Regular cybersecurity testing is crucial at small companies

October 15th, 2018
Regular cybersecurity testing is crucial at small companies

Small-business owners have a lot on their plates, but one of their main responsibilities should be to ensure their company’s data is secure and always available.

Without those two things, a whole lot of problems can occur: customer information can be compromised, employees will be unable to work productively, and your profits can take a hit.

But avoiding those problems isn’t so complicated if you have a proper cybersecurity system in place. It can be handled by either your internal IT staff or an outsourced Managed Services Provider (MSP).

They will install the appropriate cybersecurity software & hardware to repel hackers’ attacks on your data, and it will include a maintenance scheme that keeps it working right day after day. And that’s critical, because dangers are constantly lurking just outside your network.

Maintaining cybersecurity software & hardware

Once your software & hardware are set up and protecting your network, maintaining their performance isn’t labor intensive. Modern antivirus software, intrusion detection systems, and firewalls are plug-and-play, with automated protection measures and automatic updates.

So not a lot of tinkering needs to be done on a day-to-day basis. But on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis, performance evaluations are crucial. That’s because hackers are always adapting their methods for getting inside your network, so the way you’ve got the cybersecurity dials turned this week may not keep your data protected next week.

Frequency of cybersecurity testing

Your IT admin or MSP will employ a variety of tools to create your comprehensive cybersecurity plan, and, depending on which tool we’re talking about, it’s likely they’ll have different time frames when it comes to performance evaluations.

For example, the recovery function in your data backup application should be looked at every 3-4 months, whereas the effectiveness of your entire network security apparatus -- often conducted with something known as a “penetration test” -- can be assessed once per year.

Here’s an outline of the frequency with which the three main areas of your cybersecurity program should be tested:

cybersecurity

Data compliance assessments

Regarding compliance, the rules and regulations are constantly evolving, can be quite confusing, and when changes do occur they often aren’t publicized.

Missing the latest HIPAA, Sarbanes-Oxley, or PCI-DSS announcement about data handling -- and therefore failing to update the way you are protecting certain data -- can result in large monetary penalties for your company, so outsourcing at least this aspect of your cybersecurity scheme is advised.

By partnering with an MSP like OC-IT, you’ll have a data-security expert on call to ensure industry regulations are being followed and are reviewed regularly, and that customer data is backed up safely and immediately recoverable should your organization ever be hit by a disaster like flood, fire, or theft.

Proactive cybersecurity maintenance

The long story short is this: when your cybersecurity program includes the right software & hardware, automated functionality and automatic updates, and regular testing, you’ll ensure your company’s data remains secure and always available.

This holds true no matter what industry you’re doing business in. Whether you’re an eCommerce site or an architecture firm or a dentist’s office, if you don’t take cybersecurity seriously and try to get out in front of the ever-evolving threats, you’ll be at risk of falling behind the competition.

If you aren’t 100% confident your organization is safe, you can take the first step towards a proactive cybersecurity program, today. Give us a call for a cybersecurity consultation that will assess your current vulnerabilities and provide you with a game plan for tightening up your day-to-day protection.

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