What is a Cybersecurity Solution?

With news of cybersecurity breaches continuing to make headlines, it’s a reminder of how quickly and efficiently hackers can work to bring your operation to its knees.

Take the mighty Colonial Pipeline, the main artery through which 45 percent of the nation’s gasoline supplies travels, as they experienced a cyber attack launched by a Russia-based hacking group.

In the face of such sobering news, how do you best protect both your company and your customers from the harmful effects of security breaches? Luckily, cybersecurity solutions exist that allow businesses of nearly any size to take a stand against threats.

What Are Cybersecurity Services?

Cybersecurity refers to a company’s protection against unauthorized or criminal use of electronic data, and cybersecurity services are the overarching processes put in place to achieve this security and protect against common cyber threats.

These common threats that cybersecurity services target can include:

• Malware: Malware — or malicious software — is a program installed into a system to compromise its data’s availability, integrity or confidentiality. Malware programs are discreet but have become one of the biggest external threats facing business networks today.
• Ransomware: Ransomware uses malware to limit access to your own system through encryption and then asks you to pay a “ransom” online to decrypt the system and regain your access.
• Phishing: Cybercriminals use phishing to obtain data by pretending to be a legitimate business representative. They’ll often issue a warning related to your account and ask you for a response with a link to a fake website asking you to provide passwords or other sensitive information.
• Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks: DDoS attacks limit access to a network by overwhelming it with traffic requests to slow website response time. This is often used as a distraction while criminals commit other types of cybercrime.

Cybersecurity targets these and other attacks through a broad array of network security measures designed to protect your data, networks and systems. Some of the many available cybersecurity solutions include:

• Encryption: Data encryption ensures that even if your data is stolen, hackers wouldn’t be able to read it. Encryption is especially important if you often transfer data from one system to another, as it might be stolen during the transfer.
• Data loss prevention: Data is essential in your day-to-day operation, and data loss prevention methods ensure your data is available for your access at all times.
• Access management: Not just anyone in your company should have access to the organization’s sensitive information. Access and identity management ensures data is accessed only on a need-to-know basis and that those obtaining the information are who they say they are.
• Firewalls: Firewalls control the flow of outgoing and incoming network traffic to protect against untrusted networks and potential malicious attacks.
• Anti-virus and anti-malware solutions: Anti-virus and anti-malware software is one of the most fundamental cybersecurity solutions in any computer network. It scans the system for threats and blocks viruses from accessing your devices.
• Web filtering: Web filtering stops employees from accidentally accessing harmful services on the company’s network that could expose the business to a data breach.
• Risk and compliance management: Businesses in many industries need cybersecurity services to meet federal regulations or industry standards. Risk and compliance management provides a dedicated solution for meeting these needs.

Problems Cybersecurity Solutions Solve

Businesses of any size and type experience an array of possible security vulnerabilities every day. Cybersecurity solutions can mitigate problems such as these:

• Human error: Employee error — not malicious intent — is by far the biggest reason for data breaches. Web filtering and other cybersecurity tools lessen the risk of human error by stopping employees from accessing harmful sites and falling prey to phishing schemes.
• External threats: Hackers are becoming increasingly skilled in finding ways to get around traditional firewalls and steal your data. Cybersecurity services ensure your firewalls, anti-virus software and other solutions are continually up-to-date and ready to protect your infrastructure.
• Insider criminal activity: Unfortunately, one of the hardest realities for both small and large businesses is the stealing of data from within the organization. Security solutions safeguard your information from the inside and make sure only those who need to know can access your sensitive data.
• Unsecured cloud storage: As cloud servers grow in popularity, so too are cloud storage security breaches on the rise. Network security services ensure your cloud systems have the proper security in place to avoid data breaches.
• Third-party app security: Not all programs are created with your company’s safety in mind. Many third-party apps don’t come with sufficient or updatable security measures. Cybersecurity weeds out these unsafe applications and puts the security solutions in place that many apps lack.
• Subpar IT processes: Sometimes, small businesses don’t have the funds or knowledge to keep up with increasing threats or changing security best practices. Without the budget to hire a dedicated IT team, many companies unknowingly leave their infrastructure at risk. But outsourced or cloud-based cybersecurity solutions offer an inexpensive alternative that helps you avoid loss of income after a security breach.

Types of IT Security Solutions

Three main types of cybersecurity solutions give small and large businesses freedom to implement IT security at a scale and budget that’s right for them:

• In-house: Many large organizations have their own security team in place to perform cybersecurity services. This do-it-yourself approach allows you to take control of your own security and privacy with staff that knows your business and its exact needs.
• Outsourced: Outsourcing cybersecurity is an excellent way for businesses to spend less time performing tedious security measures and more time focusing on more productive tasks, while a third-party team oversees cybersecurity.
• IT security as a solution: In the age of software as a service (SaaS), more products and services than ever are now available via the cloud — including cybersecurity. Cybersecurity SaaS is an outsourced approach in which you pay for cybersecurity solutions on a subscription basis. This allows you to keep up with the latest technology at a highly affordable price.

Contact New Era Technology for a Network Security Audit Today!

With years of experience helping businesses like yours withstand cyber threats and protect valuable data, we’re confident in our ability to help you improve your network security. Don’t wait until it’s too late — request a consultation today at solutions@neweratech.com.