While it’s no secret that cybersecurity threats are becoming more of an issue in today’s technology-driven world, fully understanding the risks your business faces and how to stay protected is more complicated than you might think.
This is especially true for small businesses – groups that are prime targets for cyber-attacks because they typically have more limited IT resources and weaker security measures in place.
Without knowing what it takes to fully protect yourself and your business, it’s less a question of if you’ll but targeted, but when.
Managed IT services help provide that security and peace of mind because their focus is delivering on-going support, maintenance, and updates that will look out for and protect your business over time.
Evolving Cyber Threats
Just as technology and digital platforms are becoming more advanced, so are cyber threats. Hackers are growing smarter and learning more ways to attack businesses. Two of the most prevalent threats are phishing schemes and ransomware attacks.
Phishing Attacks
One of the most common scams, phishing attacks are when hackers impersonate other people, companies, or groups trying to get you to give them private data – such as passwords or payment information. These primarily happen through email and spam calls, coming from addresses and phone numbers you think you recognize because they look very similar to actual contact info from people you know and trust when looking at a glance.
Ransomware Attacks
These cybersecurity threats typically start as a phishing scheme or other type of attack, where someone gains access to and inputs a bad code into your system, encrypting your files and making it so you can’t access them. They then usually demand a ransom of some sort to unlock the files and give you back your data. This can cost your business time, money, and trust, especially if you don’t have access to any of your data to keep business operations running.
While there are many emerging cyber threats companies of all sizes are facing, these are two of the most prevalent because of their ease of access for hackers and the high risks they pose for businesses. Because there are so many dangers out there today, it’s important for companies to have proper security measures in place to reduce their risk.
How Managed IT Services Strengthen Your Defenses
When it comes to cyber security, managed IT services give you an expert team that is actively monitoring your systems for cybersecurity threats and doing whatever is necessary to ensure you have safeguards in place before an attack happens. There are five key ways they do this: threat monitoring and detection, advanced security tools, system updates, data backups and recovery, and employee training.
Threat Monitoring & Detection
Finding threats early and stopping them in their tracks is vital to protecting your business. An IT team will provide you with 24/7 monitoring, making it easier to notice threats as they pop up and provide a real-time response to them. They can also more easily find threats hidden in your code, site, or system and put defenses in place so those bugs don’t become a major issue for you.
Advanced Security Tools
While you might have the basic security measures in place, an IT partner will up your security game with high-level protections and monitoring, including things like spam filtering, endpoint protections, firewalls, SSL, and more. These make it harder for hackers to access your site and data, and limit what they might be able to see if they do get in.
System Updates
Outdated software and technology are some of the easiest ways hackers can gain access to your business, because they have less protections and more known weak points people with malicious intent can exploit. Having an IT team that keeps up with updates and makes sure every site, plug-in, app, etc. that you are using is as secure as possible can minimize the vulnerabilities your company has.
Data Backups & Recovery
Routinely backing up your data ensures that if (or when) something happens to your company – whether that’s a full cyber attack or even human error – you still have copies of everything to keep business running. A managed IT partner will guide you on the best data backup plan for your business, including how often you should be taking them, where to store them, and more. They will also assist in putting together a recovery plan, so that whenever you need those backups you know how to access and implement them quickly and effectively.
Employee Training
One of the main ways you can protect your business is by making sure your team knows what to be on the lookout for and how to avoid falling victim to a cyber attack. A managed IT provider will take the time to properly train your employees on the different types of threats they are likely to face, including how to spot them, what to do if they come across something suspicious, and the necessary steps to take if they do click on something malicious. This helps build a level of defense in your company outside of just your systems’ security features.
Benefits of Partnering with a Managed IT Provider
It’s not uncommon that most companies don’t have a full in-house IT team. And while this might not be a big deal for your business, there are IT and software needs that you want experts taking care of, so you know you’re covered. Some key benefits of working with an IT provider include:
The digital landscape is facing more cyber threats than ever, and the risks are just increasing as time goes on. Having the right managed IT partner in place before an attack happens can make all the difference of how protected you are and the impacts on your business if something does go wrong.
How We Can Help
At WePro, we are a managed IT service provider in Texas helping businesses of all sizes and industries enhance their cybersecurity, improve their software, and boost overall productivity. We take pride in making sure your business is covered around the clock, so you can worry less about cyber treats and focus more on getting the job done and reaching your goals.
If you’re looking for an IT partner for your company, send us a message and let’s set up a time to chat!
