Protecting your clients’ new technology from security threats
Tech investment in the UK is at record levels. In the first six months of 2019, companies raised £3.9bn in venture capital after a wave of major deals.
This investment in innovation presents all kinds of opportunities for businesses to become more flexible, cost-effective, efficient, mobile and agile.But with every bit of technology businesses roll out, they open new roads for cyber criminals to attack them and expose themselves to security threats.
This is especially true when it comes to small businesses, which often don’t have the in-house security skills for technology management and protection.
So, while technology investment is rife within the UK, combatting security threats and maximising the protection of new technology is the real key to business growth.
Why technology can be a serious threat
Whether it is mobile devices, cloud infrastructure, or employees accessing servers from unsecure public WiFi, new technology and “flexible” work practices pose a potential security threat to a company.
However, while these issues are prominent, most small business employees don’t have the skills or knowledge to understand how they could be putting their company at risk, while the company itself lacks the ability to properly monitor and manage security threats to technology.
There’s also the issue that most enterprise technology and cloud systems are built to promote efficiency, cut costs and help businesses be more agile – the security aspects are secondary, if considered at all.
Just looking at the cyber security for small business market, the security threats faced by companies are far greater than the level of protection available.
What cyber security should you invest in for your business?
At a minimum, you should install anti-virus, a firewall and a virtual private network (VPN) on every device you manage, whether it’s for your own business or your clients.
This is especially important if you or your clients operate a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy or promote flexible working.
It is a fact that while devices remain a key target for cyber criminals, many are turning their attention to phishing and manipulating employees to hand over data – so ensure you invest in technology that can manage multiple devices and deploy security across the business.
The problem many MSPs or small businesses face is they are left to try and manufacture a solution from multiple security solutions which are either consumer focused and don’t work in business environments or are built for multi-national companies and can’t be managed easily.
Ensure you are looking for a partner that offers a solution that can not only protect your data and your clients’ data but is also easily managed.
How else can you protect your client or your company’s online data?
Below are just a few extra things you can do to avoid security threats and protect your clients’ business critical data:
- Patch regularly
- Install protective software (anti-virus, firewall, VPN, intrusion detection, encryption)
- Add multi-factor authentication for all services
- Control access permissions to services
- Use secure connections (a VPN will help here)
- Keep up-to-date on the latest cyber security trends and run regular cyber security awareness training for your clients
If you want any more information on protecting your own business or your clients as an MSP click here to find out more about our partner programme.
Alternatively, find out how you can make managing your client’s online security and privacy easy with Privatise Business VPN, while growing your business. Download our eBook “Protect Your Clients and Grow Your Business as a Privatise Reseller” by clicking here or the button below.
{{cta(’81b44d27-0df1-4b60-8ab0-226b3e914154′)}}
