How can you keep your data safe in 2018? In this day and age, more and more business transactions are conducted online. The digital world has made life extremely easy for businesses and consumers, but the downside of all of this is that hackers can easily steal your company’s data, resulting in huge losses.

According to a 2017 Accenture study, the accelerating cost of cybercrime is costing organizations 11.7 million dollars annually. The same study suggested three steps to fend off and reduce the impact of cybercrime: building cybersecurity on a strong foundation, undertaking extreme pressure testing (to identify vulnerabilities more rigorously), and investing in breakthrough innovation.

Businesses, however, can make it easier for themselves and can keep their data safe in 2018 by tapping the services of a reputable IT solutions company that specializes in business security. A business security package should include the following services:

Vulnerability Management Service

In a nutshell, vulnerability management is the process that identifies security holes and then “patching” these holes so that a company’s sensitive systems and data, for instance, are protected.

Remember that nowadays, hackers are constantly on the attack. They look for weaknesses in a company’s network, so vulnerability management is an extremely important part of a business’s complete network security program. In conjunction with a good antivirus, firewall management, and patch management, vulnerability management solutions will help prevent hackers from accessing your company’s sensitive systems and data.

An IT solutions company that offers excellent vulnerability management system will make sure to eliminate internal weaknesses, thereby protecting one of your business’s most important assets—your data. An effectively installed vulnerability management system will prevent hackers from attacking key systems and data in your company even in the unlikely scenario that they manage to get into your network.

Firewall Management

Today, more and more data is being stored in the cloud, and for good reason—or reasons. One, it’s easily accessible; two, cloud storage is cost-effective; three, backing up data in the cloud is faster; and four, storing data in the cloud frees the user from being dependent on hardware that can soon become obsolete. While there are pros to using cloud storage, there are also, naturally, cons. One of the biggest disadvantages is that storing data in the cloud can leave it vulnerable to attacks. And make no mistake, cyber-attackers are becoming more and more sophisticated.

Simply put, without a firewall, your company’s network is virtually open for attack, and this leaves your business at risk of losing valuable data. Worst-case scenario, your company may lose not only data and files but also credibility. Who would want to do deal with or do business with a company who cannot even protect its own data?

In this section, we’ve touched briefly on the importance of having a firewall in place to cover threats, but having a standard firewall may not be enough. A lot of basic firewalls, for instance, can only monitor incoming traffic, which means that outgoing traffic may still be visible—and this outgoing traffic may contain credit card info, business transactions that customers have entered into, and other sensitive data.

The bottom line is, a reputable IT solutions company that puts a premium on business security should be able to provide proper monitoring and management of your perimeter and/or internal firewalls, which ensures that your environment is secure. Good firewall management must also include 24/7 monitoring, design and implementation, day-to-day firewall operations, and log reviews and reporting, among others.  This, coupled with a vulnerability management service, can ensure that your sites are well protected against threats as they are identified.

Patch Management

Shortly after the release of a software or an operating system, hackers start lining up to look for vulnerabilities that they can take advantage of. In the unfortunate event that these hackers are successful at exploiting any weaknesses in said software or OS, patches are released to—as its name suggests—“patch” these “holes” shut.

Patch management, therefore, is important for protecting business networks and systems from the ever-present cyberthreats of hackers who want nothing more than to steal your company’s valuable data. In business terms, it’s a best practice aimed at protecting data and keeping hackers at bay, hackers who can be very, very costly for any business, big or small.

Antivirus

Using an antivirus is still one of the simplest but most effective ways you can safeguard your data. However, an increasing number of people nowadays think that because certain operating systems have their own built-in security software, that it’s no longer necessary to install an antivirus. This, however, might not be the best approach.

A dedicated antivirus is still better at securing your data than a built-in security software. A standalone antivirus provides a wider range of features in terms of how it can protect your system. Remember that even if you are a careful Internet user, nowadays there’s always going to be a chance that something will slip through the cracks. That something could be a hacker trying to steal your company’s data. Don’t scrimp; make sure that you get one of the best antivirus software that money can buy—you’re not saving anything anyway if a dreaded cyberattack results in you losing thousands, even millions, of dollars because of stolen data.

Conclusion: Keeping Your Data Safe This 2018 Need Not Be Complicated

Keeping your data safe shouldn’t be complicated especially if, at the outset, you are smart enough to tap a reputable IT solutions provider that can provide a quality security package. Ideally, as discussed throughout the article, this security package should include a vulnerability management service, firewall management, patch management, and a good antivirus. Each of these components can be effective on their own at keeping your data somewhat safe, but all of them in conjunction with one another is definitely better for your business.

Remember: when it comes to the safety of your company’s data, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

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