What is IT Security?: Why You Need It

We know that most people will find Information technology (IT) security and all of its various aspects confusing.

IT is an overly broad term used to describe the concepts and strategies that organisations use to protect digital information from unauthorised access to files and databases, tampering of data, disclosure of confidential information, disruption of services or destruction/deletion of files. 

IT security protects all of the above areas and their data in storage as well as during transmission across networks. 

When an IT security breach takes place and business or personal data becomes compromised, it can mean significant monetary loss, as well as serious reputational damage. At their worst, such events can expose an enterprise to unexpected costs, legal action or even drive it out of business.

The reality of IT and cybersecurity is not only common sense, in the United Kingdom and the European Union data security is the law. 

IT is a rapidly evolving field, but the one thing that hasn’t changed is the need for IT security. Whether it’s malware, phishing attempts, or even cyber-attacks; these threats are always looking to steal your data and gain unauthorized access to your system.

In this blog post, we’ll discuss what information security is and why you should have it on all of your devices. 

Why is IT Security important? 

As hackers become smarter, the need to protect your systems, staff, digital assets and network devices is all the more important in this day and age.

For a lot of large businesses and SMEs, the price of IT security seems too costly and not worth the hassle. 

IT security can be expensive, but a significant breach costs organisations much more.  

An IT attack can be crippling events for businesses. The average cost of a cybersecurity breach in the UK is over a thousand pounds across all businesses, however, this figure becomes greater as the size of a business increases.  

Statistics

Thirty-seven percent of UK companies have reported a data breach incident to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in the past 12 months. Seventeen percent of them had reported more than one incident.

That might not seem like a big percentage until you hear the other facts.

One small business in the UK is successfully hacked every 19 seconds. Around 65,000 attempts to hack small- to medium-sized businesses occur in the UK every day, around 4,500 of which are successful.  

Don’t just look at the data, On November 24, 2014, a hack took place on Sony Entertainment. The Hackers infiltrated the company’s networks and claimed to have stolen 100 terabytes of data.

They later dumped hundreds of gigabytes of data for the entire world to see.  

The fact is that cyber-attacks are on the rise and businesses must put in the necessary steps to protect themselves.

Our professional team at Jera IT can help you protect your business, team and systems. Fill out a form on this page or start a live chat with a member of our team.  

What is the need for IT security? 

IT security protects your company from malicious threats and potential breaches that can have an enormous impact on the organisation.

It also helps ensure only authorised users get access to sensitive information within an internal network. 

IT security is also important because it protects all categories of data from theft and damage. This includes sensitive data like personal information.

With our personal information being stored by many businesses nowadays it is up to these businesses to protect the data. If they fail to do this (which is their job to do) their could be severe legal repercussions as well as any damage that was actually caused during the attack.

Any personal data information can be used by fraudsters to steal your customer’s identity or even intellectual property such as patents or copyrightable materials including books, music recordings etc. 

All of these several types of confidential material on your network has to be protected.

 However, many businesses such as SMEs cannot defend this data by themselves. Especially against cybercriminals who are constantly seeking new ways to steal this valuable resource away from them! 

 What is a cyber–attack? 

A cyber-attack is a malicious act designed to disrupt the IT system of an organisation or individual, typically in order to steal data.

This could be accomplished by hacking into computer systems and networks from within or without (such as through malware) and either disrupting operations temporarily or stealing confidential information like credit card numbers.

Cyber-attacks can also come in all sorts of forms which we will discuss further down. 

What is the difference between IT Security and Cybersecurity? 

IT security is a process that protects company data from unauthorized access. It can be divided into two categories:

  1. Cybersecurity, which deals with hacking and internet threats.
  2. IT (information technology) security, which includes how the company handles daily processes like backups for their data. 

What are the different IT threats? 

Hackers nowadays are always changing the way they attack people and businesses.

The only way for you to stand a chance against these different attacks is if you understand what they all are and how to prevent them from happening to you.

The wide range of threats can come from different forms, such as malware or malicious software. These are the diverse ways hackers target your network devices and steal all of your data. Attacks come in many different variations, but what are they all?
 

  • Malware

     What does Malware mean?

Malware, also known as malicious software, is a type of virus that can affect your computer.

It can come in many different shapes and sizes- from fake antivirus programs to worms or trojan horses. Malware includes any kind of program with harmful intent. 

How do I stop a Malware attack? 

To stop a malware attack, you must make sure that your computer is completely protected with up-to-date antivirus software.

You can also keep yourself safe from attacks by avoiding suspicious emails and websites, as well as opening attachments in email messages unless they are known to be safe.

It’s important to invest in IT security solutions such as 

  • Spyware 

What does Spyware mean? 

Spyware is a type of malware that aims to gather information about you and send it back to the attacker who then sends it to another entity to harm you.

This can be done in many ways, but one way is by violating privacy or endangering security. 

How do I stop a Spyware attack? 

At times, removing spyware can be troublesome. However, it may be possible to avoid if you follow these precautions: 

  1. Avoid visiting trustworthy websites as they may have a virus that has been hidden on the website to take over your computer and install malware onto it. 
  2. Install anti-virus/anti-malware application to prevent viruses from being downloaded into your device.
  3. Avoid storing password information on your device it could easily be stolen when you are browsing online.
  4. Configuring real-time protection should also be enabled for maximum security while surfing through the cyberspace.
  5. Do not believe in emails that look too good to be true because there could always something fishy about them and clicking links could lead users directly into malicious sites where your personal data is at risk of being compromised. 
  • Viruses 

What is a Virus? 

