Organizations depend on a digital workplace for success.
A business operation relies heavily on IT to function seamlessly, which demands an IT security strategy that will support a secure network.
Unfortunately, few cybersecurity strategies address the generation gap that creates a disconnect between the technology used in the workspace and the existing security protocols.
When employee buy-in is essential to the success of any cybersecurity strategy, you need to address the concerns of different generations.
Different generations have different priorities
When analyzing Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millennials, studies have shown that each of these groups has a different perception of how cybersecurity should be prioritized.
It’s no surprise that the younger generations are more willing to take risks, particularly when it comes to the ease of conducting work remotely.
n contrast, Boomers are much less willing to share information.
There is never a blanket approach to cybersecurity for any organization, but finding the right fit starts with understanding your employees.
Consider why employees are ignoring best practices
Think about why your employees are circumventing security best practices.
Many organizations make the mistake of implementing a cybersecurity strategy that accounts only for worst-case scenarios, resulting in measures that are too invasive and ultimately halt productivity.
Limiting access to certain programs seems like a good idea in theory, but the only thing you achieve is the ability to frustrate your employees.
There must be an approach that protects the best interests of your company yet still enables your employees to do their jobs.
Apply contextual access management for remote work
Technology is driving the remote workspace, and Millennials and Gen Xers expect this perk, even in smaller companies.
SaaS applications are becoming more common for managing out-of-network access requests, thereby providing safe platforms for work to be conducted with fewer barriers.
Multi-factor authentication has also been proven to improve security.
Monitor activity to ensure use of best practices
Monitoring the end-to-end use of individual access is not a Big Brother approach.
It can be hard to navigate the generation gaps and understand where mistakes are being made, which is where data analytics can be incredibly useful.
Management can identify usage patterns and risky behaviours of employees, establishing the need for additional training in the prevention of cyber attacks.
This visibility benefits the entire organization so that you can understand what best practices are being shirked and why.
Regardless of generation, maintaining a positive user experience within the workspace is crucial.
Your security infrastructure shouldn’t inhibit any of your employees, and there are benefits to managing different expectations.
Technology is not going to slow down, and it is unlikely that you will ever have an entire workforce on the same page.
By adapting to the needs of your employees, you’re creating a cybersecurity strategy that is moulded around the details of your unique infrastructure.
The ITeam understands the cybersecurity issues facing Canada businesses. We are committed to helping Calgary- and Alberta-based businesses develop proactive, cost-effective IT strategies that minimize risk and maximize efficiency. Contact us to learn more.
Without IT Security, Digital Transformation is a Waste of Time
/0 Comments/in Cloud Security, Cybersecurity, Mobile Device Management, Small Business IT /by James WagnerOrganizations are adapting technology but leaving IT security behind.
The cloud, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and mobility are all driving business initiatives. Many organizations consider these adaptations priorities for remaining competitive. Unfortunately, every technological innovation reveals a new vulnerability that can be exploited by hackers. It takes more than patchwork protection to effectively secure your changing infrastructure, and as your network expands, so does the attack surface.
Everything is connected.
Hackers only need to gain access to one of your perimeters to reach the depths of your network. Improving visibility can mitigate risk, but sophisticated attacks are becoming harder to see. Continuous monitoring and diligent maintenance are required to protect your data. Organizations are now expected to offer all consumers better risk management, heightened privacy protections, and acknowledgment of fault if a data breach occurs. If businesses fail to meet compliance guidelines, they could face severe fines from governing bodies and an overall loss of business from a disappointed consumer base.
IT Security first.
Although businesses are eager to implement new tools that improve their processes, attract new customers, and retain loyal customers, that same technology will be their downfall if security isn’t a priority. Organizations must act immediately to mitigate risk and prevent data breaches, and with every technology innovation adopted, a comprehensive cybersecurity solution that protects you should also be implemented and updated. To do otherwise leaves your organization vulnerable to attack and financial ruin.
IT managed services can help immensely in securing all end-points, ensuring compliance, monitoring for data breaches, and other challenges related to a digital transformation. If cybersecurity is not a part of the conversation as you innovate and update, you’re wasting your resources.
As a top-rated IT security firm in Canada, we are committed to helping Calgary- and Alberta-based businesses develop proactive, cost-effective IT strategies that minimize risk, maximize efficiency, and build trust with Canadian citizens. Contact us to learn more.
The ITeam Named One of Canada’s 50 Best Managed IT Companies
/1 Comment/in News /by James WagnerCalgary-based managed services company, The ITeam, named one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed IT Companies
Top 50 Best Managed IT Companies in Canada is an award of excellence to recognize 50 Value Added Resellers (VARs) or Managed Service Providers (MSPs) in Canada. Of the over 1500 Canadian IT companies that qualified, only 50 were ultimately selected to receive the award.
