many companies simply don’t have access to these resources, and instead try to innovate using the limited capabilities of their in-house IT department. Such risk-taking leaves them vulnerable to a serious data breach.
Other business leaders view the cloud with great distrust, instead believing it’s better to keep everything in-house. The problem with this approach is that they typically don’t have access to the same degree of cybersecurity technologies and expertise that larger global enterprises have. After all, major vendors like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google are vastly more capable of protecting their data than a typical small- or medium-sized business (SMB) with an undermanned IT department. SMBs are better off partnering with a dependable third-party IT services provider; if so, they will be better equipped to innovate without leaving the door wide open for a data breach.
Online Computers provides innovative IT support and unrivaled customer service that boost business performance while keeping your company one step ahead of the threats. Don’t know what technology is right for your business? Read our comprehensive post about the 8 Most common IT mistakes, and how SMBs can avoid them. In today’s business environment, SMBs need to be tech-savvy in order to get ahead of the competition. But you don’t have to be a geek to be knowledgeable about technology. At Online Computers, we strive to educate our clients of the power of technology and how they can utilize it to enhance their business. Want to be smarter about IT? Get in touch with us today.
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