How secure is your business?

With the most recent attack on Virgin Active, it is important to ask the question: How secure is your business?

In most instances, you think you are safer than you are, because cybercriminals are forever changing, but your technologies remain the same! Rather ask yourself, when last did you conduct a risk or cyber assessment on your business?

With cyber security, companies do not have to worry about unauthorised users accessing their network or data. It helps them protect both their employees and their customers. 

When it comes to your business security, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Most likely the trusty old firewall. In the event of a successful cyberattack, most victimised organisations will raise the question: “Why wasn’t our firewall able to protect us?”

Are firewalls enough?

Unfortunately, security threats are constantly evolving and are designed to circumvent common and basic security tools, such as firewalls. As a result of The Internet of Things (IoT) and increase in remote working as a result of the digital age and the most recent COVID-19 pandemic, nearly any smart device from phones, laptops, printers, tablets and televisions can be connected to the business network – creating an access point for cyber criminals.

Your firewall is pretty good at protecting your office network. After all, that’s what it was designed to do. But what happens when an employee accesses their email or files from their phone? What about when they connect to the WiFi at a restaurant? Your network security is only as strong as its weakest link. You could have the strongest, most expensive security system on your laptop, but it won’t do you any good if an attacker sets up a fake WiFi hotspot and intercepts all the data.

Firewalls are primarily used to prevent attacks originating from outside the system. What if a threat makes it past the firewall or originates from the network itself?

Firewalls are also extremely limited in their capacity to prevent phishing, scams, ransomware and much more in addition to just typical malware. Some of these rely on tricking a user into taking a desired action like surrendering confidential information or disabling a firewall or antivirus. Unfortunately, firewalls can’t stop human errors or fix poor administrative practices and security policies. Firewalls need to be consistently updated. New threats arise every day and if firewalls aren’t updated, they may not protect you from the latest threat.

Traditional network security, like firewalls doesn’t extend to the mobile-first, multi-device reality that we live in today. Massive hikes in web traffic, constantly evolving threats and other dangers are not easily detected. Firewalls are a reactive method as you can only protect devices after threats have been detected.

A multi-facet approach for your ultimate security

Now that multi-devices and IoT are complicating secure networks with added vulnerability, increased cyber security is a must-have for optimal protection. Organisations need a first line of defence to threats you can’t see or immediately repel with a firewall. A successful cyber security approach has multiple layers of protection across computers, networks, programs and data and accelerates key security operations which are prevention, detection, investigation and remediation. A multi-facet approach is one that uses several components to protect your operations with multiple levels of security measures in place. These layers work together to tighten security and have a better chance of stopping intruders from breaching your networks than using a single security solution.

Today you cannot run the risk of being hacked, rather request a free assessment with Rito-Technologies to see how safe you are, and how they can improve your internet and network security. Rito-Technologies is an IT business partner who maximises business output through technology. They enable their clients to be secure with their IT Strategic Planning, which is guaranteed to increase your accessibility, productivity, and levels of communication with the right level of technology for business and potential customers.

For more information about our IT Strategic Planning or our cyber security planning, please get in touch with us at info@rito-tech.co.za and we will gladly assist you.

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