Kenneth Natiss specializes in cybersecurity at The LCO Group, an IT service and support company. In the following article, Mr. Natiss explains the constantly advancing field of cybersecurity, the ever-changing modern workplace, and how businesses can protect their brand, customers, and employees from online data threats.
When it comes to effective business management, integrating the most effective and reliable cybersecurity solutions is integral to the success of a business. However, many businesses are missing out on the most reliable, effective, and up-to-date cybersecurity solutions, leaving them far more susceptible to malicious cybercriminals.
Thankfully, there are plenty of simple yet reliable tactics that brands can integrate with effective cybersecurity strategies into their management efforts. After all, with estimated losses due to data breaches expected to reach over $10 trillion, there’s never been a better time to take a proactive approach to cybersecurity.
Kenneth Natiss on the Basics of Cyber Security
First of all, it’s integral to define what cybersecurity actually is and what it represents overall.
Kenneth explains that cybersecurity is the term used to describe protections applied to a business’s digital systems in order to prevent unauthorized access to their data and systems by individuals outside of the organization, or by those without the necessary authority to access that data.
Cybersecurity may also cover actions taken by unauthorized individuals to fraudulently download malicious software onto a computer system. Such software often causes significant, irreparable damage to the business system, whether through hijacking the software, corrupting data, preventing access to data, or other methods.
Online security is an integral goal for all businesses and individuals. Kenneth Natiss reports that many cases where businesses failed to integrate appropriate security systems ended with significant damage and losses.
Due to the risk of breaches or hacks that expose personal data, the importance of maintaining user privacy cannot be stressed enough. Kenneth Natiss maintains that every business should take multiple steps to prevent cybersecurity from becoming an issue in their firms.
Why Online Security is Important
There are numerous, varying reasons why cybersecurity is so important for businesses overall. Some of the main reasons that cybersecurity is important are as follows:
Business Reputation
Kenneth Natiss explains that one of the most important reasons for a business to prioritize cybersecurity is to maintain a quality reputation. Public reputation is one of the most important drivers of business success, making this highly integral when assessing a business’s online security protocols.
Taking a headstrong approach by providing a high level of digital security is a simple yet exceptionally efficient way to boost a business’s reputation. Many customers think highly of brands and companies that have a proactive attitude when it comes to cybersecurity measures, and this can directly translate to significantly boosted sales overall.
In line with this, Kenneth Natiss reports that, if a business has been looking for a way to bolster its sales and reputation, investing in online security is one of the best short-term solutions they can implement to grow itself and its operations.
In addition to boosting support from customers, an enhanced reputation can also push the business forward in many other ways across numerous stakeholder groups. Additionally, shareholders will benefit greatly from the elevated brand reputation.
Kenneth Natiss says that before making an investment in a business, shareholders want to see proof that their investment is being used responsibly and (moreso) profitably. A business that focuses on the importance of cybersecurity will often be seen as a much safer bet than one that takes a loose approach on the matter, making these firms significantly more likely to gain needed investments.
Expenses and Legal Claims
Another key factor to remember is that cybersecurity can often cause businesses a great deal of financial loss. Whether it’s from refunds or lost working time, the costs of cybersecurity issues and data breaches can be incredibly expensive for a business to face.
As such, ensuring that a business has tackled all relevant challenges thoroughly and efficiently is crucial for avoiding incredibly expensive legal costs. After all, a security breach for a business can also come with high costs in data hack reparations to clients and users.
Furthermore, the cost of repairing systems and overcoming downtime caused by the security breach can be significant. Kenneth Natiss explains that it’s essential for businesses to manage cybersecurity carefully to avoid potential cost implications.
Operational Stability
The expenses and reputation losses associated with a security breach can often be crippling for a business. Not only that, but a further challenge often faced by businesses affected by online security problems comes in terms of their recovery.
Kenneth Natiss reports that recovering from a data breach is a long and arduous process. Not only does the business have to repair the damage done to their systems and software, but it will also need to start working on restoring the faith and confidence of their customers.
As a result, firms will have a lot of work ahead of them to repair the damage caused by a security breach. This will not only significantly damage operational stability, but it will likely reduce the demand and support for the firm as well, potentially even lessening staff productivity levels. This can begin a vicious cycle of poor efficiency, reduced support, and increased workloads overall.
Data Security Methods Commonly Used by Businesses
Kenneth Natiss reports that businesses should use numerous cybersecurity methods to optimize their cybersecurity protocols and keep their systems running safely and securely. In line with this, it is important to consider the different cybersecurity options and how the business could implement them.
Utilizing Strong and Unique Passwords
One of the methods most commonly used by modern businesses is also one of the simplest. Using strong passwords is a staple of effective cybersecurity principles, making it much harder for hackers and cybercriminals to gain unauthorized access to the business’s data.
Strong passwords ideally contain a random collection of letters, numbers, and special characters (such as exclamation marks and question marks, etc.). Usually, such passwords will also use a mix of capitalized and lowercase characters to further the difficulty of making the password accessible to criminals.
