Security is at the core of IT-managed services, including the best in next-generation firewalls. However, the increased cyber risks that businesses face today have raised the minimum baseline for an appropriate cybersecurity service. The baseline for cybersecurity now includes multifactor authentication, active threat hunting, current patches, risk assessment and consultation, and security training. A customized plan that addresses the unique threats within your business’s environment is the best way to protect your business.
A Cybersecurity Service Addresses Threats Your Firewall Can’t
The easier it is to break into a network, the more tempting it is for hackers. The next generation of AI-driven firewalls has made it harder for malware and threat actors to find vulnerabilities. However, many small and medium-sized businesses have a “wait and see” approach to cybersecurity, and threat actors know this. They spend their time considering ways to get into networks, and some solutions don’t include messing with a firewall.
The solution for businesses is risk management. However, before a business leader can decide how to protect their business, they need to know where their risks are.
Let’s look at some of the ways cybersecurity experts go beyond firewall protection.
Software Flaws
Businesses require a lot of software and applications. Every application a company uses will have its own set of imperfections that open up new security vulnerabilities. Hackers use these flaws to get past a firewall and access data and/or the network at large.
Software creators regularly release patches to address vulnerabilities as they are found. It’s a cybersecurity professional’s job to ensure those patches are correctly implemented as soon as possible. Another way to address this threat is to limit the software downloaded onto a business’s network. IT-managed services can take steps to disallow the downloading of risky software to protect the network.
Firewall Maintenance and Updates
Simply installing a firewall once isn’t enough to protect a business for long; like any technology, quality and regular maintenance matter. Most firewalls are a combination of hardware and subscription that must be reevaluated against new threats. So while your business needs a firewall, it also requires a cybersecurity team to keep it running properly.
An experienced cybersecurity team will stay updated on your firewall service and what it needs to maintain properly. At Edafio Technology Partners, we have extensive knowledge of Cisco and Checkpoint. We prioritize balancing the leading firewall products with the needs of company productivity to maintain a secure, efficient infrastructure.
Social Engineering
A social engineering attack involves human interactions. This can take the form of a login page that looks like the one your business actually uses, but isn’t. An end-user believes they’re on the correct page and enters their login information. This information is then in the hands of a hacker, who can use it to access a company’s network.
Phishing, baiting, and other types of social engineering attacks are only becoming more common. Companies can protect against these threats with appropriate training for every end-user. Multifactor authentication can also help against this form of threat. If all else fails, having a cybersecurity response partner in place can minimize any damage caused.
Cutting Edge Threats
Firewalls protect against known threats. The issue is that new malware is being designed every day. Hackers are reviewing what they know about security measures and finding new tactics.
A great firewall is one layer of protection, but the best policy is to have multiple measures protecting company assets. This way, a new threat would have to get past more than one layer of protection.
Theft of Physical Devices
One of the most straightforward ways for a hacker to get around a firewall is to steal a company device. They can then access data at an alarming rate. The login credentials gained from the stolen device allow them to bypass the firewall from other devices in the future.
Unfortunately, businesses don’t immediately notice when one physical device has been stolen. The longer a threat actor has access, the more damage they can do. Some of the ways IT solution experts work to prevent this include password management training and multifactor authentication. This way, it’s harder for someone to gain data access, even with a stolen device in hand.
How IT Managed Services Safeguard Your Operational Framework
Every new piece of software in your business represents a new opportunity to improve efficiency. It also represents a new cybersecurity risk. Cybersecurity has become too central to a business’s IT needs to be considered separately from day-to-day operations. Today, the strongest strategy is considering risk management from every angle, with every digital asset.
To this end, IT solutions experts install firewalls that keep a client’s digital assets safe without interrupting productivity. With any installation of new software, the framework is optimized for flow and risk management at the same time. This creates a customized framework built to serve your business best. This stands in contrast to being on your own, struggling to make an existing system work for your needs.
Identifying Workflow
The first step to safeguarding your operational framework is identifying internal and external operations. Where is your business data stored and transmitted? How is that data currently protected? This part of the process creates a picture of existing structures and needs.
Assessment
A risk assessment lets a business see where they stand. This includes prioritizing sensitive information and evaluating the level of protection necessary.
A Plan
Our team at Edafio Technology Partners collaborates with businesses to create a risk management policy. Together, we develop the plan and a strategy for implementing it. This plan includes time specifications for future assessments to protect your business against new risks. As your business scales and the environment changes, so will your cybersecurity protection.
Installing a firewall is an essential part of any cybersecurity plan. However, today’s businesses need IT solutions that go a step further to best protect revenue and reputation. Contact Edafio Technology Partners today to strengthen your business’s cybersecurity health.
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