Let’s pose a serious question: what do you think are the three biggest IT security risks, and how can you fight back?

We’ll get to that in a short while, but by now you should know what this article is trying to get at—your business’s IT infrastructure is one of the most vital parts of your business because it is closely tied to your company’s data. And in this day and age, it is getting easier and easier for the bad guys to steal your data. It goes without saying that a company’s data is its lifeblood, so are you really going to risk it while hackers are just outside and clawing at your door to take a swipe at your business data? (Figuratively speaking, of course, but you get what we mean.)

So let’s get on to it. Read on to find out the three biggest IT security risks and how you can fight back.

1. Disasters, Natural or Otherwise

We’ll start with the least obvious. Now, we know that you might have expected the usual security risks such as viruses or hackers, but yes, disasters—natural or otherwise—are also some of the biggest security risks to businesses. Surprised? Don’t be. Natural disasters like hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods can damage servers. On the other hand, lightning strikes—they’re rare, yes, but do you really want to find out how rare?—and fires, as well as extreme temperatures, can cause major physical damage and lead to loss of your company’s data.

Ask yourself: “Can my business survive the loss of any of my IT systems if disasters strike? Will my company be able to function still?” If your answer is yes, for how long? If your answer is no, relax. No need to panic.

How can you fight back? Have a disaster recovery plan.

Disasters happen, whether big or small. And they can wreak havoc on your business if you are not prepared. The good thing is, a lot of reputable IT solutions providers out there have extensive experience in disaster recovery planning and have the right tools to enable business owners such as yourself to build a suitable plan to meet your company’s needs. Some IT solution providers can even offer a remote location away from your business where you can continue running your company in the event of a major catastrophe. At the end of the day, having a disaster recovery plan is the same as insurance, and the level of coverage required is directly proportional to the risk.

2. Viruses and Hackers

Now let’s go to the most common security risks—viruses and hackers.

In the United States alone, a report has claimed that cyber attacks have cost companies a staggering 1.3 million US dollars in average losses last year, 2017. That’s not even counting the additional 117 thousand dollars in losses that small and medium-sized businesses incurred because of data breaches.

Indeed, in this day and age, companies are under constant attack, in an attempt by hackers to gain access to sensitive business information. Threats to IT environments and computer systems can come in a variety of forms.

How can you fight back? Consider getting a business-security package for your company.  IT solutions providers can work with companies, no matter the size, to determine any weaknesses or holes in any business system. A business-security package offered by a reputable IT solutions provider will ensure that you have the best security in place for your business.

Usually, business-security packages include any or all of the following: vulnerability-management service or VMS, antivirus, firewall management, and patch management.

A vulnerability-management service includes network discovery and mapping, asset prioritization, vulnerability analysis, and reporting and remediation tracking according to business risk. An IT solutions provider’s VMS should be beyond just a simple scan and report; a VMS should actually have trained security professionals behind it, analyzing the vulnerabilities and prioritizing for remediation activities based on a thorough understanding of a company’s business requirements and risk areas.

Antivirus software is pretty straightforward, but believe it or not, nowadays businesses cannot just download any free antivirus online and hope for the best. It is a lot better and safer to tap an IT solutions provider to implement their own antivirus that can do the job. Antivirus software is usually included in a business-security package.

Firewall management is another part of a business-security package that ensures your company’s websites are protected against threats as they are identified. A firewall management service usually includes 24-7 monitoring, design and implementation, day-to-day firewall operations, and log reviews and reporting.

Last but not the least, patch management. Regular patching should be done, at least monthly, to ensure that there are no security issues, and a trusted IT solutions provider can do this for you. This, in conjunction with the aforementioned vulnerability management service, ensures that your data is protected.

And now, the third biggest IT security risk (and how you can fight back):

3. Cloud Vulnerability

Cloud computing is the thing now, but like everything else, it is not fool-proof. There are vulnerabilities in storing data in the cloud—believe it or not, just like storing, managing, and processing data in a local server or personal computer—and these are also considered security risks.

So how can you fight back? You should opt for a cloud-backup solution for your company. Cloud-backup solutions make life easier for businesses. IT solutions providers can provide fully customizable, automated, and secure cloud-backup solutions that make recovery of your data and files from the cloud easy and simple.

Now you know the three biggest IT security risks, and you also know how you can fight back. So what are you waiting for?