Do You Need a Data Protection Officer?

A Data Protection Officer (DPO) isn’t a new role, but it has been emerging rapidly among companies. This role is responsible for data protection of companies, much more so for businesses that handle sensitive information. But what is a DPO and does your business really need one?

The role of the Data Protection Officer

A DPO is a leadership role proposed and required by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This is part of the effort to prevent the increasing cases of data breach among businesses. Also, this position will solely focus on the planning, execution, and overseeing the data protection strategy of a company.

With a DPO handling your data safety, a business will have an added security layer, which will possibly put a stop on hacking and other unauthorized access to information.

It’s also part of streamlining the security system of businesses as well as upholding the highest standards in cybersecurity.

Does your business need a DPO?

Some businesses don’t really need a DPO. To check if your company needs one, the following are some of the points that you need to consider. A DPO is only a requirement if your company meets the following conditions:

*If your core operation involves a large chunk of personal data about offenses and convictions

*If your core operation involves systemic monitoring of large amounts of data

*If the operation is performed by a public entity, body, or organization

*If your business works with citizens in Europe and needs to be aware of GDPR regulations

It’s easy to think that SMEs could be exempted, but as long as the business meets these conditions, they will have to appoint a DPO.

Responsibilities of a DPO

Based on the GDPR compliance details, a Data Protection Officer has the responsibilities not limited to the following:

*Serving as a representative or contact point in everything that concerns the company’s privacy and access requests. This includes data breach reporting and the likes.

*Educating the employees of their obligation under the GDPR compliance rules

*Consistent monitoring of the company’s data protection compliance based on the GDPR rules.

*Advise the management about data protection impact assessments and other concerns about data security.

Who can you appoint as a DPO?

You need to appoint a professional with experience in this role. This is especially true if you are a small business with little experience in data protection. That means it is essential the person you hire should have experience and knowledge about data protection laws to become a compliant DPO.

While you can appoint a current employee as DPO, you can also outsource the role so you won’t have to shoulder the training and compliance.

Final words

A Data Protection Officer (DPO) will help level up the security of your company. As much as not everyone requires this role, it’s best to check if your business will benefit from it. It’s an additional role, but it surely secures your business from various data threats.

 

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A Guide to Office Network Cabling

Network cabling can be a big headache. It’s one of the most complicated yet most important parts of your IT. If not placed well, you’ll be left with a messy cobweb of cables and a lot of work to do. To skip the hassle and guesswork, we discussed here a short guide you can use for your office’s network cabling:

First things first: make it identifiable

Before you even plug those cables into their respective ports, make sure that you’ve placed an identifier. You might think that you have remembered everything, but once all the cables are in place, you’ll barely be able to pinpoint which is which.

We recommend using either color-coding or labeling. You can use different cable colors or attaching a label to each one, so everyone will know what its purpose is. This will make troubleshooting much easier in the event of a glitch.

Get the right length

Don’t you just hate it when your cable runs shorter than what you need? As much as going long might be tempting, the excess length isn’t always ideal. Some cables offer better signal when they are the shortest possible length.

So if possible, spare the extra and stick to the length that you actually need. Aside from optimizing the signal, you’re also reducing cable clutter in your office.

Always opt for high-quality cables

Some companies that cut corners in their IT department will usually purchase the cheapest cables in the market. Although you may not notice a physical difference with the expensive versions, its performance will surely reveal the quality.

If possible, use Ethernet cables as these receive better signal than other cables. Also, you should choose the right cable for the specific speed that you need. Sometimes, you’ll end up under-utilizing your resources due to the wrong cables.

Structure your cables

In everything that you do in your IT department, planning is always the key. This will reduce the time you need for cabling while preventing any glitches.

Structured cabling offers better performance, but it could be difficult to deal with if you don’t have an expert on your business. The process will include engineering, installation, and inspection. All of which requires a specific set of skills.

Organize your server rooms

Are you familiar with those dark server rooms where only the IT guy has access to? This is the setup you should avoid. Server rooms should be fully lit, organized, and squeaky clean to ensure that your system is on top shape.

