CYBERATTACKS
9 Critical Questions
Your Customers Need To Answer To Survive
BY MIKE MORAN , PRESIDENT OF AFFILIATED RESOURCE GROUP
As more and more cyberattacks hit the headlines , business owners today are waking to the realization that they must have a robust cybersecurity solution . Unfortunately , far too many organizations are just barely scraping the surface of what cybersecurity truly requires today .
What ’ s typically missing is a comprehensive security plan and cybersecurity checklist that everyone in the organization can follow . Just like a cyberattack , ignoring these important cybersecurity policies and procedures can bring a business to a screeching halt .
Mike Moran , president of Affiliated Resource Group , has been serving Central Ohio manufacturers , distributors , professional services firms , and health care practices for over 20 years . For nearly a decade , Mike has also been sounding the alarm for his clients to follow a well-defined cybersecurity and compliance plan .
Which Businesses Put Themselves At Risk By Not Following A Security Plan ?
Mike says , “ Any organization that captures , uses , stores , manages , or transmits protected data must have a cybersecurity plan in place . Some industries , such as the financial industry , health care industry , and Department of Defense contractors — and subcontractors — require data protection plans . But ultimately , any executive concerned about their reputation and bottom line should have a comprehensive cybersecurity plan .” The state of Ohio even passed a Cybersecurity
Safe Harbor Law that provides a defense against civil litigation when a company has created and actively implemented a cybersecurity plan .”
Cyberattacks wreak havoc on bottom-line dollars . Sixty percent of the time , cybercriminals target small businesses . Then , on average , it can take three workdays or longer to recover . Think about how much revenue loss and productivity loss — and how many potential lost customers / clients — you could incur in those three days .
5 Steps Toward A More Proactive And Secure Environment
When disaster strikes at home , you know what to do . But most executives have no clue what to do when a hacker locks down all their data and demands tens of thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency .
Mike says , “ Affiliated Resource Group has modeled our checklist and cybersecurity solutions based on the governmentrecommended best practices approach [ the NIST Cybersecurity Framework ], and we have presented this five-step security model to all our clients and prospects over the past fiveplus years . And once they start adopting these measures , they start to gain control of their IT environments .”
STEP 1 : IDENTIFY
Before you can protect your network and data , you must better understand what you are protecting .
✓ What exactly are you trying to protect ? Make a thorough list of your technology assets .
✓ What are your expectations in getting your systems back up and running and preventing a data breach ?
✓ Determine your current level of risk with a comprehensive risk assessment .
“ With our once-a-year risk assessment ,” says Mike , “ we help our customers with their assets and software . Next , we sit down with the leadership team and put their priorities on paper to maximize IT efficiencies and security .”
STEP 2 : PROTECT
This is where most companies focus their IT efforts , but it can ’ t be the only area of focus . In this vital step , you should be able to answer the following questions :
✓ How do you log in to your systems and who can log in ?
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