Cybersecurity benefits are boundless. But unless you’re checking your tech regularly, you really don’t know how sturdy your cybersecurity really is. And if you’re running your business on old, outdated security, you’re living on borrowed time — especially if your sensitive data or your clients’ sensitive data makes its way on to the dark web, where it can be sold and bought by the highest bidder.
Leaving your network open to data breaches can cause irreparable financial harm, destroying everything you and your staff have spent years trying to build. But by routinely updating and evaluating the state of your security, you can prevent your business from being waylaid by these potentially crippling scenarios:
High costs — Even a minor data breach has the power to bring your business to a standstill, especially if you haven’t partnered with an MSP who can help put an effective disaster and recovery plan in place. Downtime can be costly: TechChannel found that 91 percent of businesses said one hour of downtime can amount to losses of more than $300,000. And just one percent said hourly downtime costs less than $100,000. The US National Cyber Security Alliance found that small businesses must pay upwards of $690,000 to recover from an attack or breach. That’s a lot of money that should be going toward serving your customers and growing your business. Working with modern, up-to-date security is a great way to avoid such exorbitant costs.
Harm to your reputation — Very few people and companies want to hire someone they don’t trust. After all, when a breach occurs, it’s not just your data that’s compromised — it’s your customers’ data as well. And damage to your reputation often results in damage to your bottom line. In fact, Forbes found that companies that fall victim to a cyberattack see the price of their shares fall by seven percent. Regaining someone’s trust is hard, so the best way to keep your customer base intact is by doing regular security checks that help prevent breaches before they become a problem.
Closing your doors for good — There are many cybersecurity benefits to routinely checking your tech, but none more than the survival of your business. Cyberattacks and data breaches can be fatal to small businesses — TechRepublic reported that 66 percent of all small- and medium-sized businesses go out of business completely or are forced to close for at least one day after suffering an attack. Cybercriminals often target small businesses because they don’t believe those companies have the manpower and resources to defend themselves as well as the larger, richer companies. Regularly checking your tech goes a long way toward making sure your business stays out of a hacker’s crosshairs.
Just having cybersecurity isn’t enough. In order for your security to be effective, it needs to be up-to-date and able to keep up with the ever-growing audacity of today’s cybercriminals. If you have any questions or are unsure how to do a tech check of your security, reach out to our team today. Don’t wait for a breach to start effectively safeguarding your network.
Appalachian Network Services in North Carolina provides security solutions that help you keep up with and stay protected against the latest threats. Our expert team offers services that are scalable, cost-efficient and can be customized to protect any business in any industry. Let us protect your business like it’s our business. Call us today and we will work with you on creating an effective checklist that ensures your security is up to date and up to standards.
Put your money and focus where they belong — toward the growth of your business.