Remember that a big part of your operation depends on this room so you should always maintain it well.

In doubt? Tap the help of an expert

If you don’t have the technical resources to handle the cable installation for your office network, you can always tap the help of professionals.

Final words

Setting up your office network cables is a daunting task. Still, you can plan it out to avoid the cable mess of other businesses. Also, if you don’t have the skills, you can always hire someone else to do it for you.

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Why Outsourcing Your IT Makes Sense

Many small businesses tend to rely on their IT guy as they cut corners on their IT department. As much as they can save a small amount, it would be detrimental for their business in the long run. An IT team with no solid backbone are sitting ducks waiting to be targeted by stealthy hackers. In this case, outsourcing your IT makes perfect sense.

Yes, it may sound expensive at first. However, if you’re about to compute the ongoing costs of maintaining an in-house team and outsourcing, the latter will surprisingly yield lower expenses.

Aside from saving money, the following are some good reasons why outsourcing is the way to go:

IT experts will be maintaining your system

The best thing about outsourcing your IT needs is you’ll get to access a pool of professionals right away. Also, you’re not responsible for training them and acquiring the infrastructure that they need. The IT provider will shoulder all of these. That’s one less headache for you and your pocket.

Most of these IT experts have years of experience, which attests to their expertise. It’s also a guarantee that your system is in good hands.

No headaches with employee turnover

The problem with maintaining and training an IT team is that you’re bound to lose in the end unless you’re willing to increase their compensation.

As you train your IT team, their worth increases. Soon enough, these employees will seek better pay. If your offer isn’t as high as other companies, they will leave to take that opportunity.

This won’t happen if you outsource. Take note that such turnover is faster in small businesses since they only have a small budget for IT operations.

Relaxed management demands

Is your IT department stressing you out too much? If that’s so, it might be time to outsource it instead. You can still retain a small team to handle the on-site needs. But for the rest, you can outsource it. In fact, if you want to skip the hassle of managing an IT team, you can simply transfer the responsibility to a third-party provider.

However, you have to ensure that the provider you trust can deliver your company’s needs.

Accountability

Another great thing about outsourcing your IT is that you can always demand accountability. If a system glitch happened, you could compel the provider to fix it within a specific period. This relationship makes outsourcing more rewarding, especially for businesses with a high risk of threats.

You must ask about the certifications and licenses that the IT provider has. This way, you can guarantee the quality of the service.

Reducing staff overhead

Above all, you can slash staff overhead costs since you no longer have to pay for salaries, additional operating costs, and other miscellaneous expenses. Instead, you can channel your financial resources to high-quality IT services with fewer management needs and responsibilities.

Like other jobs within your business, outsourcing your IT will free you from financial and management burdens while receiving topnotch service.

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What are the Security Threats that Small Businesses Face?

According to Verizon, about 60% of data breach victims are small businesses or those with fewer than 1,000 employees. Contrary to the common notion, hackers are now honing in on small businesses due to their vulnerable nature. They are the low-hanging fruit and easy pickings for hackers.

As SMBs become the target of cyberattacks, you must conduct a proactive approach. The following are some of the security threats that small businesses face:

Data breach

One of the most prevalent cybersecurity issues that small businesses face is data breach. Any weak spot in your system can easily become the entry point of hackers to get a hand of your data.

This breach will compromise your customer’s information, financial information, intellectual property, and other confidential information. If you don’t have a backup, all your files will be lost and you may face legal problems.

Misconfigured security technologies

The problem with extensive security measures is it could be tricky to set up. At some point, it can also become a liability if not implemented within your organization properly.

If you’re planning to reinforce your cybersecurity infrastructure, it’s better that you work with a trusted IT company. This way, your system will be properly set up and you won’t have to worry about maintenance as well.

BYOD problems

Small businesses often implement a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy. This is so they won’t have to shoulder the extra expense of acquiring new devices.

