Cybersecurity: Why It Matters for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses

For companies small and large, having a strong IT infrastructure is essential. A strong IT infrastructure maximizes revenue, improves productivity, reduces downtime, and strengthens the business’s overall network. That being said, the first line of defense to securing a company’s infrastructure is through effective cybersecurity measures.

At MicroXpress, we are a team of dedicated professionals providing IT support to companies in York, Harrisburg, Lancaster, and Hanover areas. Today we’re going to discuss what cybersecurity is, why it’s important for businesses and the benefits of hiring IT support for cybersecurity.

What Is Cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks. This is especially important for businesses, both small and large, as companies are common targets for an attacker. In fact, businesses are one of the most sought out groups by attackers since they are profitable targets.

With that said, implementing effective cybersecurity measures can help companies protect their business and clients. But let’s dive a little deeper into why cybersecurity is so important for businesses.

Why Businesses Should Care About Cybersecurity

Businesses need to care about cybersecurity because not having proper security measures poses a great risk for companies. In fact, one cyberattack doesn’t just have the potential to tarnish a company’s reputation but also cost the business financially to rectify the issue.

For instance, a data breach can potentially have a negative effect on a company’s reputation or brand image. A data breach will make customers feel their information isn’t secure with your business. This can result in a decline in long-term, loyal customers.

Not only that, but businesses need to consider the costs associated with data recovery and reputation management. Data breaches can also lead to a temporary operational shutdown and even cause the permanent closure of a company.

Now that we’ve discussed the importance of cybersecurity, let’s talk about 3 types of cybersecurity threats.

Types of Cybersecurity threats

• Phishing: This is a type of cybercrime where targets are contacted by email, telephone, or text message. The attacker will pose as someone the victim knows or a legitimate organization to encourage the victim to provide sensitive data such as personally identifying information, passwords, and even banking details.
• Ransomware: This is a form of malware that encrypts a victim’s files. Once the files are encrypted, the attacker demands a ransom from the victim in order to restore access to the data once the ransom is paid.
• Social Engineering: Social engineering attacks are an umbrella term for a broad range of malicious activities. It essentially uses psychological manipulation to trick victims into making security mistakes or giving away sensitive data.

4 Benefits of IT Support for Cybersecurity

For companies in the Pennsylvania area, investing in cybersecurity is crucial for business success. Here are 4 benefits of cybersecurity for companies.

Protects Your Company

One of the most obvious and best benefits of cybersecurity protection is that it protects your company. Too often, businesses ignore the importance of having cybersecurity measures in place. As a result, they leave their company open to risks that threaten the longevity of the company.

With IT support, businesses will have the digital support they need to perform everyday business tasks such as sending emails to customers and organizations, sending critical information internally, and storing data without the worry of a data breach.

Allows Employees to Work Safely

This brings us to the next benefit of cybersecurity. Managed cybersecurity for businesses means that employees can work safely. Without cybersecurity protection, your company and employees are at risk of a potential cyber-attack.

Your employees, in particular, are constantly communicating with customers and between departments to ensure business operations continue to go as expected. If your network system or even an individual computer becomes compromised by an attack, this can really put a halt to operations.

This is something to especially think about as your number of employees grows. Cybersecurity ultimately enables employees to do their job effectively and gives owners peace of mind knowing that their system and individual computers are protected.

Ensures Productivity

Being productive is essential to business growth. When businesses are productive, they’re able to meet business goals and milestones that lead to success. However, when a business isn’t productive, growth stops — and that isn’t good for any business long term.

Ultimately, companies cannot sustain themselves if they aren’t hitting their benchmarks internally. When businesses have a weak IT infrastructure, that increases their risk of a cyberattack, which almost always puts a halt to business activity. Let’s take a look at an example.

If a business is hit by a ransomware attack, the first thing they will need to do is determine which systems were impacted. Then, the business will need to fill out a service ticket and wait for an IT professional to help mitigate the attack. This process will likely end with the company either paying the ransom or working with the IT professional to recover any lost data.

If this sounds like a lot — it is. When a business doesn’t invest in cybersecurity, it’s left open to an attack. As a result, the business will experience a decrease in productivity while dealing with the aftermath. Not only that, but the aftermath of dealing with a cyber threat can even stop operations completely. Having efficient cybersecurity through managed IT support helps businesses stay on top of potential threats such as viruses.

Inspires Customer Confidence

Another benefit of cybersecurity is that businesses can make their customers feel confident. The truth is, customers only want to invest in companies that not only have their best interest at heart but have the capabilities to protect their information when doing business with them.

But businesses can’t protect their customer’s data if there are too many holes in their cybersecurity. One data breach and companies can easily lose a loyal customer. Ultimately, no one wants their information stolen, and businesses have the responsibility to ensure they do all they can to keep their customer’s information secure.

Conclusion

When businesses invest in cybersecurity, they take a proactive approach to cyber threats. For instance, here at MicroXpress, we provide managed and co-managed IT services to act as your company’s second set of eyes. This means that you can handle the business side of things while we monitor your network for any suspicious activity. This won’t just give you peace of mind but inspires customer confidence.

Cybersecurity needs to be at the core of every business. The reality is, any business can be at risk of an attack, and the best way to combat it is by being prepared. MicroXpress is a leader in IT support services. Contact us today if you’d like to learn more about our managed or co-managed IT services to help strengthen your cybersecurity.