The Easy Way to Manage Your IT Security

If you’re reading this article, you’re probably proactively looking for ways to beef up your IT security. Whether you’re a small start-up or a large enterprise, as long as you have a digital presence, you have to take IT security seriously. Today, we’re breaking down everything you need to know about IT security, including what it is, why it’s important, and what you should do about it.

What is IT Security?

IT security is a broad term used to include any tool, measure, or plan to protect the digital assets of an organization. There are several different types of IT security that you can consider when trying to protect yourself digitally. Let’s take a look at some of the more basic ones:

Cybersecurity includes defending your business from cyberattacks. This ranges from your networks and digital assets to your computers and data. It is one of the most common types of security when it comes to information technology. (See The Most Common Types of Cyberattacks and How to Prevent Them here.)

Network security encompasses protecting your network and infrastructure from targeted cyberattacks and malware. The size of the network being used – whether you are in a small office or a larger workspace – can be susceptible to external threats.

Cloud security focuses on protecting data located in a business’ cloud infrastructure. This includes the host of the cloud, as well as any applications or assets in the cloud. (See 5 Best Practices for Cloud Management here.)

Application security is an application’s basic level of security. This is important to prevent data from your applications from being compromised (e.g. stolen, leaked, etc.). (See 6 Benefits of Mobile Application Management here.)

With the advancement of technology also comes the advancement of cyberattacks. It is always good practice to ensure that your IT infrastructure is on par with these threats.

Why is IT Security Important?

One may think, “I use my computer at home every day, and I haven’t had any major attacks or viruses”. That may be true but that’s most likely because you already have a moderate level of protection from external threats. Just because you haven’t experienced any breaches or hacks, doesn’t mean you are not susceptible to them. It is always best to be vigilant and take a proactive stance when it comes to protecting yourself and your data.

IT Security Ensures Safety While Working

Making sure your IT security is updated is one of the best ways to ensure that your company is not in danger of viruses or unauthorized access. It is important that the countermeasures in place can keep up with the various methods and viruses that could cause harm to your systems.

IT Security Protects Your Data

Most computers and networks already come with countermeasures that secure systems from commonly known threats. But as your data grows more valuable or plentiful, there is a higher risk of being targeted by individuals who have more advanced ways of accessing your system. Having IT security measures in place gives you peace of mind that your data is secure.

IT Security Can Help Save on Costly Recovery Plans

Dealing with data breaches is time-consuming, can be expensive, and can stop business operations completely, regardless of how well organized everything else may be. Investing in IT security can help your organization focus on proactive solutions rather than the more expensive recovery.

Do I Really Need IT Security? Should I Be Worried?

If you’re a start-up you may be thinking, “Our company will be fine, no hacker is going to target us, we can worry about it when we’re bigger.” However, IT security should be one of the main priorities for the sake of both your company’s productivity and safety. A company can be vulnerable to cyberattacks and breaches, especially if they are in the earlier stages of business. In this day and age, a company needs to have a digital presence to sustain itself, and as long as you are using some form of network, you need proper IT security.

Case Studies: How Much Does it Cost?

Cyberattacks can range from the leaking of confidential client data and private employee information to the use of malware. There are some cases where companies that have experienced a cyberattack have had to recover at the cost of heavy financial losses. For US-based companies, the average recovery cost of cybercrimes is trillions of dollars and is most likely to increase in the coming years.

An infamous type of malware called ransomware is used to deny users access to their systems, with the attacker demanding a large sum of money as ransom to restore access.

One of the biggest cases of ransomware use was in 2020. A US travel services company called CWT Global was a victim of a gang of hackers that used ransomware on their systems. It was believed that around 30,000 computers were made completely inaccessible and two terabytes of data were compromised. The company finally caved and paid the group $4.5 million equivalent in the form of bitcoin.

In some cases, hackers aim to gain access to user data and gather it in the hopes of selling it off. In 2021, LinkedIn’s database was breached. The personal data, including addresses, phone numbers, and other user information of over 700 million users was put up on forums for sale. While LinkedIn tried to claim that personal information wasn’t actually breached, they and its users were still vulnerable to further cyberattacks.

The Easy Way to do IT Security

One of the easiest and most stress-free ways to manage your company’s IT security is by outsourcing it to a group of specialists. There’s no one better to trust than the pros when it comes to security!

IT solutions companies like ZenAdmin have teams that specialize in integrated and unified IT security, including device, application, and network security. The ZenAdmin team can ensure that you and your company’s networks are safeguarded from threats, and will maintain security policies and measures so that the safety of your company’s data will remain secure.