Kenneth Natiss says that the vast majority of cybersecurity breaches occur due to weak passwords that are easy to guess. With criminals adopting increasingly advanced password-generating software and AI systems, it’s easy to see how simple passwords – such as the infamous “Password1” – could be guessed and used to access the system fraudulently. Similarly, passwords relating to an individual’s public hobbies/interests, business address, or phone numbers may also be easier to hack.
Firewall Implementation
Kenneth Natiss explains that another critical aspect of modern security solutions is firewall implementation. A firewall offers the first and often most reliable line of defense against cyber security attacks, and as such, it is a vital component of common business security.
It’s important to recognize that, although firewalls offer a simple solution to help boost a business’s cyber security, it’s not a surefire solution on its own.
With modern cybercriminals continually working to breach existing weaknesses in business firewall systems, there is a constant struggle between businesses and criminals to keep one step ahead of the other. Businesses should take proactive steps to integrate further cyber security strategies to protect business and stakeholder data.
Anti-Malware Software
In addition to the basic firewalls, Kenny Natiss explains that investing in professional-grade anti-malware software is a critical step to take on all business devices.
Anti-malware software is often an invaluable tool in a business’s cyber security arsenal. While every individual type of software will differ, these solutions are often a widespread effective tool for detecting potentially dangerous files and preventing their download onto a device.
This can help reduce the risk of business staff accidentally downloading fraudulent data onto their device, which could potentially spread throughout the entire network. As such, installing anti-malware software can provide a simple way to reduce the chances of accidentally downloading malware onto the business’s systems.
Of course, as with anything, not all anti-malware software is created equally. According to Kenneth Natiss, if a business has been looking to invest in anti-malware software, be sure to choose one that is recommended by the business’s cybersecurity provider directly. Trying to go with a lower priced option here may end up costing the business dearly in the long run.
Encrypt Data
Encrypting business data offers a further layer of protection in the event of a cyber-attack. If a cybercriminal should manage to access the business’s data, encryption protocols make it harder for them to actually utilize the data. This protects the information until the business can restore their data security.
Data Backups
Unfortunately, even with the best measures and efforts in place, there is really no way to perfectly secure a business against cyber security breaches. It is also worth noting that, in a small number of cases, such breaches could even originate from within the firm – for example, from a rebellious staff member.
Accordingly, creating full data backups of existing systems is supremely important as a part of cyber security measures. Many security breaches tend to rely on holding the business’s private data for ransom. In line with this, keeping a backup of all data ensures that the business won’t stand to lose important information in the event of a security breach.
While a data backup itself won’t prevent cyber security problems from arising, it will allow the firm to move on from such challenges far more easily. After all, recovering from a cyber security breach can be a long and cumbersome process, but restoring the system to its previous state becomes a lot easier with the right data backup approach.
How Cybersecurity is Changing Business
Cyber security is continually evolving, allowing companies to offer specialist and professional services for business clients accordingly.
Types of Services
Kenneth Natiss explains that the main differences between cybersecurity businesses is in what type of services are offered. Cybersecurity businesses are continually evolving to ensure their services cover all of the main threats that hackers and cybercriminals pose.
As such, when a firm partners with an online security service provider, it can count on professional solutions targeted towards the most prevalent modern challenges.
Increasing Demand and Automation
Cybersecurity businesses are facing increased demand for their services, too, in line with the growing number of firms handling sensitive personal data. Accordingly, cybersecurity businesses are increasingly optimizing and automating their services, allowing businesses to enjoy better value-for-money solutions that are even easier to integrate.
Cloud Security
Another trend in the cyber security business model is the increasing demand for Cloud-based security solutions. The Cloud currently stores well over half of the world’s data, and this statistic appears to be growing continually. As such, firms are focusing more on traditional security solutions, as well as cloud-based security.
Cybersecurity Needs of the Modern Workplace
The modern workplace has numerous cybersecurity requirements, and ensuring that these are met often falls to either the firm’s security team or – in the event that the business doesn’t have a dedicated team itself – to outsourced data security firms.
In line with this, Kenneth Natiss explains that professional cybersecurity solutions must address several critical needs. These include the following points:
- Easy to integrate – all cybersecurity solutions need to be easy to integrate with the current business systems. After all, with numerous different types of software already in place for these systems, a complex system may not necessarily be a practical choice.
- Intuitive and understandable – not all business staff will necessarily have a strong understanding of technology. As such, effective cybersecurity systems should be easy enough for all users to use and work alongside.
- Affordable – businesses are facing increasing costs across all kinda of expenses. As such, data systems need to provide good value for their costs. Brands may often avoid an expensive system, even if it provides superior protection, simply because the brand cannot afford the higher expense.
- Comprehensive – modern firms expect all-in-one solutions in many cases. Additionally, data systems need to provide a thorough solution that can cover all or many of the challenges a business may face – reducing the time required to roll out cyber security across the entire business network.
Final Thoughts
As a business, one of the most important steps to take is ensuring that cyber security is always a priority. Indeed, the importance of cyber security cannot be overstated, and focusing on the business’s online security can put it in good stead overall.
Accordingly, business owners and cybersecurity managers should always take care with this challenge to ensure that customer and business data are secure and safe at all times, no matter the challenges faced.
