Unfortunately, cybercrime is still on the rise and is a serious risk for all businesses which handle customer data and systems. Data breaches can not only compromise the business reputation but can cause serious problems and consequences for the business and its customers.
Business leaders need to understand the risk and seek out internet service providers which can offer clear levels of cyber security to help mitigate against these potential risks and issues.
Using managed IT support providers can really help, particularly for smaller companies who might not have the budget or manpower to handle cyber security defences in house effectively, but what should you expect?
If you want to find out how secure your IT systems are going to be you need to make sure your ISP is offering particular cyber security features as part of your contract, before you sign on the dotted line.
For this guest post we asked Tim of Calix, an award-winning company with a strong focus on cybersecurity. He says it’s important to know that cybersecurity solutions are not a blanket offering and you need to know that your ISP is offering the right solutions that fit what your business needs. So here are Tim’s list of the five signs that your ISP has great cybersecurity features:
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They offer a range of cybersecurity strategies
You want your provider to tell you there is no single strategy that will work, and to tell you they will analyse and assess your particular needs first, before developing the appropriate security strategies for you.
It’s not just about them installing anti-virus protection, or system updates regularly anymore. There needs to be a strategic approach which covers system vulnerabilities, layers of defence and strategies for remote operations.
You need to know that your chosen ISP has proactive ways to manage your systems remotely, and that they can step in wherever your computers and laptops might be. Make sure their strategies include GDPR awareness and training for staff on how to spot issues.
[ Link to image: https://pixabay.com/images/id-3327240/ ]
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They carry out regular security audits
While you want your ISP to assess your systems before setting out the appropriate strategies, it shouldn’t stop there if you want great security for your IT systems. Hackers and cybercriminals are always coming up with new and clever ways to break into systems.
You need to know that your ISP will be carrying out regular security audits and using software to check if there are any cracks in your defences that could leave your systems vulnerable, not just now, but in the future.
Regular security audits will enable potential risks to be identified and addressed before any damage can be done, saving your business money and problems in the longer term.
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They help you understand accountabilities
While your ISP will be providing the system security methods, there is also accountability for your company to make sure all the security strategies are in place and are being implemented effectively. A firewall won’t protect you if you don’t switch it on.
Your ISP should help to identify the key accountabilities which they and you hold between you and enable your company to provide sufficient training for all staff members to ensure the right strategies and approaches are being used and applied throughout the business.
If an ISP just sets up and leaves you to it, they are not providing you with what you need to ensure great cybersecurity for the company.
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They will support during a data breach
In theory, if your ISP offers great cybersecurity then you should never reach this point, but as hackers are incredibly clever, you need your cybersecurity strategy to include a recovery plan should a data breach occur.
Your ISP should support you to develop a plan which will make sure that critical data can be recovered and the impact on your business is minimised as far as possible, as part of their approach.
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They provide flexible agreements
When it comes to cybersecurity services, one size doesn’t fit all so you need to make sure your ISP offers flexibility when it comes to service level agreements and what they are planning to deliver for you.
If they aren’t flexible, you might end up paying for services that you don’t need or tied into a contract which won’t allow you to modify or update the systems further down the line to meet changing needs.
Your ISP should offer flexible agreements which allow you to select the services you require and to flex in the future potentially if your security needs change, for example, if your company were to expand.
Cybersecurity has never been more important so make sure your ISP is providing you with the best possible cybersecurity strategies and solutions, which are tailored to your business, and if you are not seeing all five of these signs, it might be time to change your provider.
