5 Benefits of Investing in Cyber Security & IT solutions in 2021

Date: 2 June 2021

Cyber Security has quickly evolved from being just an IT problem to a business problem. Recent attacks like those on Travelex and the SolarWinds hack have proved that cyber-attacks can affect the most solid of businesses and create PR nightmares for brands built painstakingly over the years. Investing in cyber security training, cyber security advisory services and the right kind of IT support products, has therefore, become imperative in 2021.

Investing in cyber security infrastructure, cyber security certification for employees and IT solutions safeguards businesses from a whole spectrum of security risks, ransomware, spyware, and adware.

Ransomware refers to malicious software that bars users from accessing their computer system, whereas adware is a computer virus that is one of the most common methods of infecting a computer system with a virus. Spyware spies on you and your business activities while extracting useful information. Add social engineering, security breaches and compromises to your network security into the mix, and you have a lethal cocktail.

With the integration of cyber security and IT support, however, your business can gain a comprehensive edge when it comes to staying safe in today’s complex threat environment. While IT support solutions encompass aspects like firewalls, anti-spam, and content filters, in terms of cyber security courses and training, businesses should look at aspects like specialised advisory services like those of a Virtual CISO, training that focuses on incident response training & playbooks creation etc.

Why Investing in Cyber Security & IT support makes sense right now?

1. Risks of Remote Working

The COVID 19 pandemic has created a new world order - one in which almost everyone has remote workers as employees. This has increased the threat to sensitive information and the risk perimeter of businesses tremendously. Investing in good IT support solutions like IT Support NJ that provide businesses with digital protection against potential security threats only makes sense right now. It also makes sense to enlist services such as virtual CISOs and assess where your business stands in terms of cyber resilience. You can also download our remote working checklist for more information on keeping your business and staff safe at this point.

2. Boost in Productivity

A cyber-attack can bring your business to its knees. If you cannot access your own systems networks, you can’t possibly do business. It is therefore essential to invest in the right kind of technology infrastructure that can protect you against attacks and cyber criminals.

Investing in your employees, helping them upskill through cyber incident response online courses and allowing them to enhance their overall knowledge related to cybersecurity can also go a long way in boosting productivity. It is a commonly acknowledged fact that when employees feel like their skillset is being enhanced and the business is investing in their learning, they feel more inclined to do better at their jobs.

In case of cyber security training, it pays off double the dividends as your employees will not just be more motivated to perform at work. They’ll also have the requisite knowledge to alter their behaviour in a way that’s healthy from a security perspective. They’ll be less likely to click on malicious links and download suspicious files and more likely to know what to do in case an inadvertent mistake does occur.

3. Customer Trust & Confidence

When customers know that a business website is secure and the business has a track record of protecting customer data with diligence, they are more likely to make purchases/buy services. Modern consumers are very aware and cautious when it comes to their data protection & security. They understand the value of their sensitive data and the repercussions that can occur if that data is misused. Hence, businesses that have integrated solid cybersecurity and IT support solutions into their daily operations typically do better in the long term as consumers feel safe while transacting with them.

4. Protecting the bottom-line

At the end of the day, it all comes down to money and profits for a business. Spending money on IT infrastructure, cyber security tools and cybersecurity training for employees can actually save the business exponentially more in the long run. When a business is attacked, it not only leads to a loss of daily sales, a halt in operations but oftentimes, it also means paying hefty sums in ransomware.

Further, a cyber-attack is often accompanied by ensuing fines by regulators and claims by customers. All in all, cyber attacks or security breaches of any sort can be a very, very expensive proposition for any business. As attacks become more complex each day, the price a business has to pay for dealing with them is also rising concomitantly. It, therefore, makes a lot of sense to prevent or at least minimise the damage caused by a cyber crime as far as possible by investing in solid IT support solutions and building a healthy cybersecurity culture within the organisation.

5. Compliance Requirements

As awareness around data security evolves and regulatory requirements become more complex every day, businesses, especially in critical infrastructure, need to increasingly be adept in meeting compliance obligations. Regulations like the EU-GDPR and those on Business Continuity Planning & Testing make it mandatory for businesses to invest in their cybersecurity. In many economies, it’s no longer enough to just have solid cyber incident response plans, but regular scenario-based testing of those plans is also mandatory to demonstrate true resilience. These regulations make it essential for businesses across the globe to evaluate where they are in terms of cyber security and take steps to further bolster the safety of their customers’ data and of their own systems.