In the 21st century, almost every organization uses technology to carry out their day-to-day business functions. Organizations typically have IT departments or one or several IT professionals to help them manage their technology devices and employees’ access to their networks and technology services. These IT professionals have often had to fill several roles in one—working to troubleshoot and maintain the IT infrastructure, devices, and applications while simultaneously working to secure them and implement safe and effective, organization-wide security standards. While outsourcing the management of the security of your business may be an added expense, it’s crucial to maintaining the health of your business as a cybersecurity firm might be your single line of defense against emerging security threats.
What Are Your Business Needs
You need to consider the needs of your business when determining the type of cybersecurity services you may need. Every company needs some level of protection for their networks and employees’ user accounts within the business’ systems and web applications. Any unauthorized access could lead to disruption, which could seriously hinder your ability to function and carry out necessary tasks. Additionally, if your business requires frequent or regular handling of sensitive, confidential, personally identifiable information (PII), you’ll need significant security protocols in place to protect that information from being accessed by unauthorized actors. Not to mention, the negative press can spread like wild-fire in this information age – further sullying the reputation of your organization.
The Changing Cybersecurity Landscape
Cybersecurity threats change every single day. Hackers and malicious actors have evolved their tactics to infiltrate systems, networks, and applications over the years as technology has advanced. In some respects, hackers can evolve their methods faster than many organizations can respond. Dedicated cybersecurity firms can devote their resources to monitoring the security of your business while deploying response teams to active threats that may arise and could disrupt your business.
Considerations for Hiring a Cybersecurity Firm
You’ve taken general stock of your business’ technological security needs—now, what should you be looking for when it comes to selecting a cybersecurity firm to manage and protect your networks and systems?
There are several things you’ll want to look out for before making a final decision on the cybersecurity firm you choose to hire. Remember, the health and safety of your business depends on the security of your technological infrastructure.
Bona Fide’s of the Firm
This isn’t to be confused with the age of the firm. The simple fact that a cybersecurity firm has been around for a long time doesn’t mean that that firm can provide top-notch security for your business. You’ll want to dig deeper into the firm to ascertain the standards in which the company implements to protect businesses and even inquire into how the company has helped secure the networks and systems of other businesses, including businesses of similar scope and within similar industries as yours. Every business is different, and an assessment will need to be done to address the unique security needs of your business. Still, you could gather an idea of the cybersecurity firm’s approach to securing businesses with which your business may have shared vulnerabilities.
A Security-Specialized Firm
Managed Service Providers are IT companies that offer related services to clients. Many of these services include troubleshooting, support, and consulting. Sometimes, these MSPs will also offer cybersecurity services; but this isn’t their sole focus. A Managed Security Service Provider, however, specializes in security. This means all of their resources are devoted to securing businesses’ IT infrastructure. You benefit from hiring a specialized cybersecurity firm because of their ability to offer a greater range of cybersecurity solutions as well as the fact that they’re typically deeply entrenched in the cybersecurity community. As a result, they can be more responsive and adaptive to the constant changes in the cybersecurity space and can better protect your organization from threats.
Are the Firm’s Security Professionals Certified and Experienced?
There are various cybersecurity and information technology certifications that professionals in the industry can obtain to show their expertise. These certifications typically require the professional to successfully pass an administered exam. Many certifications, particularly in the cybersecurity space, are advanced and require considerable education and experience to sit for the certification exam and/or to be successful in passing the exam. You should consider whether the security professionals at a cybersecurity firm have certifications that denote varying levels of experience, especially the more advanced cybersecurity certifications such as the CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional).
You’ll also want to consider hiring a firm that has cybersecurity professionals who may have additional industry-specific certifications that align with and may be necessary for your business, such as healthcare or finance. While certifications are important and represent a professional’s commitment to and expertise in a specific area of cybersecurity, there are outstanding cybersecurity professionals who don’t have many or more advanced certifications. A cybersecurity firm that has professionals with a wealth of knowledge from years of experience in the industry can be just as, if not more qualified, to provide cybersecurity services for your company as a firm that’s filled with professionals who have a dearth of expansive industry experience but who have a considerable number of certifications. And a firm with a healthy dose of both – certifications and experience? That firm should be your top choice.
Cyber74 Offers Expertise in Cybersecurity Solutions
At Cyber74, we offer complete cybersecurity solutions for small and medium-sized businesses, government entities, and healthcare institutions. We can assess the security needs of your business and help ensure that your business remains protected so you can continue focusing on your business objectives. Contact us here.