A virus is a malicious program that can replicate itself from device to device, and it can cause serious harm to your operating system.

A virus would usually have the ability to infiltrate into an operating system without any consent or knowledge of its owner, thereby jeopardizing that particular machine’s safety.

These viruses are also self-propagating which means it can basically clone itself and keep mutating its core virus to beat the defence.  

How do I stop a Virus? 

A virus can be removed from your system by using good antivirus software. Antiviruses are programmed to detect and take care of the viruses before they cause any harm to your machine.

However, if you don’t have the defence in place before the attack then in most cases the virus is impossible to remove.  

  • Phishing 

What is Phishing? 

Phishing is a type of cyber-attack that tricks the victim into giving away their personal information such as credit card details, bank account numbers and passwords.

The phisher usually pretends to be from an entity where your data will be safe in order for you to click on the link they provide or download the attachment which has been disguised with malware. 

How do I stop a Phishing attack? 

There are a number of things you can do to avoid being phished.

First, always remember that banks and other trusted entities will never ask for your password or any other personal information over email; if they need it then they will make sure you’ve sent an official letter through the post or provide you with secure links to access your data.

Secondly, be careful what links you click on as these are often disguised with malware or tricks such as asking you to download software that will steal your data.

Finally, if an email is sent from a company and they ask for any personal information then always double-check the URL from which you’re accessing their website. 

Some phishing emails contain links that redirect you to another site where it’s possible malicious ambush is waiting! 

  • Hackers 

What is a Hacker? 

Hackers are criminals who steal, destroy or corrupt data as well as systems.

The term hacker originally referred to a computer programmer with highly advanced skills, but it is now more often associated with programs that can be used by anyone in order to break into computers and networks. 

How can I stop a hacker? 

The cold hard truth is it is hackers are awfully hard to catch because IT security has been neglected completely in so many industries.

Hackers can be stopped in a number of ways: you can change your passwords regularly, install firewalls on all devices and never open attachments from unknown emails.  

There are also many antivirus software products to protect against malware that could harm your system. 

  • Password Attack 

What is a Password Attack? 

A password attack is when a hacker tries to break into your account with the use of brute force or by guessing your credentials.

It could also involve tricking you into giving them some sensitive information like social security numbers, tax documents and passwords so they can steal from you using these types of attacks. 

How can I stop a Password Attack? 

A password attack can be stopped by changing passwords regularly, making sure your passwords are strong enough, so they aren’t easy to crack, installing firewalls on all devices and never opening attachments from unknown emails.

Remember never to store your passwords in unsecured folders or writing them down in a book. Hackers are also everyday people, and they might try and steal the passwords you have stored in your diary.

There are also many antivirus software products to protect against malware that could harm your system. 

Do I need IT Security? 

Every company needs IT security, and the investment is minimal compared to what you’ll lose if your data gets compromised.

It’s important for companies of any size, from big multinationals down to small businesses, to have IT security as they all risk losing sensitive information such as customer details or intellectual property.

Cybercriminals are always looking out for opportunities.

How do I benefit from IT Security? 

You can benefit from IT security because it protects your data such as the numbers of your credit cards, tax documents and passwords so they can’t be stolen by hackers.

IT security is vital to keeping your company’s data safe and detecting external threats to your organisation so that measures can be put in place to stop them from attacking your business and systems.

Why you need IT Security?

Going straight to the point every business needs some sort of IT security.

Of course, it doesn’t need to be a Fort Knox level of defence but, some basic level of protection is needed for every business no matter the size.  

This is because there are always external threats that can harm your company and data.

These can come from people or an outside organisation trying to steal your information, they can take down the system you rely on for business and cause absolute chaos. 

IT security will protect all these things, so they don’t happen to you. 

What can we do to help? 

Here at Jera, our aim is to make IT security as protective and as efficient as possible, ensuring that your business enjoys maximum protection for an affordable price.

We can provide you and your business with the following services: 

  • Network security solutions including cybersecurity strategy, data security and penetration testing. 
  • Firewall and content filtering solutions. 
  • Spam protection and cloud security. 
  • IT security and cybersecurity awareness training. 
  • Free IT phishing security test. 

Doesn’t every IT company do that? 

Unlike other Glasgow & Edinburgh IT security companies, we focus on the business structure, systems and security measures that need to be in place to enable growth.

Having your organisation’s systems and networks in check means that your staff can make the most of technology and use it to maximise their impact on your business.

As such our IT security service is: 

  • Flexible  
  • Knowledgeable 
  • Ready to secure your future growth with reliable guaranteed IT security 

Our IT Security Guarantee 

We are confident of our ability to deliver, so confident that we guarantee that your business will run better, or you get your money back.

For us, a business IT system that is running well is evidenced through fewer service tickets and reduced downtime. 

Still not sure? Then our guarantees will give you peace of mind: 

  • 90 Day walk away option during the on‐boarding period. 
  • 90 Day refund of all IT care charges during the on‐boarding period. 
  • We’ll pay for the first month of your IT support with an alternative provider of your choice. 

What is the best IT Security for me? 

At the end of the day, only you can decide what is right for your business.

Whatever your requirements, it’s worth getting in touch to see how outsourced IT security can help protect you and your team so you can grow a healthy profitable business.

If this sounds like something you will be interested in, schedule a call with a member of our team or fill out a form on our website. Speak soon.