What’s got you down?
Disconnected
You can read all day about cyberattacks (and it seems I do) and these can still feel oddly remote. We seem good at compartmentalizing: ‘that situation over there is not my situation over here. So I’m all set.’ When, in fact, compared to the value of what we put onto computers, security is not paid nearly the attention it logically deserves. There’s a divide.
I started to write about business-computing-related pain, how devastating those points of pain can be and how they can be avoided.
And I thought of many examples: like not revoking access to a former-employee’s account and being subject to subsequent acts of retribution. Or not training people sufficiently on email-related crimes. Or not having a plan in place when a ransomware attack happens and the finger-pointing and panic that can damage a workplace culture.
But these are all examples. And because of that they remain at an arms-length – except if you happen to be experiencing one of those example scenarios right now.
Think of it like a nest-egg
People count on financial advisors to manage financial risk. And these money managers use diversification techniques to protect a portfolio.
By contrast, when an investor just buys into a mutual fund they get cookie-cutter diversification. This is rarely all someone needs to effectively manage their money – they usually need a mix of investment types chosen after careful examination of assets, expenses, goals, etc.
A good IT services provider, like a dedicated financial counselor examines your goals and assets, will review an organization’s set-up and map out how to address the found vulnerabilities and have exploratory conversations.
How else will the IT provider be able to properly do its job of delivering a secure environment in which your people will do their work?
A 4-question tool
So here’s a 4-question framework that can guide you to articulate your systems’ vulnerabilities, connect the deficiencies you know about to your operational concerns and get an idea of the significance if these go unaddressed.
It’s a straightforward path to try and help you get closer to what’s going on for your organization. Ask yourself:
- What computing security gaps am I currently aware of in my organization?
- What events or symptoms have revealed these vulnerabilities to me?
- If these security holes were exploited maliciously, what would happen to my organization?
- If I don’t take action on these risks, what losses won’t I be able to prevent or reverse?
Working through these questions can bring clarity about where your biggest risks lie, but it can also feel daunting. A partner like Bryley can help you prioritize the most immediately-needed fixes for your situation.
This is how Bryley has worked with hundreds of New England clients since 1987 – call 978•562•6077 or email Bryley’s Roy Pacitto to discuss.