What It Means to Be One of the 50 Best Managed IT Companies
“The ITeam is honored to be recognized with this prestigious award. I am proud of my entire team for their hard work and contribution to this.” – James Wagner, President of The ITeam Ltd.
This award is based on an analysis of over 200 data points covering 12 different business categories such as sales process, marketing, operations, financial and leadership. The award also takes into consideration an analysis of several public areas, such as the strength of our digital presence including our website, social media, search engine results and marketing campaigns as well as other activities such as charity, community work, customer testimonials and other achievements. Eight judges review and audit each company.
Julian Lee, CEO and President of the North American technology channel marketing and communications specialists TechnoPlanet, launched the 50 Best Managed IT Companies Awards program to recognize the VARs, MSPs and ITSPs who truly operate their businesses effectively. “The primary goal is simply to help all VARs, MSPs, ITSPs, MSSPs and ISVs to benchmark their best business practices and hopefully improve. Our big mission is to help the entire channel to become bigger, better, stronger and smarter so it may remain vibrant, well into the future.” – Julian Lee, CEO of Technoplanet.
ABOUT TECHNOPLANET & THE 50 BEST MANAGED SERVICE COMPANIES AWARD
TechnoPlanet is an international channel marketing and communications company that specializes in the technology industry. Since 1993, TechnoPlanet has been developing best-practice channel solutions that help technology manufacturers develop and manage their channel partners.
Over 1,800 nominees from 4 countries worldwide were evaluated in their business practices including Business Vision & Strategy, Operations Processes, Financial Management, Leadership & Management, Sales & Marketing Processes, and Customer Satisfaction. Winners were selected based on a rigorous review of the best practices that are used to run their business.
Award winners are amongst the best-of-the-best in the IT Channel in their country when it comes to running their businesses. They have the best business leaders in the IT industry, are poised to have sustainable success in the future, offer superior customer service, and attract and retain the top talent in the IT industry.
Canadians Are Concerned About Cybersecurity
/0 Comments/in Cybersecurity /by James WagnerCybersecurity is a major global concern as technology improves connectedness, furthering opportunities for both digital growth and malicious attacks. New research shows that most Canadians see cybercrime as a threat to the overall country, and they aren’t wrong. However, despite the fact that Canadians are concerned about cyberscurity and view cybercrime as an internal threat greater than other global challenges, such as terrorism and human trafficking, few people trust that the people who have access to their data are doing everything they can to mitigate risk.
The public wants to trust technology.
As technology becomes an integral part of our lives, there is growing concern that protection against cyber criminals is not what it should be. There are data breaches virtually every day, with businesses frequently coming forward to admit that private data has been lost. This impacts millions within the country, exposing citizens to risk of identity theft, damaging the economy, and confirming that cybersecurity is more important than ever. The trust erosion is significant.
Who is responsible for preventing cybercrime?
Should cybersecurity be a government-mandated industry? Legislation like GDPR holds businesses more accountable when in possession of private data and offers citizens more rights in regard to their private information. In Alberta, medical and dental practices are required to comply with the Health Information Act and submit a Privacy Impact Assessment. However, in many ways, cybersecurity is treated as an isolated risk, as if a data breach on a single device is not capable of affecting overall society. Unfortunately, that is not the case. A single click by one employee could crash an organization’s entire infrastructure, or one home device could grant access to financial networks. Cybersecurity is a societal concern and Canadians are noticing.
Why is cybersecurity important to individual citizens?
A strong cybersecurity strategy prevents more than financial loss for small-, medium-, and large-sized businesses. Once privacy and trust are lost, they are difficult, if not impossible, to regain. Identity theft could damage an individual’s life permanently, and family-owned businesses could face bankruptcy in the event of a data breach. By impressing the importance of cybersecurity upon individual citizens, the risk of cybercrime can be reduced across the board. By adopting best cybersecurity practices in personal and professional realms, prevention simply becomes a way of life. Like buckling up before you put your car in drive, the government can establish cybersecurity programs that promote good habits that will mitigate risk.
Cybersecurity is essential to the entire country.
Managed service providers can assist businesses in establishing the best strategy for their needs, and individuals can be more mindful of how they use technology. The role that authorities will play has yet to be determined, because cybercrime is continuously evolving. Eventually, legislation will have to be implemented to help both businesses and individuals protect their private information, and everyone will need to be mindful of how technology advances.
The ITeam understands the cybersecurity issues facing Canada businesses. We are committed to helping Calgary- and Alberta-based businesses develop proactive, cost-effective IT strategies that minimize risk, maximize efficiency, and build trust with Canadian citizens. Contact us to learn more.
This Is Killing Your Cybersecurity Strategy
/0 Comments/in Business Continuity, Cybersecurity /by James WagnerCulture is more important to your cybersecurity strategy than you realize.
