Security should be one of the cornerstones of any organisation. If business operations are not secure, facets such as data, service delivery and staff, are all at risk. In turn, both the reputation and growth of the company are also in jeopardy.
While digital transformation has undoubtedly been a key driver of success for many organisations across all industries, in order for it to produce results, it is imperative that any solutions, processes or approaches are underpinned by a well thought out security strategy.
This has never been more important as digital transformation programmes come back to the fore, with businesses determining their post-Covid plans, and much of the workforce still working remotely or adopting a hybrid model.
As well as spreading the IT environment across even more devices and locations, the pandemic has also led to a rise in cybersecurity threats and attacks. During what is already a challenging time for organisations, a data breach or incident resulting in extended downtime is simply not an option.
Therefore, companies need to ensure they are securing their operations and protecting not just their information, people and systems but their business as a whole. Here are 3 ways to secure your operations.
Make the Move to Cloud
If there was ever a moment to consider making the move to cloud, COVID-19 was it and for many it served as a hero with its ability to boost business resilience and performance through better security, flexibility and accessibility.
Even a hybrid cloud approach – combining private and public cloud offerings – enables companies to be more adaptable and agile, helping to prevent downtime or interruption to operations with reliable backup protocols, whilst also securing connectivity and supporting collaboration.
Furthermore, with cloud, data is often stored safely offsite and increased automation is an option which means threats can be more easily and quickly monitored, detected and interrupted using cloud security tools.
Taking a Multi-Faceted Approach
Speaking of multiple functions, an effective security strategy needs to be holistic and multi-faceted. There is no point in securing one area of your business if you neglect the others. It is crucial to incorporate all areas of your environment into your security strategy, from network firewalls to endpoint protection.
Whatever you do, don’t cut corners and always stay up to date. As with technology solutions, cybersecurity threats are constantly evolving. Therefore you need to know what the latest risks are and how to protect against them.
It is not just about implementing solutions, you must think about what ongoing support you require to thoroughly protect your IT environment. Moreover, think about your staff and what is needed to ensure they have the adequate training and knowledge to support the overall security strategy.
Do you have a company policy in place that informs people of how to deal with an attempted phishing attack? Do you have visibility of all devices accessing your company systems? Do you have the resources to secure all aspects of your IT infrastructure? These are just some of the questions you need to consider when it comes to safeguarding and protecting your business operations.
Getting Expert Help
Identifying the right – not just the latest – solutions to secure your business operations and systems is also vital. Organisations must first understand the nature of the threats they are open to, as well as the weaknesses in their defences that could be targeted by hackers and criminals.
In order to do this effectively, many companies work with specialist IT partners with years of experience and proven track records. This can also help to identify an approach that can evolve and scale to meet your security and business requirements which will inevitably change over time.
IT experts and managed services providers understand this, and they often work with industry leaders such as Microsoft and Check Point who know what it takes to secure businesses in a manageable, adaptable and responsive way. Moreover, they can manage the entire process from assessment and implementation to ongoing support and troubleshooting.
Having robust but practical, fit-for-purpose security architectures and policies is the difference between your company being secure and being on the wrong end of an attack that could be costly in terms of reputation, cost and service – hence why it should always be at the top of the priority list.
Source: Logicalis
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