Cyber Security or Risk Management?

Cyber security used to be a concern for IT departments and IT departments alone. These days, however, it's a concern for every one of us.

Think of it this way: how much of your life works because of the internet? Banking, paying bills, shopping, working and in recent years, communicating with family and friends are all tasks done from our own homes thanks to technology.

There really is no escaping the internet or the need to be secure online, which is often one of the common reasons people and organisations turn to MSPs such as ourselves. But is cyber security evolving into something more like risk management?

Cyber Security in 2022

Cyber security is a broad and constantly changing field, but education is an effective way of staying safe online. It's with education in mind that led to us continuing to publish several blog posts about cyber security.

In a recent post, we saw how experts now claim there is no longer one guaranteed way to stay safe online, whilst others have gone one step further, stating cyber security is now 'too big of a threat to tackle alone'. 

Is it time to reconsider the approach we're all adopting? Is cyber security something of an outdated term? 

Cyber Security Misconceptions

Cyber security, as a term, can be somewhat evocative. Perhaps it brings to mind images of burly door staff, checking IDs and digitally protecting your organisation. With an initial investment in the correct areas, you may be forgiven for thinking you're covered forever.

But, that isn't the case.

A good strategy and initial outlay can keep you covered for some time, but pretty soon, cracks are going to start to appear, and rogue outsiders will begin penetrating your defences.

A business and its IT department, or MSP, need to be in constant communication and work in harmony to ensure the maximum level of coverage is offered at all times.

So, could risk management be a better fit?

Risk Management

Instead, we're asking people to think of cyber security as risk management - and a process that will require work every single day. Many organisations stand still when it comes to cyber security, don't be one of them.

Not only can this help with security, but it can also be a vital metric for measuring effectiveness. Start by asking, 'where are we most exposed right now? What are the biggest threats out there? How do we change that?'

There are that many threats out there right now that you simply can't go it alone and cover yourself without calling in the experts. The topic needs to be on boardroom agendas, and if you can reduce risks with your decisions, it can even add value - something that can often be a long-term issue with IT-related decisions.

Evidence of what we're saying can be seen in an article by McKinsey, who said: "Top managers at most companies recognise cyber risk as an essential topic on their agendas. Worldwide, boards and executive leaders want to know how well cyber risk is managed in their organisations. 

"In more advanced regions and sectors, leaders demand, given years of significant cyber security investment, that programs also prove their value in risk-reducing terms."

The Next Steps

The threat of cyber attacks is only going to grow in the coming years - which is a frightening realisation when you consider attacks were already occurring every 11 seconds throughout 2021.

It's now more a fact of life that we have to deal with cyber threats consistently. And, whilst larger enterprise-level organisations may have the resources to put out these fires as they form, businesses in the SME space are going to struggle.

But, they don't need to.

Reach out to an expert and hear how an MSP such as Fifosys can work with your organisation and reduce risk levels by following four steps:

• Awareness
• Assessment
• Prevention
• Identify and Action

The Last Word

The online world is complex and dangerous. With a connection to the Dark Web and relatively low-cost software, more and more malicious outsiders are appearing, all of who can pose a risk to you and your business.

Partner with an MSP and get unrestricted access to expensive solutions that would otherwise be unattainable, whether that's EDR or Dark Web Monitoring, to name but two examples.

Fifosys partners have found that not only do they have access to round-the-clock support if something goes wrong, but they also have protection 24/7/365, keeping risks low and immediately highlighting the value of MSPs.

The fight against cyber crime won't ever end, but don't try and tackle it alone. Get in touch with us today for an introduction to hear how we can help you.