Every business, no matter the size, faces a range of IT risks that can disrupt operations and damage your reputation. Many of these risks are easy to overlook, and as a business owner, it’s important to be aware of them and take the necessary precautions to keep them from turning into a full-blown problem.
Below are five IT risks your business might be ignoring, and why you can't afford to overlook them.
Increasing volume of cyberattacks
From ransomware to phishing schemes, cyberattackers are becoming more sophisticated in their attempts to breach company systems. Successful cyberattacks often lead to data breaches, resulting in large financial losses and severe reputational damage to their victims.
Many businesses mistakenly believe they’re not a target because they’re not “big fish” or that they operate in an industry that flies under the radar of most online threats. However, small to mid-sized businesses are increasingly being targeted because they often lack robust security measures to fight off even less sophisticated attacks.
Data security in the cloud
With more businesses embracing the cloud, ensuring its security becomes increasingly critical. While cloud solutions offer numerous benefits, such as flexibility and scalability, they also expose businesses to new vulnerabilities if not properly managed.
One common issue is weak access control, which unauthorized users can easily manipulate to gain access to sensitive information. Without proper monitoring and secure authentication methods, your data could be at risk. Regular security audits and working with a trusted cloud service provider can help safeguard your information and give you peace of mind.
Lastly, having redundancies and backups in other locations will help you avoid further headaches from data loss.
Employees being a weak link
Employees are often seen as the first line of defense against cyberthreats, but without ample and regular training, they may become your biggest vulnerability. The threat landscape is constantly evolving, and your team’s cybersecurity skills and knowledge may quickly become obsolete without them noticing. Worse, failing to implement continuous training often leads to employees retaining habits that are detrimental to cybersecurity, such as taking security protocol shortcuts, constantly using weak passwords, and absentmindedly forwarding phishing emails.
Ineffective disaster recovery
While no one likes to think about worst-case scenarios, not having a disaster recovery plan when you need it the most is worse. Natural disasters, cyberattacks, and hardware failures won’t wait for you to fully implement a disaster recovery plan; they can strike at any time, potentially bringing your business to a standstill, or worse, causing it to shut down completely.
So, before you face the prospect of needing one, make sure to create a comprehensive disaster recovery plan that includes data backups, off-site storage, and a clear response strategy. As the timeless adage goes, “prevention is better than cure.”
Device security issues
From laptops and smartphones to IoT devices, businesses today rely on an array of devices to keep operations running smoothly. However, each of these devices can be exploited by threat actors if certain security configurations aren’t properly activated or deployed.
This is where mobile device management (MDM) systems come in. MDM systems help ensure that only authorized devices are able to access your network and that they are properly secured with encryption and strong authentication. Furthermore, a comprehensive MDM solution will ensure that your IT team has control over workplace devices, allowing them to gather information and lock access should a phone or laptop become lost or stolen.
At USWired, we specialize in providing comprehensive IT solutions, including cybersecurity, cloud management, and disaster recovery planning, to help businesses like yours stay secure and resilient. Contact us today to learn how we can safeguard your IT infrastructure and protect your data from emerging threats.
