You’re sitting there, at your desk with your computer or on the couch with your mobile device, and you stop for just the briefest of moments to ponder an essential question: am I cyber safe? Am I using the best security practices available?

Odds are, you’re probably not.

It’s hard to even know what ‘good security’ looks like. What worked only a few months ago might not cut it any longer. Add to that, there is no magic bullet to solve your cyber security worries. You need a broad spectrum of safeguards.

Of course, there are varying reasons that you may or may not be up to speed with all the current advances in cyber-security. There’s always plenty of other priorities, or you might not be that tech-savvy. At the end of the day, if a cyberattack hits you or your business, it doesn’t matter why your security wasn’t up to scratch, you’ll find yourself on a sticky wicket.

myITmanager works with clients on three levels of security. You’ve got your Basic; think of this as your T20 match, just enough to satisfy the cricket enthusiast. Next up the ladder, you’ve got your ODI. This is the Essential level of security you need to be implementing, and finally, we have the Test Match. This is the Advanced level, which is where the purest should be aiming.

Part of the challenge when looking at your cyber security vulnerabilities is trying to wrap your head around all the tech jargon that you read. Chances are, you probably don’t understand the difference between option A, B or C when choosing the best cyber security safeguards to implement. It’s also challenging to find the right solution that fits your business needs.

New Zealand has over 550,000 registered businesses, which means there over half a million different organisation’s out there trying to connect with clients and make a dollar while simultaneously trying to prevent cyber attacks on their systems. Each one of those businesses, even within the same industry, will have different needs and priorities.

Taking it one step further; you need to look at the individual. Every employee, what is their risk profile? Are they using different systems in the office that exposes the entire business to more risk, or are they accessing company data on unprotected personal devices? Perhaps they’ve got a lousy password or accidentally clicked on a dodgy link. All these things can happen, and when it does (and the stats say it will), you’d wish you were at the Test Match level of preparedness!

Prevention is far better than the cure. Not to dissimilar to COVID – immunise your business from cyber threats.  Don’t just opt for the Basic levels of security, and risk both you and your firm ending up in ICU.

How do you prevent that? Take the proper steps and measures now. All too often, businesses only take cyber security seriously when it’s too late. By the time they’ve woken up to the fact that cyber security is a priority, the damage has already been done.

Just like technology, the cyber threats we face today are evolving all the time. Criminals are adopting new techniques and strategies to gain access to your valuable data and other sensitive information. You have got to stay one step ahead; otherwise, you’re going to be knocked for six, and that’ll cost your business time, money, reputation, and possibly your ability to continue trading if it’s a whopper.

Don’t allow your business to become a victim. Stay ahead of the hackers by ensuring that you have the necessary safeguards in place that meets your business needs.