The greatest threat to network security in your organization is known by every hacker on the planet. More than likely, they have been testing your system multiple times per day for years. They have been searching for the weakest link in the softest part of your armor, and when they find it, they will exploit it for days or even months until you are alerted to their activity.
Your greatest vulnerability is, unfortunately, the same as ours, the same as General Motors’ and the same as pretty much every other company in existence – your people. Your employees open the digital front door of your business every day by clicking links in emails and on websites, they disarm security by turning off antivirus, and they invite strangers into your building in the form of unapproved software.
Without a properly built security system, your employees leave you vulnerable to the more than $3.5 billion in cyber-crime losses reported to the FBI in 2019. That number is accelerating as criminals make use of automation and an ever-growing treasure trove of hacked email addresses and passwords.
To secure your company against these threats, many layers of defense are needed:
- Antivirus that’s monitored, updated and maintained
- Strong passwords, unique to individuals and not reused or shared
- Training to spot phishing emails and other threats
- Updated operating systems and productivity software
- Vetting new software installations
- Firewalls that are properly configured and updated
- Backups that are verified and tested
- Timely suspension of accounts for terminated employees
- Multi-factor authentication for critical applications
- Secured methods of remote access
To be complete, an IT security strategy must include all the above elements, and if you look back at the list, many of them can be defeated by your staff. IT security requires the management of not only equipment, but people.
At Lighthouse IT we have systems and tools that help us manage thousands of PCs and servers. The tools we use would be too expensive and complicated for a small (or even medium) business to procure and manage, but they are excellent for managing technology.
The clients who want the strongest security systems:
- Keep their IT team informed of the additions and subtractions to their staff
- Ensure their staff is trained (and re-trained) in their role
- Recognize security comes not only with a financial cost but also at the expense of convenience
- Meet regularly with their IT team to discuss the current state of their security
- Routinely revise their technology security systems to stay protected from emerging threats
If your company is ready to get serious about network security, you need to be proactive to address your largest security vulnerability – your people. Let us know if we can help!
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