Before the digital age, risk management often involved workplace safety assessments that identified health and safety hazards. They were critical to preventing accidents that caused injury, resulted in worker’s compensation claims, expensive lawsuits, and reduced morale among employees.
The digital age has now changed workplace risk management services to include the identification of safety risks that compromise online security. The stakes continue to rise as more businesses come online, making cybersecurity and data safety an absolute priority for forward-thinking businesses.
Whether it’s online or offline, data is more valuable than ever before. It powers marketing strategies, investment decisions and application development. Every business that wants to succeed in the digital age is willing to pay a high price for high-quality data - and cybercriminals know it.
That’s why it’s absolutely critical that every business invests in cybersecurity and data safety management.
Some analysts believe that data is the new oil, fueling all business sectors from resource acquisition to consumer services, and along all points on the supply chain. Most small businesses make the mistake of thinking they aren’t in the crosshairs of cybercriminals, but they’re wrong. Quality trumps quantity when it comes to data, and all companies are vulnerable.
Cybercriminals are among the first people that understand the value of data. Hackers are always on the lookout for insecure networks due to the growing black market for data. Once they find a vulnerability, they attack it with full force, accessing an entire network and whatever client and company data they can find.
Cybersecurity threats are growing in size and sophistication. Some threats and potential risks that can affect your business include:
Malware - malicious software that harms computers and penetrates networks, such as worms, viruses, ransomware and spyware.
Phishing - a form of online fraud used by hackers that send stylized email messages that appear to be legitimate, often requesting username/password information for access to third-party networks like banks or government agencies.
Denial-of-service attacks - a cyberattack that floods a server with multiple requests, exhausting its capabilities to the point where it cannot process regular traffic.
Zero-day exploits - a cyberattack executed after a network vulnerability is found but before solutions are implemented. This gives cybercriminals an opportunity to exploit computer programs, steal data or attack additional computers and/or networks.
SQL injections - when hackers insert malicious code into a Structured Query Language (SQL) server to access valuable data.
Man-in-the-middle attacks - when hackers insert themselves between networks (like WiFi) and devices for the purpose of stealing exposed data.
Keep your data safe with enhanced document security measures that include access restrictions, strong device and application passwords, invisible folders and other data management systems that prioritize security.
Hackers, identity thieves, uncredentialed employees and even the competition can profit from access to your valuable company and client data. That’s why investing in document security today helps you avoid costly data breaches tomorrow that can irreversibly harm your business reputation.
When compared to paper files and external hard drives at the office, your data can be safer when stored on the cloud. Investing in a reputable cloud storage service means you have access to top-level security infrastructure without making the internal hardware investment.
Besides enhanced security, cloud storage gives you convenient access to your documents whenever you need them and wherever there is an internet connection. Team productivity improves as well through enhanced collaboration and document sharing features.
When combined with managed IT services, your sensitive data is protected with top-level security through enhanced network safety and remote monitoring.
The best offense is to start with a strong defense. In digital terms, that means building a wall around your business that hackers can’t penetrate.
Building cybersecurity defenses begins with a risk management assessment. Our IT professionals understand the hacker’s mentality and can find leaky holes in your network as part of our risk assessment process.
We understand that each business is different and requires a unique network security strategy. Vulnerabilities can be found in numerous points on your network, including all employee computers, printers, scanners and applications used by employees both onsite and offsite. We can identify and customize a variety of network security applications and management tools that mitigate risk and identify vulnerabilities quickly.
Standleys provides managed IT security solutions that protect your data with first-in-class solutions that include firewalls, virtual private networks and anti-virus software. Our solutions can help prevent security threats that cause downtime, disruption, client loss, reduced profits, and permanent damage to your business’s reputation.