When it comes to cyber security, many organizations focus on the big, tangible items. Are there firewalls in place? Does each workstation, laptop, mobile device, and server in the office have anti-virus software installed? Are company emails encrypted and does the email system offer anti-spam and anti-phishing filtering capabilities? These are all high concerns for a company’s cyber security; ones that should be at the top of the list for getting addressed.
However there is one, less tangible threat to IT security and that is human error. In fact, human error is one of IT security’s weakest points which also makes it one of IT’s biggest threats.
Last year, CompTIA, the IT industry trade association, published a report titled Trends in Information Security Study. In the report, they found that human error is one of the most pervasive threats to cyber security. Seth Robinson, senior director of technology analysis at CompTIA stated that “Though human error ranks low as a serious concern, companies report that it is the largest factor behind security breaches.” So with human error such a high technology security concern for companies, what can be done about it?
A managed IT services provider can assist with helping your business reduce the risk of human error related IT security issues through a variety of methods including:
Training
As your managed IT provider is essentially a member of your business team, they will work with your entire company to ensure that all employees are trained on basic IT security protocols. Your employees will learn how to detect suspicious emails, and what to do if they receive one. They will receive training on how to create stronger passwords, and guidelines of security best-practices such as not sharing passwords to accounts or where they can securely store sensitive account information.
Implementing Strong Authentication Methods
Your managed IT services provider can implement stronger authentication methods to secure access to highly sensitive applications such as databases holding customer data. Whether it is through implementing two-factor authentication or creating controls that limit specific system access to only upper level executives, your IT services provider will work to ensure that any access point to a system in your office (whether it is an application, web services, of even a Wi-Fi password) is strongly secured to reduce the risk of a human error creating a security vulnerability.
Providing Suggestions for Additional Security Options
In addition to training your team and making sure your company has strong authentication methods in place, your IT serviced provider can also make additional recommendations for securing your IT environment. This may include installing firewall protection on cloud-based web applications, creating and launching specific controls in your company-wide email on the back-end, or configuring workstations and servers that automatically log individuals out after set periods of time of inactivity.
If you are interested in discussing how your business can reduce human error and improve its cyber security, contact Roan Solutions today.