As much beneficial as this is, it also imposes threats to your cybersecurity. Since BYOD devices are unregulated, it can become the entry point of phishing and hacking.

Also, any of your BYOD employees can copy sensitive information leading to a data breach.

Phishing attacks

One of the most notorious threats among small businesses is phishing. It’s one of the avenues hackers use to get into your business. It usually comes in the form of unsuspicious emails, clone websites, and links.

According to experts, about 30% of all phishing attacks are successful. The worst part here is that many small businesses don’t notice this until the hackers make their big move.

DDoS attacks

A DDoS attack may sound like a far-fetched thing for small businesses. However, the tides are shifting, which makes small businesses vulnerable to the same threat.

Unlike phishing, DDoS attacks are much worse. The attack comes from multiple directions that flood your system of malware. Aside from losing sensitive data, most businesses who become victims of DDoS also lose revenue and customers.

Ransomware

Some of the infamous ransomware these days include Wannacry, Locky, Bad Rabbit, and Petya. These malware damage your computer and hold your data hostage until you pay what they demand.

However, even if you get to pay the ransom, there’s no guarantee that your data will remain intact. Also, small businesses that got affected by ransomware stand the chance of closing doors or declaring bankruptcy.

Wrapping up

Even as a small business, cybersecurity is a must. You should be vigilant and proactive to prevent these threats from killing your business.

 

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Security Risks Associated with Shadow IT

Shadow IT refers to both hardware and software within your company that your IT department did not approve. It’s usually a negative term since IT departments don’t even know that the employees are using such products.  Shadow IT also raises security issues within the company due to its unregulated and vulnerable nature.

Why employees resort to shadow IT

Shadow IT is actually the fruit of employees’ effort to combat bottlenecks and augment the backlogs of the company in terms of resources. Typically, employees have the following reasons behind shadow IT:

*It fixes slow processes that delay their work

*Fixing bottlenecks

*Compatibility with their mobile devices (which is usually unregulated by the IT department as well)

Even though most employees rely on shadow IT for positive reasons, it jeopardizes the cybersecurity of their company. In fact, a big chunk of successful cyberattacks were staged with the help of shadow IT.

Risks associated with Shadow IT

Data breach

The leading problem with shadow IT is the increased risk of a data breach. Since these platforms aren’t regulated, the company doesn’t control who accesses their systems and where they do so.

Also, former employees may still retain access to your system, which will allow them to funnel sensitive information in and out of your organization.

Aside from that, credential theft may take place. It will lead to a slew of cyberattacks and breach in various parts of your business.

Cybersecurity vulnerability

Hackers always target the weakest point in your network. They find shadow IT the easiest way to infiltrate your system since the device and platform are not regulated or protected.

The thing with shadow IT is that no one can report the issues unless the user is vigilant enough to see tell-tale signs of attacks. Since no issues are raised, no patches will be issued to fix the problem and reinforce the hardware or software.

Data loss

When it comes to running IT platforms, the main concern is the possible data loss. Shadow IT doesn’t have backups, which means that any files saved or processed in it will not be saved in case of a glitch or an attack.

Also, hackers can use this as a portal to loot your system. Some would even hold the files as ransomware.

Inefficient business process

Sure, shadow IT may speed up the processes within the organization, but a single glitch can turn the tables. Since it’s unregulated, the IT department will have to exert more effort to mitigate the problem. Unlike regulated IT, shadow IT will demand more time and resources to fix.

In some businesses that experience major problems with shadow IT, their system could be down for days.

Removing shadow IT

Education and auditing are two important steps you can take to eliminate shadow IT within your company. However, you should know that this isn’t an overnight task. You need to mobilize your IT department to detect any form of shadow IT and replace it with alternatives that will work better and safer for your company.

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IT Security Services Your Business Needs

No one is invincible when it comes to cyber threats. Even small businesses can be the next target of hacking. Because of this, you have to reinforce your IT to ensure that intruders will have to pass through security layers before getting a hand on your system. For this, you should take note of the following staples for stronger and safer cybersecurity.

