Are There IT Security Gaps in Your Network? Yes

Cyber security threats are not new but many managed IT services providers ask the same question, are there IT security gaps in your network? Yes.

A recent research study revealed some worrying IT trends on the level of accountability for IT security.  There was a clear indication to the lack of confidence in determining the effectiveness of IT security technologies within an organization.

The study from Ponemon surveyed over 570 IT professionals and IT security professionals in the US and the  results were alarming:

•  63 percent of IT consultants reported their IT security leadership does not report to management
•  40 percent of IT security professionals stated they do not report to the board or management at all
•  63 percent of surveyed reported their IT security leadership needs better monitoring tools
•  56 percent of IT professionals state security allow hackers to penetrate its defenses
•  24 percent of respondents say they have a mature measurement and metrics program
•  40 percent of respondents say they do not track the organizations security posture at all
•  30 percent of IT security professionals report having a partial cyber security metrics program
•  39 percent of IT security professionals report their findings to the board or management

Many organizations with IT security as well as the effectiveness of their current IT security practice.  Data breaches and other IT security incidents continue to plague organizations.  Are there IT security gaps in your network?  Yes, but organizations need to shift to a proactive IT security approach to ensure a strong IT security infrastructure, policy, procedure, and engagement,

Some organizations think they have a good IT security monitoring practice, but they fall short.  This is another part of their IT Security gaps identified by the study.

Every organization has parts that are critical to its ability to function daily.  This can range from corporate email, accounting, enterprise resource planning (ERP), Line of business (LOB), and customer service to mention a few.

If any of these systems goes down for example email or accounting, your staff would not be able to communicate, and your organization would suffer.  This is where a good IT security monitoring practice comes into play and addresses IT security gaps.

Any managed IT services or IT department is aware that security monitoring is critical to an organization as it allows organizations to close their IT security gaps.  This is a vital element to any organizations cyber security strategy and policy as it can prevent and minimize the potential loss of revenue, data, value, and trust associated with a cyber security breach.

Why do so many businesses fail to fall victim to cyber threats including malware, phishing, ransomware? Mostly because they fail in their approach to IT security when it comes to core business functions.

Unfortunately, trusted managed IT services providers, IT consultants, cloud services provider, and managed security services providers try to implement security strategies however budgets are small, or organizations think they will not get hit.  The issue is that when an organization does experience a cyber security breach, the budgets are out the window, as all hands are on deck to assess and contain the cyber threat as well as recover critical business operations.

Of course, this is a reactive approach in the aftermath of damage control.  Therefore it is essential to understand the IT security vulnerabilities and its security gaps so you can implement the necessary practices to help prevent such a cyber breach from happening again.

Security is Simple as 1, 2, 3 or is it?

Security can be simple however it is an ongoing daily challenge for IT departments, managed iT services providers, and cloud services providers.   As the IT security landscape constantly shifts, it can be difficult for organizations to find a solid foundation as well as the greatest return on their IT security investments.

Here are some monthly security threat items that can greatly reduce the risk to your organization.  These include:

• Keep all systems and software up to date. This includes proactive regular system and software patching as well as upgrading platforms that are no longer supported.
• Enforce user permissions. You should proactively review user accounts, applications, service accounts, and network resources to ensure the appropriate permissions are up to date.
• Train, train, train. Organizations must constantly train and educate users on IT security policies and procedures when it comes to safe practices. The training should include cyber security awareness including ransomware, phishing, social engineering, and much more.

Here are some free cyber security training options for employees:

1. 365 iT SOLUTIONS Quick Security Awareness User Training
2. TED Talks 12 Must-Watch Cybersecurity Videos
3. Stanford University Advanced Computer Security
4. ESET Free Cybersecurity Awareness Training

Our complimentary network and security assessment can put your IT infrastructure and business to the test.

365 iT SOLUTIONS is Toronto’s leading IT consulting boutique firm offering industry leading IT solutions including Managed IT Services, IT Support Services, IT Outsourcing Services, Tech Support Services and Cloud Services.