IT & Cyber Security – The Other Utility
Over the past few decades, the Internet has fundamentally transformed our global society, economy, and critical business infrastructure. This digital revolution, often called the "cyber civilisation," has transformed how we communicate, conduct business, and access information. The speed and scale of this transition have made business IT infrastructure and the Internet indispensable tools that businesses require every day to even operate.
Business Utilities
To be able to operate effectively businesses require a range of resources like buildings (even if it is a home office), equipment, inventory, utilities, and infrastructure.
For infrastructure, this includes (but is not limited to) IT hardware and software, licensing, internet services, Wi-Fi/Networking, Cyber Security and much more, all of which are necessary for smooth operations.
What do you consider to be a business utility?
Like flicking on a light or turning a tap, we firmly believe that both your IT and Cyber Security are a fundamental business utility.
Decision makers do not question the necessity of electricity or water as they're essential for operations. Similarly, the computers you use, your networking & wi-fi, internet, tablets & phones, and especially your cyber defences are critical to your business operation. Could your business operate without them?
Cyber Security
Data breaches and cyber attacks can disrupt operations and incur massive costs to your business. Over the past 5 years, cyber attacks and data breaches have cost businesses in the UK an estimated £44bn, with medium businesses facing an average cost of around £10,830.
Cyber Security to defend against these increasing threats isn't just an optional expense; it's a non-negotiable infrastructural component. Treat it like the vital utility it is!
Many small to medium-sized businesses are at risk for cyber attacks that can cause damage in many ways, including:
- Data Theft
- Identity Theft
- System Downtime
- Reputational Damage
- Proprietary Information Theft
- Hardware/Software Repair
- Financial Loss
- Legal/Regulatory Fines
- Contract Loss
- MUCH more.
Cyber attacks can become very costly for a business when you start to factor in things like ransom costs, business downtime (which averages 21 days), and system restoration.
What would happen if you were without your IT systems for a day?
Cyber security and IT are two sides of the same coin. A strong IT framework demands comprehensive security, and cyber security relies on a well-functioning IT system.
Businesses rely on using a wide range of IT systems every day. This includes tools like ERP and CRM for operations, file storage, word processing, design, and much more, as well as email and collaboration platforms for communication.
Did you know, per the data site Statista, from 2020 to mid-2022, the average amount of downtime following a ransomware attack was 24 days? Since then, a UK government survey conducted in 2022-23 found that 88% of businesses and 84% of charities had been able to restore their operations within 24 hours of their most devastating cyber breach or attack. This has since dropped to 21 days with modern cyber efforts. Even then, many businesses experience lasting effects for up to a year (or more) following a successful attack, causing even more harm.
Crucially, file storage, data management, and databases are now more often than not, driven by cloud-hosted solutions such as Microsoft Azure. This allows businesses to scale effectively.
Our cyber security services protect all these vital assets.
Our Solution to Cyber Issues
Cyber security system bottlenecks are preventable through affected system identification, server decryption (when necessary) and outdated application removal. This also includes consistent cyber hygiene methods such as unnecessary connection blocking, unused account disabling, and clean backup maintenance.
To some extent, the recovery term depends on the amount of rebuilding, or new system construction, that an organisation does following a cyber attack.
IT Budget Considerations
For many small to medium-sized businesses, IT and cyber security budgets are not considered a priority spend, leading to a lack of regular audits, often running much older hardware, and thus increased security risks.
Many industries are operating outdated operating systems, with approximately 50% of all UK PC owners still using Windows 10, which will reach its End Of Life in October 2025, leaving users at risk of potential cyber attacks, zero-day vulnerabilities, and performance issues. Microsoft has additionally stated that their Microsoft 365/Office Apps will also no longer be supported past this date for users still running Windows 10.
Businesses rely on various IT solutions to manage their core processes. For example, downtime and outages in these areas and more can cause serious issues:
Order Processing:
- Order management systems.
- Warehouse management systems.
- Communication systems.
Accounting:
- Accounting software.
- Tax preparation software.
- Financial dashboards.
How secure and reliable is your digital ecosystem?
With 12.3 billion active IoT (Internet of Things) device endpoints in the world today, the nature and volume of cyber attacks are growing. Additionally, effectively managing all of the endpoints (Laptops, Desktops, Mobiles, Tablets, and anything connected to a network) within your business infrastructure can be a daunting task.
Wi-Fi and Network infrastructure are essential for connectivity between your business devices, the last thing you want is to sit yourself down at a desk in the corner of the office, or in your board room, and find yourself unable to connect to the company Wi-Fi network.
Similarly, reliable and redundant file storage solutions are crucial to a business's ability to work effectively. With the increase in remote and hybrid working over the last 5+ years, ensuring that all of your employees, no matter where they are or what devices they connect through, can access the files, folders and data needed to work effectively is essential.
Beyond this, tools such as MDM and SASE can help manage all your business endpoints and keep your business network secure. EDR/MDR, Ringfencing, MFA, Active Email threat Protection and others can keep your endpoints and your users secure. Whilst PoLP, PIM & PAM optimise operations, ensuring your users have only access to what they need to work effectively, whilst securing data from potential misuse, whether intentional or accidental.
"Connectivity is already a utility".
We can hear you saying that “connectivity is already a utility”, and you are right to say so. However, business-class connectivity has evolved a lot. Internet from your typical home ISP (Internet Service Provider) is no longer suitable for many business operations, leaving many businesses with extended downtime and long SLA (Service Level Agreement) times. We work with you to ensure that you have the right connectivity solutions that fit your business needs.
Need connectivity 24/7/365? We work with you to be able to implement comprehensive redundancy solutions with secondary data lines from other providers, 4G/5G failover, and Satellite connectivity, ensuring that your businesses are connected when they need to be.
Do you wish your IT served you better?
Throughout 2024, we averaged a CSAT score of 98.3%, more than 20% higher than the average of 78% for the IT Support and SaaS industry. We have also achieved a 97% client retention rate over 3 years, compared to an industry average of 90%-93% year-on-year.
For businesses still using older devices and operating systems, keep an eye out for articles coming soon on the importance of Technology Alignment and Digital Transformation and how it can drive your business forward.
We’re here to support your business.
Schedule a call to talk about our cyber security services.