Are you taking a DIY approach to cybersecurity? STOP!

Two decades ago, IT teams just had to worry about data storage, networking, uptime, and security. Today, that list of responsibilities has grown tremendously with different variables that boast their own categories.

While cybersecurity remains a top priority, it’s no longer the sole responsibility of the IT department. The explosion of threats in the current threat landscape is now higher than ever before. The rise of remote working also adds another layer of complexity.

This is the primary reason why large corporations have a cybersecurity department with board-level visibility. In contrast, small and medium-sized businesses don’t have the resources to do the same.

Instead, they work with what they have and sometimes take a Do It Yourself (DIY) approach. This can prove to be a huge mistake. As technology forms the foundation of modern business, privacy and security aren’t something that you can take lightly.

According to Cybersecurity Ventures, the global cost of cybercrime will grow by 15% per year over the next four years to $10.5 trillion annually by 2025 (and up from $3 trillion in 2015). That figure should worry everyone, not just your IT department.

Securing sensitive information is imperative as you’re working with internal (employee/stakeholder) and external (customer) data.

There is no turn-key solution. The days of implementing a firewall and antivirus software and forgetting about it are long gone. As such, averting the next potential data breach is a complex and never-ending responsibility.

For example, you must be alert to insider threats, corporate espionage, state-sponsored hackers, cybercriminals, and hacktivists. Each one of these “bad guys” use dozens of relentless and ever-evolving techniques to breach enterprise networks.

What makes it even more challenging are the following:

• Ever-extending network edge
• Globally connected networks (across continents)
• Remote users with direct access

If you’re taking a DIY approach to cybersecurity and don’t have the necessary cybersecurity experts and IT professionals in-house to do this, you’re asking for a lot of trouble!

So, what are your options?

You can hire some security experts and build a team to secure your enterprise infrastructure proactively. However, this demands significant resources and patience to attract top tech talent in the current job market. In fact, according to PwC, as many as 3.5 million cybersecurity jobs will go unfilled this year.

You can engage freelance cybersecurity experts, but this approach isn’t sustainable and could leave you vulnerable. After all, hiring staff who are available 24x7x365 to respond to a security incident is not only incredibly expensive but almost impossible to find. However, the good news is that you can partner with a third-party services provider.

To overcome the skills and technology challenges, many businesses turn to cloud services providers. However, while this approach may solve some of your immediate technology and skills demands, it’ll probably fall short when it comes to security.

This makes it essential to work with an established cloud-security services provider who has adopted a proactive approach to cybersecurity. In this scenario, your cloud security partner will boast robust encryption protocols, ethical hacking services (like cloud security testing, penetration testing, and IT infrastructure testing), and much more.

Considering the cost of a data breach and related compliance violations, this could be a highly cost-effective solution. In contrast, if you took a DIY approach and didn’t have staff to respond to an active breach, you won’t even be able to stop it.

When you partner with a cloud security services provider, you’re getting immediate access to cutting-edge security tools, security experts, and more for a fraction of the cost of building your team and data center in-house. 

This approach also allows your staff to focus on your customers and grow your business without worrying about security and compliance. Furthermore, whether you’re working on-premises or from home, you can count on around-the-clock protection.

Is a cloud-security service right for you? What about military-grade encryption? Schedule a commitment-free consultation to find out more.