This blog is part 2 of our 4 part Cybersecurity for SMBs series.
2020 was a year of disruption and change. The pandemic propelled many small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to quickly embrace a remote work culture. The forced and speedy adoption of work-from-home environments has resulted in many SMBs overlooking their cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
With the influx of remote work environments here to stay, plus some offices welcoming back in-person employees, now is the time to pause and analyze your cybersecurity defenses for both remote and in-office workers to identify critical areas of vulnerability and proactively remediate these issues before they chip away at your bottom line.
Top Five Benefits of Bolstering Remote and In-house Employee Cybersecurity
More often than not, the greatest cybersecurity threat facing SMBs is their own employees. Human error is the root cause of the majority of business cyber attacks, not because employees are inherently evil, but because they lack the necessary skills and technology to efficiently fend off attacks.
SMBs that take the time to strengthen their remote and in-house employee cybersecurity defenses will be better prepared to combat new ransomware strains and navigate any future disruptions. In addition to building IT resilience and future-proofing your business, here are the top benefits SMBs receive from implementing a tailored business IT and data protection service that bolsters remote and in-house worker cybersecurity.
Secure Remote Employee Access
One of the main benefits of bolstering cybersecurity for remote and in-office employees is to ensure a secure connection for remote and traveling employees. Businesses need to supply employees with secure equipment, access through a secure connection, an established VPN, and implement a culture of cybersecurity best practices in order to ensure secure remote access. Providing employees robust cybersecurity training and advanced technology to protect themselves empowers them to effectively handle remote security risks as they arise.
Improve Productivity
Malware of all types have the ability to slow down technology and limit productivity. While enterprise companies have the resources to soldier on after a security breach, the simplest ransomware attack has the potential to stop a smaller-sized company in its tracks and freeze all productivity.
A customized cybersecurity solution provides remote and in-office employees the knowledge and tools to maximize potential output. Improving the cybersecurity prevention and detection capabilities of remote and in-house employees enables SMBs to minimize downtime due to security breaches and ransomware attacks, and focus their time and money on other business-critical areas
Retain Customer Trust
It shouldn’t be a surprise that customers are wary of partnering with organizations that experience data breaches and ransomware attacks. Businesses that take the time to invest in their workforce’s cybersecurity literacy and prevention capabilities will limit their attack surface and therefore also limit the frequency of successful cyber attacks. An SMB that consistently wards off cyberattacks and keeps customer data secure will retain their trust, loyalty, and ultimately, their continued business.
Avoid Costly Data Breaches
Remote work can quickly become an expensive and risky business venture for SMBs who don’t take the appropriate proactive precautions. According to IBM, remote work has increased the average cost of a data breach by $137,000.
SMBs can protect their bottom line by integrating comprehensive employee cybersecurity awareness training. Robust cybersecurity training for both remote and in-office workers transforms unprepared employees into a single unified cybersecurity prevention army that helps identify and avoid costly data breaches.
Ensure Regulatory Compliance
Regulatory agencies across several industries are responding to rising cyber attacks with stricter data protection laws. In order to stay compliant, SMBs need to take increased precautions to protect their infrastructure and the data stored inside.
Strengthening the cybersecurity defenses of remote and in-office cybersecurity enables SMBs to confidently maintain regulatory compliance. A robust cybersecurity training program equips businesses with an employee-made firewall that acts as an extra fortified layer of data protection. Businesses that deploy cybersecurity-trained employees in their daily operations are better positioned to consistently protect customer data, maintain regulatory compliance, and avoid hefty fines.
A Fortified Cybersecurity Defense for Your Remote and In-Office Workers
Small to medium-sized businesses that take the time to invest in their worker’s remote and in-office cybersecurity capabilities will consistently have an army of trained employees at their disposal that can quickly recognize and prevent cybersecurity threats. Partner with a trusted managed service provider to implement a tailored business IT solution that bolsters your proactive and reactive cybersecurity defenses to ensure your business, employees, and customers are protected.