Although it may seem financially burdensome to acquire such services, it’s way more affordable than hiring attorneys and paying compensation in the aftermath of a data breach. So before it’s too late, make sure that you have the following services:

Incident response plan

At least once in your business’ operation, it will face a difficult cyber situation. When this happens, you need an incident response plan in place to prevent hackers from getting into your system.

This plan includes simulations of the situations and what could be done to prevent it from blowing up into a massive data breach or hacking.

Security vulnerability assessment

The biggest problem of many businesses is they aren’t aware of the current threats to their cybersecurity. With the help of a security vulnerability assessment from an IT provider, businesses can now have a bigger picture of their infrastructure.

Remember, a hacking incident could be left undiscovered for up to six months. By this time, the hackers have looted your system already.

PKI services

PKI or Public Key Infrastructure is an important service that sets restrictions on who can access your system. Also, it encrypts communication coming in and out of your company.

Moreover, PKI services feature multi-factor authentication as well as access control, among others. All of these secure the integrity of your system. Also, it makes it difficult for hackers to infiltrate your system.

Endpoint protection

Endpoint protection ensures that every single device in your organization is protected at every angle.

The problem with some businesses, especially small ones, is they tend to think that antivirus software products are enough to secure them from top to bottom.

Aside from that, the endpoint security should also include data loss protection, patch management, firewalls, encryption, and more.

Penetration testing

Penetration testing drills help test if your business has enough security layers to withstand an attack. For this, actual hacking and cyberattacks will be simulated. The service provider will then see how it impacts your system and how prepared your team is in addressing such problems.

Also called the ‘pen test’, it aims to figure out weak spots on your system and patch it up before hackers discover it on their own.

Firewall

A solid firewall serves as a secured entry on your organization’s system. It monitors the logs, connection attempts, and suspicious activities 24/7. Firewalls are the core of every cybersecurity plan, together with complementary IT services that boost its benefit.

Continuous staff training

Aside from putting all of these services in place, you also need to train your staff continuously. This way, they will know how to utilize the technologies and spot cyberattacks even before it reaches your system.

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How your Business Benefits from a Cybersecurity Plan

Aside from the physical security of your workplace, cybersecurity is also a crucial priority that your business should invest in. In today’s world,   protecting your work from burglars is no longer enough. One of your biggest enemies now is hackers who will try to infiltrate your system and steal confidential information.

You should have a cybersecurity plan in place to serve as a frontline during the attacks. This way, you won’t be sitting ducks and you can avoid expensive damage to your business.

If you’re wondering how critical cybersecurity is, here are some of the benefits that will clear your mind:

Restricting access

Through a cybersecurity plan, you can grant access only where it’s needed. This will prevent unauthorized access, which is the leading cause of data breaches and hacking.

By doing this, you’re also reducing the risk of data leaks. It’s also added peace of mind that only the right employees will get to peek at sensitive information. Moreover, restricting access also reduces system errors and failures.

Minimizing downtimes during a breach

During a breach, an unsecured system can quickly bog down completely without a cybersecurity plan in place. Worse, small businesses and startups may close due to the massive impact of the breach not just on their finances, but also to the company’s reputation.

With a cybersecurity plan, hackers have to pass through multiple security layers before infiltrating your system. These security layers also detect suspicious activities.

Boosting customer trust

A cybersecurity plan boosts your customers’ confidence in your brand. Since they know that you have a secured platform, they’re more likely to use the product or service that your offer.

Imagine this: about 40% of online shoppers will think twice once they doubt the security of a website. This translates to increased bounce rates and reduced sales.

Keeping your employees safe

Aside from safeguarding the personal information of your customers, a cybersecurity plan also keeps your employees’ data intact. It shields them from unauthorized access to personal information like social security, employment records, health records, and the likes.

In fact, many businesses use cybersecurity as another selling point to their customers. Even more so for those who work in healthcare, insurance, finance, and the likes.

