My good friend Ralph Waldo Emerson said it best: “Our strength grows out of our weakness.”
I’d like to think, as we were very close, that he was referring to the way identifying vulnerabilities can actually lead us to strengthen our businesses’ cybersecurity with a few proactive steps.
In any case, Ralph makes a great point.
Cybersecurity weakness is not something we can ignore. There’s a whole criminal world (not to mention the threats of natural disasters and user error) ready to pounce on soft spots and take down your business.
The Rundown
#1 Your office workstations are older than you can remember
Now, cut yourself some slack here, because in fairness you have a lot to keep track of. But aging workstations open you up to a world of downtime and cybersecurity weakness. If you’re not sure how old your workstations are, start by checking your hardware for a sticker with the manufacturing date.
No luck? No problem. Here are some other helpful tips for figuring out how old your workstation is. As a rule of thumb, IT security professionals recommend refreshing your hardware every five years. Even if a “seasoned” workstation seems to be working fine, you’ll actually start losing efficiency and security when you move past the five-year “expiration date.”
Read more about that the hidden cost of old computers.
#2 You would be cut off from vital data if you got physically locked out of your business
If a storm, fire, or disgruntled employee kept you from accessing your essential business data physically at your place of business, would you still be able to operate?
You’re really only as secure as your data, so if you answered no, it’s a sure sign of cybersecurity weakness. Reach out to a trustworthy IT vendor to discover how cloud storage can take the fear out of your unknown and give you instant, unstoppable access to your vital data. Learn more here.
#3 Your passwords are all the same (or stored on a sticky note or spreadsheet)
You have so much to keep track of. We definitely understand why you’d cut corners with password security. But there’s good news: This is one area you can shore up without taking up more of your precious mind space.
Check into some reputable password management services like LastPass. They’ll allow you to create unique, impossibly hard, randomly generated passwords for each of your accounts. They’ll also store them for you in an encrypted vault (meaning they don’t even know your passwords), ready to access with your one master code. We’ll talk more about this in an upcoming post.
#4 Your team isn’t having regular security awareness trainings
When the need for security awareness training comes up, most business owners understand that it’s necessary but don’t know where to start. Varay makes it easy with a no-prep, comprehensive security awareness training program for organizations of all sizes.
You’ll find more helpful training tips here.
#5 You’re not 100% certain you’re abiding by your industry’s compliance regulations
Don’t play with fire. It’s possible to know whether you’re in compliance and fix any areas of question. This is one sign of cybersecurity weakness you can’t afford to sweep under the rug.
Varay can come alongside you as a trusted partner in protecting your business through solid compliance strategy. We’ve partnered with professionals in the medical, construction, and other industries, and we have the experience to help you stay securely within the lines.
Flex your IT muscle with our IT Scorecard
Securing your business against disaster and cybercrime doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Varay Managed IT in El Paso and San Antonio has helped many businesses like yours come into compliance, train their teams in cybersecurity, and make their workplaces more efficient. Our V-Secure suite has the tools you need.
To learn more about the status of your organization’s cybersecurity strengths and weaknesses, take our IT Scorecard Quiz here. It only takes a couple of minutes, and it’ll give you a great headstart as you shore up you areas of vulnerability.
{{cta(‘ac822aaa-c754-4ece-9b6f-e9c231f8d79d’,’justifycenter’)}}
Did you see some items that you need to address? Contact Varay today to start securing your business.
