How you can keep your data safe in a world full of threats.

Data is king in today’s modern world, after topping oil as the most precious commodity in 2017. As with every important resource, there are always people who intend to steal it or damage it. The story is no different with data. While computer viruses are by no means new, the sophistication and frequency of cyber-attacks have grown hugely. Well-advertised attacks like WannaCry in 2017, which shut down NHS trust hospitals across the country, serve as reminders of this reality.

However, it is not just large organisations being affected, and the impacts are not restricted to the front page of the newspapers, they are happening to small and medium-sized businesses, and they are happening in your area.

Cyber-attacks represent a very real danger. A survey from 2015 states that 23% of all European Organisations now consider cyber attacks inevitable. If this is so, how can you protect your business from those who want to harm you?

For the last couple of years, Serval IT Systems have been working to share some of our knowledge with as many as possible, in an effort to help fight back against cyber criminals and threats. Our blog contains many articles about cyber security, including some practical advice which you can use to help reduce the risk of cyber crime in your company.

Some practical areas of advice include:

  • Train your staff to spot ransomware and phishing emails and have well documented processes of what to do in the event of an attack
  • Have a strict password policy, and enforce it. This is important as passwords are notoriously insecure
  • Use 2-Factor Authentication wherever it is available
  • Secure your company and home Wi-Fi networks and use a VPN or encapsulated workspace when working remotely
  • Have in place strict access management policies about who can access your data and audit yourself annually

Although taking the above steps will certainly help you keep your company secure–they are pointless without a sensible investment in your IT infrastructure. A responsible investment does not mean a huge investment, and indeed, many business IT solutions are priced fairly.

Whether you’re a SME without your own IT department, or maybe you have an IT department, but they’re still stretched, you may want to ease the burden by using Managed Service Provider such as Serval IT Systems.

Through our partnership with the entrust IT Group, we can offer a number of cloud and traditional IT services which are specifically designed to solve common business problems such as cyber security threats and lack of staff flexibility and mobility.

Cloud security services such as antivirus, spam filtering and secure cloud storage are common solutions for companies looking to extend their cyber defences without making a sizeable dent in their budget. These are definitely services that should be considered by all.

Another key tool businesses should consider are Backup and DR. Shockingly, a recent survey found that nearly 20 percent of businesses in the UK do not have a functioning back up in place. This is a risky strategy! Backup services are an absolute must for serious businesses with the recommended option being a mix of both on-site backup and cloud backup. Cloud Backup from Serval IT Systems is a reasonably priced service, which can also be completely managed by the Serval team to ensure your backup runs each night without any errors. We’ll also resolve issues if they occur.

We have seen first hand just how widespread cyber-attacks are becoming. Leaving your core business data exposed is just not viable. If you would like some expert advice on what options your business data has to offer – get in touch with us!

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