Is Your Business Data and Communications Safe and Secure?
Your business operates in the 21st Century — a world abounding in rapid, open communication of information, but also with abundant opportunity for theft and abuse. Your and your clients’ information needs to be treated with care and attention to ensure it is safe and secure.
What is IT security?
Cyber security is the art and science of protecting IT networks, servers, work stations, and mobile devices from intrusion. Cyber terrorists and thieves attempt to access, change, or destroy your sensitive information. They may attack with intent of extorting money or interrupting your normal business activities. Cyber security protects against phishing schemes, ransomware attacks, identity theft, financial losses, and outright theft of confidential information.
Types of IT Cyber Security
There are different types of IT cyber security, depending on what it’s meant to protect. There’s network security that applies controls to protect your computer networks and devices from threats. There’s application security that applies controls to protect applications, such as input validation and secure coding practices. There’s data security implemented to protect your data from unauthorized access, theft, or loss. And there’s endpoint security, which simply means applying firewalls, device encryption, and antivirus software to protect computers, laptops, and mobile devices (phones and tablets) from threats.
Who needs cyber security?
Cyber security is mandated for some businesses that must comply with HIPAA, CIPA, HIYECH, PCI, and other regulated industries. Even if yours is not one that must comply with regulated cyber security, you’ll still want to ensure the security of your data. Your business — and your customers — depend on it.
What are the benefits of cyber security
First and foremost, protecting your data from intrusion and theft. Then, by reducing chance of cyber attacks and data breaches, IT security can help improve efficiency by minimizing disruptions and downtime. IT cyber security also can reduce the risk of financial loss from data breaches. By showing your customers you take their data seriously, you enhance trust and confidence with them, building a foundation for future growth.
Why should you employ an IT cyber security consultant?
Cyber security consultants, like Crumbacher, a leading business IT consulting firm serving Albuquerque and Santa Fe, advise and work with multiple business organizations, giving them a depth of experience from which to counsel you. An IT cyber security consultant examines every level of your computer systems and how they are integrated. That provides basic information to determine the best way to protect your data.
What does an IT cyber security consultant do?
IT cyber security consultants identify problems, evaluate security issues, and assess risk. They combine their experience with your identified needs to implement “best-practice” solutions to minimize threats to your networks and computer systems.
More specifically, IT cyber security consultants:
- Research, develop, test, and implement systems,
- Assess and update software to eliminate bugs and improve productivity,
- Identify and eliminate potential vulnerabilities,
- Implement risk-prevention measures, and
- Generate reports to monitor security.
Addressing The Other Threat
There is another threat to your data, one that may not be top of mind, but is just as important. What do you do to protect your data in the event of disaster — fire, flood, or anything else that destroys your business?
Identify The Other Threat
Disaster may have nothing to do with human intervention — hackers, industrial espionage, or any other “James Bond” scenario. Natural disasters such as flood and fires also happen and serve as a threat to your data. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
- If your data are damaged or lost, how quickly can you recover and restore it?
- Is there a backup of critical data off site?
- Do you have a plan to obtain new space and new equipment to continue business operations?
- Do you have a plan for employees to work at home and communicate until new facilities are available?
Support — When you need it most?
An IT cyber security consultant can work with you to develop a plan to ensure safe and secure data, regardless of how diverse or dispersed your system components. Included in that plan should be steps to bring your business back up to speed should disaster happen. It’s better to be prepared than to think “This will never happen to me.”
Crumbacher provides high-quality business IT consulting to Albuquerque and Santa Fe small businesses. Take advantage of our Free Network Analysis which is a thorough second opinion about the state of network security in your office. As a leading Albuquerque cyber and information security company, our job is to identify the weak links, prioritize them in order of impact and offer smart and efficient solutions to each.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cyber Security
Information Security Policies
Q:
Do you know who can access what on your network and computers? How open your IoT devices? Are you controlling the type of content your users can access? Are there hardware anti-virus and packet inspection devices active on your network that are constantly updated?
A:
We service many organizations with different requirements for IT security and access. After security polices have been defined it’s time to get to work and implement access control so user access groups are clearly defined and only the relevant content and resources are accessible from within your network as well as from outside. Crumbacher specializes in creating an extra level of protection such as different security appliance solutions to prevent as many things getting to end-user machines as possible.
Risk Assessments
Q:
Have you recently performed and documented an information IT security risk assessment to identify and assess potential threats, their probability, potential effects, and the existing controls and risk remediation plans that you have in place?
A:
Our cyber and information security company in Albuquerque performs risk assessments for our clients and provide roadmaps for eliminating potential weak links.
Virus and Malware Protection
Q:
Are all endpoints on your network as well as critical components such as servers and other systems running updated virus and malware protection software?
A:
Crumbacher IT Security continuously monitors our clients’ computers and servers and reacts to every threat. Anti-Virus isn’t an all around cure, but it’s a necessity which needs to be a good quality solution with appropriate management and servicing attached. We provide our clients with only the best business grade anti-virus software to maximize your security and peace of mind.
Passwords
Q:
Is strong password policy with password expiration enforced throughout your local and online accounts? Is password management software in use?
A:
We often see organizations using common passwords (QWERTY, 12345, Password1) to login to their computers or different online accounts. Ask us how to easily enforce password complexity with your computer users and what software to implement to continuously monitor, and if need be, urgently remove access to password database. This is an easy step to take to boost your IT security and shouldn’t be overlooked.
Business Continuity Planning and Disaster Recovery
Q:
Is the plan sufficient, up-to-date and recently tested?
A:
What is the cost of your business being down for an hour? A day? A week? How long can you wait before your data and operation is fully restored? Your business’ IT security outlook should always have a Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery plan that also includes offsite data backup (“Cloud Backup”). Let’s start implementing it together ASAP.
Update Management
Q:
How does your business manage the installation of all software security patches and updates and ensure that all systems nearing or at the end of their service life are replaced?
A:
Crumbacher IT techs routinely make sure that all systems are up to date with the latest firmware, updates and patches to ensure your IT security is solid. We run inventory and advise about hardware depreciation and life cycles so our clients can budget accordingly.
Information Security Training
Q:
Does your business have a continuing information IT security awareness program?
A:
Our cyber and information security company in Albuquerque has a team that loves to come in and talk to your staff about IT security policies and IT best practices in dealing with technology and information. Our experienced techs explain important and complex concepts in terms that everyone can understand and answer any of your questions that may arise.