Cybersecurity 101 (+ 5 Tips to Prevent IT Burnout)

From application security, threat intelligence, data leakage protection, crisis management, and much more, ensuring business cybersecurity today can feel overwhelming and even TOO DEMANDING! For instance, do you know how many layers of complex domains your infrastructure really requires to protect your data? See for yourself.

With 10-15% of phishing attacks already slipping through your network, it’s time to ask:

1. “Just how secure is my business internet network?”
2. “Is my team trained to manage and monitor all these intricate domains”
3. “Does my team have the resources to be successful?”

Every day new complex digital threats are developed, forcing agencies like the FBI to crack down on companies to report attacks—which means raising your cybersecurity risk posture NEEDS to be at the forefront of your enterprise strategy.

So, how can you ensure your team has the training and power to protect your business and brand reputation 24/7? Let’s start at the beginning…

How to manage changing cybersecurity demands

Evolving infrastructures combined with demanding expectations make staying informed, expanding your team, and consulting with cyber specialists necessary in today’s environment. It also helps connect the dots to understand which common cyber threats are evolving to bypass outdated defenses, such as...

10 common, yet evolving cybersecurity attacks

1. Malware (spyware, viruses, worms)
2. Phishing (spear phishing, whaling, pharming)
3. Ransomware
4. Denial-of-Service (DOS) or (TCP SYN flood attacks, teardrop attacks, smurf attacks, ping-of-death attacks, botnets)
5. SQL Injections
6. Zero-day exploit
7. Password attacks
8. Cross-site scripting
9. Man-in-the-Middle (MitM)
10. Internet of Things (IoT) attacks

With rising global and domestic threats, even the most technically advanced teams are getting out of their comfort zone, seeking consultation, and hiring additional IT help to rebuild and defend their businesses. Because ultimately, companies know no one is 100% immune to foreign attacks right now, and they need all the protection they can get—especially after the government’s official Shield’s Up guidance for all organizations.

How to scale IT teams to your specific business needs

Remember, your business internet infrastructure is now a complex web that, when properly managed, protects your data and maximizes your work volume, unlike any resource. But when neglected, your network can get riddled with holes, tangled beyond belief, and become your biggest business risk.

A consultation with a global technology integrator alleviates network pressures by providing a clear roadmap to your best possible cybersecurity strategy, plus the capabilities and support you need to deploy a tailored Managed Secure Business Internet solution, including:

• 24/7 security operations center
• SD-WAN
• Antispam
• Antivirus
• Application control
• Web filtering
• Next-generation firewall
• And more

Utilize collaborations like these to help determine and access the exact functionalities you require to scale, monitor, and defend your business data without breaking your budget on extra, expensive, yet essentially unnecessary resources. Not to mention…

Reduce IT fatigue

Right now, cybercriminals are working every angle possible, day and night, to access your network. So, if you have dozens of domains with potentially exposed gaps in your system, your IT team better be 1. large enough and 2. equipped with the latest resources and knowledge to counter these sophisticated attacks. Otherwise, they will burn themselves out or will be unprepared to properly manage your network in time. Think, does anyone on your team exhibit…?

5 signs your IT team is tired or ill-equipped

1. Irritability/general fatigue
2. Performance issues/low morale
3. Emotional outbursts
4. Disillusionment due to stress
5. Physical symptoms (e.g., shortness of breath)

If your team doesn’t have adequate resources or support, you’re essentially giving them an inch and expecting them to give a mile. What can you do to avoid IT burnout and high turnover rates that could escalate cybersecurity risks even further?

5 ways to help avoid IT burnout

1. Recommend recurring breaks and vacation/sick leave: Ensure IT teams give themselves plenty of rest between tasks to reset, get a coffee, or chat with colleagues. Also, recommend taking sick or vacation time if you notice any unusual behaviors impacting their health and work
2. Stick to a consistent schedule: Working too much is never healthy, especially in a high-pressure environment. Help employees adhere to a clear schedule as much as possible and tell them not to work when off the clock
3. Recommend removing work apps off personal devices: Sure, receiving work emails on personal devices is convenient, but when your IT team spends all day patching vulnerabilities and restoring backups, work is the last thing they want on their minds
4. Monitor signs of stress: Stress and anxiety manifest in multiple ways, not always mental. Look for any signs of irritability, stress, or fatigue
5. Consult with experts and expand your team: These are two surefire ways to help your team and connection stay safe—especially as your infrastructure expands and becomes more complex

With IT professionals abandoning their careers due to stress, now is the time your company should secure the support it needs. Especially with your brand reputation now on the line every day.

FBI enforces cybersecurity mandate

Did you see Congress passed a cyber security law requiring enterprises to report attacks and ransomware payments to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) within 24-72 hours?

The Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act of 2022, or CIRCIA, was created to better understand cyber threats and help coordinate a national response to ransomware attacks.

But what it really means is your IT team will be working NONSTOP to ensure your business stays safe and out of the headlines. Conditions that cause your staff the burn out as they exhaust themselves trying to keep your network secure.

The takeaway?

From next-generation firewall and SD-WAN to scalable Unified Threat Management (UTM) functionalities, your business infrastructure now requires almost endless security layers to ensure your data and reputation stays safe. And unless your IT team is equipped and large enough to supervise these new specialized attacks, your data could already be compromised. Consulting with a cybersecurity expert to tailor a Managed Secure Business Internet solution based on your exact network needs could be your best bet to…

1. Fill new security gaps and monitor future threats
2. Cost efficiently scale security functionalities
3. Provide IT staff with the necessary support

Because ultimately, your business cybersecurity demands are unlike any other, and you need to evaluate what keeps your specific network safe. Discover more about scalable Managed Secure Business Internet and where you can schedule a free consultation with a cybersecurity expert here. OR watch our exclusive cybersecurity podcast to learn more.

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