In organizations where transparency is minimal and employee training is infrequent, you likely have many people who are ready to pass the buck if something goes wrong.
They want convenience when performing their job duties, and without the proper information, cybersecurity becomes the concern of the IT department.
“It’s not my responsibility” is killing your cybersecurity strategy.
So what can you do to make sure everyone in your organization is carrying the responsibility of securing your networks?
What do you do if you don’t have an IT department?
Employees are your biggest security risk
Your employees probably have little or nothing to do with the decision-making in your cybersecurity strategy. Outside of your IT department, there may have been no brainstorming forums about the best types of firewalls or which multi-authentication strategy to implement. Employees simply use the products that have been passed down the management chain. Without a culture of cybersecurity, then, there is no guarantee they will use the products as intended. How will they know what a phishing scam looks like? It only takes a single click for malware to infiltrate your entire IT infrastructure.
Educate end users to be your first line of defence
You have to end a threat before it begins by mitigating human error. This starts by instilling responsibility in every employee and making sure they know that the designated IT person or team can’t handle it all. Cybersecurity is a group effort, and if you want to defend against hackers, everyone must be on board. This is what makes culture so important because an employee that cares about the organization will be invested in protecting it.
Don’t become complacent
Even the most seasoned professional can make mistakes. Regular training and practice are essential, with frequent reminders and updates on new information. Opt for more than the boring PowerPoint presentation and apply gamification strategies or real-time tests. Format your own phishing email and see how many clicks on it; you might be surprised at how many top executives your trap catches. Your organization can’t afford to be complacent when hackers are constantly attempting to access your private data.
Cybersecurity is everyone’s responsibility because it can quickly become everyone’s problem. The end users may not play a role in establishing a cybersecurity policy, but they are the first to enforce it. Your organization must create a culture that recognizes the importance of cybersecurity and that also encourages employee buy-in. It must come from the top-down because if you don’t care about cybersecurity, your employees won’t either.
The ITeam understands the cybersecurity issues facing Canada businesses. We are committed to helping Calgary- and Alberta-based businesses develop proactive, cost-effective IT strategies that minimize risk and maximize efficiency. Contact us to learn more.
How To Manage Security Generation Gap in The Workplace
/0 Comments/in Cybersecurity, Managed IT /by James WagnerOrganizations depend on a digital workplace for success.
A business operation relies heavily on IT to function seamlessly, which demands an IT security strategy that will support a secure network.
Unfortunately, few cybersecurity strategies address the generation gap that creates a disconnect between the technology used in the workspace and the existing security protocols.
When employee buy-in is essential to the success of any cybersecurity strategy, you need to address the concerns of different generations.
Different generations have different priorities
When analyzing Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millennials, studies have shown that each of these groups has a different perception of how cybersecurity should be prioritized.
It’s no surprise that the younger generations are more willing to take risks, particularly when it comes to the ease of conducting work remotely.
n contrast, Boomers are much less willing to share information.
There is never a blanket approach to cybersecurity for any organization, but finding the right fit starts with understanding your employees.
Consider why employees are ignoring best practices
Think about why your employees are circumventing security best practices.
Many organizations make the mistake of implementing a cybersecurity strategy that accounts only for worst-case scenarios, resulting in measures that are too invasive and ultimately halt productivity.
Limiting access to certain programs seems like a good idea in theory, but the only thing you achieve is the ability to frustrate your employees.
There must be an approach that protects the best interests of your company yet still enables your employees to do their jobs.
Apply contextual access management for remote work
Technology is driving the remote workspace, and Millennials and Gen Xers expect this perk, even in smaller companies.
SaaS applications are becoming more common for managing out-of-network access requests, thereby providing safe platforms for work to be conducted with fewer barriers.
Multi-factor authentication has also been proven to improve security.
Monitor activity to ensure use of best practices
Monitoring the end-to-end use of individual access is not a Big Brother approach.
It can be hard to navigate the generation gaps and understand where mistakes are being made, which is where data analytics can be incredibly useful.
Management can identify usage patterns and risky behaviours of employees, establishing the need for additional training in the prevention of cyber attacks.
This visibility benefits the entire organization so that you can understand what best practices are being shirked and why.
Regardless of generation, maintaining a positive user experience within the workspace is crucial.
Your security infrastructure shouldn’t inhibit any of your employees, and there are benefits to managing different expectations.
Technology is not going to slow down, and it is unlikely that you will ever have an entire workforce on the same page.
By adapting to the needs of your employees, you’re creating a cybersecurity strategy that is moulded around the details of your unique infrastructure.
The ITeam understands the cybersecurity issues facing Canada businesses. We are committed to helping Calgary- and Alberta-based businesses develop proactive, cost-effective IT strategies that minimize risk and maximize efficiency. Contact us to learn more.