Proactive solution against attacks

Why wait for cyberattacks before securing your system? With a plan in place, you can have a series of steps to follow should a hacker tries to crash through your business’ network.

Also, if ever a massive hacking incident occurred, you’ll have a plan on how to mitigate the situation and how to prevent further losses from downtimes.

Preventing expensive losses

Above all, a cybersecurity plan protects you from expensive losses in the aftermath of the cyberattack. With security measures in place, you can minimize the risk and probability of being hacked.

Take note that this applies not just for large enterprises, but also for small businesses and startups. Nowadays, hackers are targeting low-hanging fruits since they are more vulnerable and easy to grab.

So before a hacking incident leaves your business devastated, having a cybersecurity plan in place will be a great move.

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How to Reduce Management with a Managed Service Provider

If you have a small business, relying on your IT staff alone isn’t always a cost-efficient move. As much as sticking to a small team seems affordable, it can yield more disadvantages in the long run. Also, acquiring and updating your IT infrastructure will cost a lot if you’re shouldering it on your own. Because of this, you’re better off hiring a managed IT service provider.

So how does a managed IT service help you reduce overhead costs and relax management demands? The following are some of the advantages they bring:

A team of cybersecurity of experts

The best thing about managed IT services is you’ll get access to a pool of cybersecurity experts without hiring them as your employees. Instead of overstaffing your IT department and training continuously, you can give the responsibility to the service provider of your choice. This can save significant financial resources.

Constant updates

Another benefit of hiring managed IT services is the advantage of updating your infrastructure without acquiring it on your own. Also, you no longer have to retrain your staff to keep up with the ever-changing world of cybersecurity.

Also, most managed IT services will perform the audit on your system to know what’s missing.

No need to purchase infrastructure on your own

Small businesses don’t always have the budget to upgrade to the newest technologies. If this is the case, hiring managed IT services is the best choice. These providers acquire IT infrastructures and distribute them to their clients. Even better, the provider will be responsible for fixing it right away should any problems arise.

Managing multiple systems without the hassle

For those with multiple IT systems, managing it with an in-house team is very demanding and exhausting. At some point, it will consume time, resources, and manpower, which could be channeled into other aspects of the business.

By hiring a managed IT service, you can let go of these responsibilities while still having full control over your IT infrastructure.

Reduced cybersecurity risk

Managed IT services specialize in cybersecurity measures, so rest assured that your system would have a leveled up protection against threats. Since these service providers are experts, you’ll have the peace of mind that risk will be minimized. A cyber attack prevention plan will also be in place should a hacker get access to your system.

No need for additional IT staff

Within a small business, the IT department usually suffers when the management cuts corners. Without a managed IT service, your cybersecurity will be compromised and your system will be a sitting duck for hackers. At any point, you can become the target of phishing, ransomware, and data breach.

But with a managed IT service, you no longer have to hire more people since they will be taking over the task. That’s more cost-efficient in the long run.

Wrapping up

Managed IT services may sound expensive. But if you calculate the cost to benefit ratio, it’s worth it than maintaining an overstaffed IT team.

 

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How to Overcome Shadow IT

Shadow IT opens the door to cyberattacks, data breach, data loss, and other problems that may hinder the operation of your business. Moreover, about 40% of purchases performed within a company are outside of the IT department based on Gartner research.

When problems due to shadow IT arise, it will force your employees to focus on fixing the issue rather than finishing other important tasks. So aside from cybersecurity risks, the damage shadow IT can bring will have a domino effect on your workforce.

Still, you can find ways to eliminate shadow IT in your organization. Here are some steps you should know:

Start by educating your employees

Shadow IT remains one of the leading issues within the workforce due to the company’s failure to educate its employees. Most employees who resort to this solution are usually oblivious of the harm that it may bring.

Start by informing your employees about the harm that unregulated software and hardware can bring to your workplace. Also, demand that each employee seek approval from the IT department before using any form of technology.

