Most business owners have suffered a cyber loss or know someone who has. In some cases the losses are great and in others not so great. This blog is not about preventing cyber attacks, that is covered elsewhere. This blog is about how not to suffer too great a loss if one should occur. In addition to state of the art converged security protection, BTI’s managed IT service teams proactively ensure that if security measures fail, perhaps due to no fault of yours or ours, your business will suffer less than your competitors will.
Here are six ways BTI’s Managed IT Services can protect your business against cyber-attack related losses:
1. 24/7 Monitoring and Data Protection:
The most simple answer to the question “How to protect your company from cyber attacks” is to implement robust cyber defenses and maintain constant digital security. However, what if Microsoft 365, Zoom, or Salesforce themselves are compromised? Fortunately for you when you have a company like BTI Communications Group monitoring your network, your data, and your backups, you are more likely to have a working copy of your most recent data post breach plus a way to make the systems you need operational much more quickly than your competitors.
2. Software Patches and Updates:
One of the most common ways cybercriminals gain access to a network is through unpatched or outdated software. Managed IT services can take care of applying updates and patches as they become available, keeping your systems up-to-date and secure. One other component is what we call whitelisting patches. This service tests patches to ensure they themselves aren’t compromising your systems or functionality keeping you doubly defended and less likely to have the vulnerabilities that hackers are exploiting in your competition that doesn’t use BTI.
3. Reduced Downtime / Faster Recovery Time
ITIC (Information Technology Intelligence Consulting) Server and Hardware Reliability Report found that 44% of firms said a single hour of downtime in 2021 cost their businesses from one million ($1 Million) to over five million ($5M), a 2% increase from 2020 and they expect the cost to continue rising. The biggest reason a company will have downtime is due to a cyber-attack. Beyond the cyber security pros, SOC, and SIEM services, when something makes it through those defenses, your only hope is a working BCDR and managed IT team to put your systems back into operational condition fast. BTI is expert at just that function including not only IT infrastructure, but physical security, VoIP, and contact center. In the extremely unlikely scenario where your BTI defenses fail, we have a drilled and practiced recovery plan that minimizes your loss.
4. Secure Data Backups:
Data loss or lockup by ransomware is a scary thing for any business, but it can be especially devastating for small businesses. BTI’s services include snapshotted and encrypted backups as well as data archival which is not vulnerable to cyber attack and thus assured you will have your data even if you or your insurance company chooses not to pay the ransom. BTI’s Managed IT services team makes it their job to ensure the integrity of that data and its recoverability. Your job is just to make sure we know what to back up and manage. c
5. Compliance Risk Management:
If your business deals with sensitive data or is subject to any type of regulations, like HIPPA, managed IT services can help you ensure you maintain data sharing and storage compliance, then proving you met those standards after the breach is vital to your continued ability to operate. Depending on the industry and type of data, there may be licensing requirements and hefty fines. BTI Communications Group has the experience to ensure your reporting and documentation is correct and secure. For over 40 years, working with logistic, healthcare, government agencies, townships, and other companies we have learned the importance of documentation and attention to detail.
6: Optimized Network Performance, Detection, and Response:
When you have a managed IT service monitoring your network, they will be able to identify and fix any type of issues that could be causing your network to run slow. Cyber breaches often last a very long time with hackers lingering on your network for days, weeks, and months. While they’ve defeated your cyber defenses to gain access, this doesn’t mean that they will be able to avoid detection for long. BTI’s managed IT services team and our monitoring and maintenance staff complement our SOC team and work together. If for some reason an anomaly appears, you’ve got twice as many eyes and redundant investigators and systems working on the issue on your behalf. This rigor is primarily about improving the overall performance of your network and applications. However, a side effect is a better, faster, and more effective response to a cyber incident as well.
BTI: The Answer to “How to Minimize Cyber Attack Vulnerability and Damages”
Perhaps the most important benefit of having a managed IT service provider like BTI is the peace of mind that comes with knowing your business is being monitored and protected proactively. Noone is immune from catastrophic events outside their control. However, being prepared has invaluable advantages. BTI Communications Group offers free assessments of your network configuration, vulnerability, and security. To take advantage of this offer, contact us and let’s have a conversation!
