What is Cybersecurity and What Does Cybersecurity Do For Your Business?

In today’s modern office, you know well the convenience the Internet brings. But you probably also know about all the threats the Internet can pose. Businesses who use the Internet are as susceptible as anyone else to falling prey to a range of cyber-attacks—which is what makes cybersecurity so important.

So what does cybersecurity do? When it comes to managed IT, cybersecurity protects all your Internet-connected devices, databases, and software from cyber threats like malware, phishing, ransomware, and many others. It’s a vital tool for businesses who want to protect their platforms, data, and other sensitive information. 

But what is cybersecurity and why do we need it? Whether you have an in-house IT team or you use a managed service provider, cybersecurity is important for your business. Let’s take a look at the essential world of cybersecurity and the steps you can take to protect your office. 

Also see our articles on:

• What’s the Difference Between Cybersecurity and Information Security
• Top Cybersecurity Threats
• What is Managed IT Services
• Benefits of Managed IT Services

What is Cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity includes all of the people, processes, and technology that go into protecting individuals and businesses from cyber attacks. The combination of the efforts of these three groups is what’s known as a unified threat management system. Generally, their efforts coalesce like this:

• People – It can be easy to imagine that implementing the right cybersecurity technology and having an adequate response system is enough to protect your business from cyber threats. But the human people who use the various Internet-connected hardware and software of your business also represent an important line of defense against cyber threats, and not everyone needs a computer science degree to be safe. They can protect against cyber crime by simply taking steps to ensure that information, programs, and databases they access are protected by using strong passwords and being smart about using the Internet. Basic cybersecurity training can go a long way.
• Processes – With regard to cybersecurity, “processes” refers to the response system a business has in place for dealing with cyber attacks, whether those attacks are successful or not. Outside of software, you should have a dedicated information security analyst or cybersecurity expert that monitors and protects against computer security or computer network threats.
• Technology – Cybersecurity technology like firewalls, antivirus software, DNS filtering, and malware protection are essential to protecting businesses from cyber threats. They protect all of your Internet-connected devices as well as database networks and cloud networks.

Common Cybersecurity Threats

There are many cybersecurity threats that can plague your business, from phishing scams to DNS attacks. Knowing the various types of threats your company could be exposed to can go a long way to helping you make sure you’re adequately protected. 

Here are some of the most popular kinds of cybersecurity attacks:

• Malware – Malware, a portmanteau of “malicious” and “software,” refers to a file or program that targets computer users in order to steal or delete data and spy on users. Malware can also damage computers and other Internet-connected devices.
• Phishing – Phishing is a form of cyberattack that uses email to trick users into clicking on nefarious links, images, or downloads. Phishers send emails that seem to be from legitimate sources but in fact trick users into revealing personal information.
• Ransomware – Aptly named, ransomware is a form of malware that allows hackers to hijack systems and withhold access, functionality, and other precious information until a ransom is paid. 
• DNS Attack – A DNS attack is an attack on the domain name system. Essentially, the domain name system is responsible for translating website URLs into IP addresses. During a DNS attack, a website can become partially unstable or altogether unavailable. DNS attacks can also be used to expose vulnerabilities for other types of cyber-attacks. There are several kinds of DNS attacks, including DoS attacks, DDoS attacks, and DNS amplification attacks.
• Third-party software – A third-party software attack preys on vulnerabilities created for businesses when they use any software or programs not designed in-house. Because these programs typically use open source codes, they can leave companies especially vulnerable to cyber-attacks. 
• Cloud attacks – Cloud attacks are cyber-attacks that target out-of-house platforms for database storage, hosting, or computing. These attacks can expose sensitive information about your business and your customers and are becoming increasingly popular modes of cyberattacks as more and more companies switch to cloud computing solutions.

 

No matter the type of attack, cyber-attacks can have a tremendously negative impact on businesses and individuals alike. They can expose sensitive data, topple your website, and put your customers at risk. 

Types of Cybersecurity

Because cybersecurity describes an assortment of methods working in concert to safeguard the various aspects of a business’s Internet-connected operations, there are several different kinds of cybersecurity that every business owner should be aware of.

• Application security – Application security refers to the measures taken by an enterprise to protect itself from vulnerabilities caused by its use of outside software, applications, or programs. These protections can include application security testing, encryption, authorization, and the like. Another way to be proactive with application security is to hire a penetration tester. These types of cybersecurity services are a form of ethical hacking, which can test for vulnerabilities in your software. 
• Network security – Network security refers to the actions organizations take to safeguard their networks from internal and external cyberattacks. These actions include using both hardware and software tools for protection, like firewalls, intrusion prevention systems, access controls, and network segmentation. 
• Mobile security – Mobile security refers to protecting mobile devices like cell phones, laptops, and tablets against cybersecurity threats. These steps can include email security, endpoint protection, and password protection, among other features.
• Identity management and access control – Identity management and access control (IAM) cybersecurity refers to protecting a business’s databasing against fraudulent access by confirmation of user identities and other identification verification protocols 
• Cloud security – Cloud security refers to security measures taken to protect any data or other information a business stores in a cloud computing system. 
• User training – Educating system users of the various steps they can take as individuals to protect your business against cyberattacks is also a form of cybersecurity. Companies can lead trainings or events like a routine cybersecurity bootcamp to keep everyone up to speed.

What Can Cybersecurity Do For Your Business?

For businesses, a cyberattack can be both costly and debilitating. Between the cost of repairing damage caused by cyberattacks, revenue lost due to operational interruptions, and blows an institution can take to its reputation, cyberattacks are bad for business.

Fortunately, with the right cybersecurity plan in place, you can protect your businesses from any data breach or other security issues that are expensive and time-consuming to clean up. A cybersecurity plan for your business allows you to: 

• Be proactive – Having a plan in place to protect your business from a security breach means you’re on guard against any cyber threat and prepared to address any attacks.
• Respond quickly – If you do face a cyber-attack, having a cybersecurity plan means you can quickly respond to the issue.
• Save money – Cyber security services are far less costly than what it can take for a business to recover from a cyber attack.

Protect Your Business with Novatech

With more of the business world existing in the digital space, it’s more important than ever for businesses to protect themselves and their customers from the many dangers of the world wide web through information technology. From hackers to data miners, bad actors are lurking around every e-corner. More and more, businesses are discovering the security and convenience of outsourcing their cybersecurity needs.

Enter Novatech. Our state-of-the-art cybersecurity and risk management services offer 24/7 monitoring and the best cybersecurity technologies in the business—all powered by our trained staff of cybersecurity experts so that you don’t need to hire and train your own cybersecurity analyst. You want a dedicated cybersecurity specialist that will be able to monitor and prevent all cyber risk for your company’s  information technology needs.

With Novatech, you can rest easy knowing you’re always on guard against phishing scams, ransomware, and other security threats that can negatively impact your business. There’s no need to let cybersecurity worries threaten your business. Working with Novatech, you can stay one step ahead of the game and ensure your company’s safety (and prosperity) for the long term. Join us today and protect your company with the help of a reliable cybersecurity professional.

Sources: 

Investopedia. 6 Ways Cybercrime Impacts Businesses. https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0112/3-ways-cyber-crime-impacts-business.aspx