Conduct a software/hardware audit

By auditing your organization’s IT infrastructure, you’ll know what’s there and what needs to be eliminated. In short, check what’s running on your radar.

For this, you should mobilize your IT department to conduct a comprehensive audit of the software and hardware within the company. However, this will be challenging, especially if you’re allowing a BYOD practice.

Once you detected shadow IT, act fast and replace it with better solutions.

Streamline your unit management

Make sure that you streamline your unit management so your employees can easily raise issues about roadblocks on their work. This way, they won’t resort to any shadow IT options whenever they need an urgent solution.

Communicate with your employees

Communication is the key when it comes to combatting shadow IT within your organization. Also, you should reinforce the accessibility of your IT department so employees can easily ask for assistance if they need certain software or hardware.

Moreover, make it a habit to run a compatibility test for the software that will be deployed on your organization.

Provide solutions right away

By acting fast and providing solutions right away, your employees will no longer have to seek alternatives on their own. This is the reason why you should always be open to the IT needs of your employees.

Also, imposing sanctions to those who violate your anti-shadow IT policy is a solid statement to your commitment to a cyber-safe workplace.

Wrapping up

Shadow IT is rampant among workplaces. But as much as it offers an instant and convenient solution, it will start to cause problems in the long run. The key here is to remove any forms of shadow IT through auditing your system and educating your employees.

It may take a long time to eradicate all forms of shadow IT in your company, but it’s still a good start in securing your network against cyber threats.

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How to Maximize Your IT Budget

Let’s face it, not all businesses have a large budget to splurge on their IT team. Some barely have enough to hire the right employees for the job. With this, it’s important that every cent is maximized well and yields excellent results.

 

No matter if you have a bank load of money to spend on IT or not, you should get the most out of it. The following are just some of the guaranteed ways to maximize your budget:

Outsource your IT

This may sound counterintuitive, but sourcing your IT needs will actually save you more money in the long run. Aside from that, you have the guarantee that every dollar you’re spending goes towards quality service from IT experts.

Aside from maximizing your budget, you’re also reducing the management burden on your end. It’s a win-win situation for you and the provider.

Implement a BYOD policy (but be careful)

A Bring-Your-Own-Device policy saves you from the need to purchase computers, hard drives, and other hardware for your IT department. It’s cost-efficient, plus employees are responsible for the maintenance of devices.

However, you should place a clear policy about data breach and cybersecurity. Also, you should have full control over who accesses specific documents. Since you don’t regulate BYODs, anyone can steal information from your business and become a gateway to cyberattacks.

Try cloud-based services

Cloud-based services don’t just make your entire organization connected. It also saves you more money than purchasing a physical IT infrastructure.

Opting for a SaaS (Software as a Service) setup, you no longer have to evaluate the system on your own. Also, patches and fixes will be delivered the soonest as the glitches come up. This translates to fewer tasks and stress on your part.

Remove what isn’t working

One of the most important rules in IT services is you should remove anything or anyone who isn’t working. This way, you can avoid extra expenses that don’t yield any ROI. This may sound brutal, but the reality is that many businesses tend to stick with dysfunctional systems and teams only to realize that they are losing more money in the long run.

Avoid overstaffing your IT department

Here’s one big mistake many businesses make: overstaffing their IT department. As much as you might want to maintain an in-house team, it’s not always sustainable and it’s never cost-efficient. With an in-house team, you’re solely responsible for the training, equipment upgrade, and acquiring new infrastructures as the need arises.

However, if you outsource, you can skip all of the hassle plus the managing it is less demanding.

Avoid purchasing infrastructures from your own pocket

If you’re a small business owner, purchasing IT infrastructures as out-of-pocket expenses isn’t an ideal move. Aside from its high price, you’ll also be tied to upgrading it in the future and providing training for your staff. It becomes an unending and dysfunctional process that gives you the least benefit.

If you’re keen to acquire the latest technologies, it’s best to tap the help of a managed IT services provider. Aside from the expertise, they can offer you everything at a much lower price.

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