People who run small businesses often assume cyber security solutions are for bigger organizations. However, business cyber security solutions matter in all sizes of enterprises. If you run a small business, you should consider working with a cyber security provider for the following reasons.
Skills
Even if your business has people with tech skills, security is a different ball of wax. Just because someone knows how to code or set up a network doesn't mean they're certified to provide business cyber security solutions. Security appliances are different than servers, and they have to connect your internal and external networks without creating exploitable holes. It is best to have a skilled professional tackle the problem.
Monitoring
A business cyber security provider has a number of monitoring tools. These allow the company to see the condition of your systems. Also, they have software that can document potential threats and scan them for patterns. If the system does detect a possible problem, it can flag it and immediately notify the right people.
Likewise, the monitoring system will maintain logs. If there is a breach, the security professionals can refer to them and track down what happened. They can then use the monitoring data to harden weak points.
Scale
Even in a small business, scale becomes a problem quickly. If a grocery store chain goes from 5 locations to 10, for example, that can represent a scale that might exceed its cyber security capabilities. Every store has transactional systems, and you have to protect them. Those systems connect to networks, registers, scanners, and many other devices. Any device is a potential source of a breach, and it can be challenging to monitor and act at that scale.
Regulatory and Industry Compliance
Many small businesses face compliance issues. For example, a medical billing firm will likely have to comply with HIPAA requirements while also hardening its security situation. Similarly, a business with merchant terminals for processing on-site credit card payments will likely have to comply with the PCI standards. Many financial institutions conduct regular PCI audits to ensure all transactional partners are using secure systems.
It can be tough to understand and keep up with these standards. Likewise, you will have to think about how your cyber security solutions match the requirements. You can't just plug in some software and security appliances. Regulators and industry auditors want to see very specific solutions, and the compliance process requires a lot of work.
For more information, contact a cyber security provider near you.
