If you ask most business owners why they haven’t set up proper cyber security for their business, they’ll have a ready-made reason in mind:
They don’t have the time. They suspect it costs money. They don’t think they even need any online security for their business because they don’t collect any data.
These sorts of common obstacles get in the way of implementing vital cyber security protections. The kind of protections which business owners suddenly desperately wish they had when a situation crops up later on.
Here are some of the most common cyber security hurdles (and how to overcome them):
1) Money
There’s an expectation that cyber security costs money. Of course, certifications and remedial work to upgrade or repair cyber security issues aren’t free.
But the potential costs of not doing something about your cyber security don’t bear thinking about. There are even potential fines from the ICO (the Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK’s independent information rights body) if you don’t have proper cyber security in place.
This is all important to set against the much smaller amount of money required to get all your cyber ducks in a row in the first place. It’s also worth knowing that there are ways to keep the costs down to the bare minimum…
How we fix it:
Making a small investment in your business’s cyber security now gives you a long-term benefit for the minimum cost in the future.
One of the programs which the ICO looks favourably on is the UK government-backed Cyber Essentials scheme. As Dial A Geek has Cyber Essentials certification – i.e., the National Cyber Security Centre trusts us to implement the required measures – we can help you implement this baseline standard.
You can learn about how easy it is to get your Cyber Essentials in place here.
2) Time
Most business owners feel they are constantly pressed for time. Finding the extra time to assess and then fix all of their cyber security issues can seem like one straw too many.
But with a little help, it doesn’t have to add an extra burden at all…
How we fix it:
You can have us get your Cyber Essentials protections up and running within a week.
We operate 100% remotely. So there will be no interruption to your daily work processes. We’re not onsite, so we won’t get in your way.
3) Not knowing their responsibilities
Many business owners would tell you that they don’t deliberately collect personal data about their customers. This leads them to believe that they don’t need cyber security protection.
Of course, almost every company holds information about its customer base. Some of that data might be sensitive. If this information is exposed by an accidental or malicious data breach, that company is going to be held accountable. Even if they didn’t know they were.
How we fix it:
The Cyber Essentials scheme was created by the National Cyber Security Centre to provide businesses with an easy way to know whether they were doing everything they needed to when it comes to cyber security. Especially if they weren’t 100% sure what they needed to do in the first place.
Dial A Geek can help you be sure you’re meeting those standards without any hassle.
4) Complacency
When asked about their cyber security, the standard response from many businesses is “yes, we have an anti-virus” or “of course we have a firewall”.
Unfortunately, without some kind of certification, any later investigation after a breach will have no evidence to prove you had sufficient protections in place at the time.
How we fix it:
Implementing everything required by the Cyber Essentials means you have that evidence if anything goes wrong.
There are alternatives, of course. ISO:27001 is the International Standard. But it’s mainly designed for larger companies, is expensive and usually takes two years to achieve. Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus are the options most suited to SMEs in the UK.
Fight that lack of urgency
Most companies remain fairly complacent about their cybersecurity until it’s far too late. It’s the same sort of attitude which prompts people to remember to fit an intruder alarm the day after their home is burgled.
Start being proactive about your cyber security today. And protect yourself from data loss which will harm your business tomorrow.
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Dial A Geek already helps 968 Bristol businesses with their cyber security. We’re ready to help you with yours at any time.
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