How Taking a Proactive Approach to IT Security can Benefit Your Business [Plus Three Benefits of Working with an IT Company]
Methodology means everything when it comes to protecting your business’s data. For the most part, companies take one of two positions when it comes to how they approach IT security:
- Reactive Approach: Wait until a cyberattack or a breach event occurs to address IT security.
- Proactive Approach: Implement IT security measures ahead of time to prevent cyberattacks where possible.
When put side-by-side, taking a proactive approach is the obvious choice, yet many businesses continue to take a reactive approach to IT security. The reactive approach is a methodology from years past that simply doesn’t reflect the dangers of today’s digital environment.
The truth is that any business using the internet—the majority of companies today—has at least some risk for a cyberattack, which means taking a reactive approach is incredibly risky.
Hackers, data loss and equipment failure are unfortunate realities of living and working in today’s increasingly complex digital world, and implementing measures ahead of time is now the best form of protection.
It’s much more difficult to recover from a cyberattack than it is to prevent one, so taking a proactive approach can save your business time, money and effort in the long run. You can significantly reduce your risk and the chances of a cyberattack or data breach by simply opting to take a proactive approach to your cybersecurity.
One of the most effective ways to be proactive and institute strong IT security measures is to work with an experienced IT services company that knows how to navigate today’s digital world and all the threats that go along with it. Working with professionals is one of the best ways to ensure your business has access to the right IT tools and resources.
Here, we’ve outlined the three greatest benefits for businesses that select the proactive approach partnered with an experienced IT company:
1. Access the IT Support You Need Without an Internal IT Department
Many companies don’t have the resources to hire an on-site, full-time IT security specialist or an entire IT department. Working with an IT company allows you to outsource the support you need to many experts without having to bring them onto your payroll. With an IT company, you avoid having gaps in support capability or expertise.
IT companies can help your business catch problems before they happen, including:
- Support in case your backup goes down;
- Up-to-date operating systems and software with the latest security patches;
- Defense against hackers;
- and so much more.
An experienced IT company has the training, certification and know-how required to tackle today’s cyberthreats while managing your network’s needs.
2. Provide Your Customers with Peace of Mind
Today’s consumers are more security minded than ever before. With data breaches impacting companies of all sizes, your current (and future) customers likely want to know that their personal information and financial data are safe. Working with a security-centric IT company can become a selling point for your business and help to keep your customers’ minds at ease.
3. Give Yourself Peace of Mind
In today’s technological world, the threat of cyberattack on your business increases with every passing day. You need to stay informed about the latest attacks and the methods available to prevent those attacks if you manage your own IT. However, by working with an IT company, you can leave all the threat research to IT Professionals. Today’s IT companies hire certified IT security specialists that dedicate a significant portion of their time to staying current with the latest threats and threat prevention methods.
Adopting a Proactive Approach and Partnering with an IT Company
Don’t put the future of your business at risk by waiting until something breaks or until you are hacked before addressing IT security. Choose to adopt a proactive approach by partnering with an IT company that can help turn your business’s vulnerabilities into strengths.
This article was originally published on July 20, 2020 and more recently updated on October 5, 2022.