Cybersecurity Attacks
With cybersecurity compliance requirements affecting all industries, as a business owner, there are some important things you need to know to meet or prepare for your industry standards. In the meantime, cyberattacks continue to increase, right along with hackers’ skills. Attacks on businesses are becoming more sophisticated by the minute. For perspective, 44 cyber-attacks happen every second.
SMB Stats
71% of small businesses have experienced at least one cyberattack and 66% have experienced one within the past year. In addition, 69% of the SMBs reported the attack evaded intrusion security measures, with 82% reporting that it evaded their antivirus software.
Cybersecurity Compliance
Though you may have integrated many of your systems to the Cloud, you can’t rely solely on the systems in place with those solution providers; you still need to implement your own cybersecurity compliance policies, with the help of an IT team like you can find at Blue Oak Technology Solutions. We can assist with policies for cybersecurity compliance or security questionnaires for you, along with providing customizable monthly managed services. We will collaborate with you to perform testing and vulnerability assessments periodically, aiming to prevent data breaches before they ever have a chance to reach your business.
Data Collecting and Cyber Criminals
All organizations have private and sensitive data, regardless of the type of company. This sensitive information is the target of almost any cyber attack, on most any business, since it can be used as very effective leverage to demand a ransom by cybercriminals. A cybercriminal collects data from businesses such as personally identifiable information of customers.
This is done typically through cleverly disguised, innocuous-looking links that contain malware. Be sure your employees are trained to be on the lookout for these dangers. Creating a strong security posture and keeping sensitive and financial information safe from the start keeps cybersecurity risks at a minimum and helps you stay compliant.
NERC / BES / CIP
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), overseen by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, is a federal government agency that oversees users, owners, and operators of the Bulk Electric System (BES), who owns and regulates the power grid we use in the United States. NERC CIP (Critical Infrastructure Protection) is the current set of standards that govern the BES in protecting us from cyber threats.
NERC’s Responsibilities
NERC develops and enforces reliability standards for business owners, operators, and users of the Internet and power grid usage. NERC is responsible for business audits, where they check for preparedness, education, and training personnel from different industries. They develop the policies and regulations for the Internet that are being integrated and used to determine cybersecurity compliance today.
Other Cybersecurity Compliance Requirements
Meeting regulatory compliance standards is different, depending on the industry group you’re in. For businesses who accept point-of-sale payments, PCI DSS, or payment card industry data security standards, apply. Organizations who do business with customers in the European economic area of the European Nation must follow the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) standards. Organizations that do business in California must follow the California Consumer Privacy Act. The Department of Justice follows safe cybersecurity protocols for all controlled unclassified information.
Financial Institutions
Financial organizations in particular are held to higher cybersecurity compliance standards because they have a tremendous amount of customer data. Customers trust these institutions to keep their information safe. More and more banks and other financiers are adapting policies for cybersecurity that they in turn require others to use in order to do business with them. Why not get a jump on your competitors and prepare now, to form that relationship in advance?
Cybersecurity Questionnaire
At Blue Oak Technology Solutions, we frequently receive requests for many kansas city it needs assistance in filling out cybersecurity questionnaires. Businesses are becoming interested in enacting policies that help them to meet cybersecurity compliance requirements, either to meet their insurance policy standards or to satisfy the requirements of a business or banking partner. We can help businesses regularly test their cybersecurity framework and develop good policies for compliance.
Blue Oak Technology Solutions
At Blue Oak Tech, we understand small business IT challenges, which is why we exist! We offer off-site IT support and a variety of services that help small businesses succeed. If you own a small business and you’re experiencing some technical issues, contact Blue Oak Technology Solutions. Monthly managed services customized for you – get everything you need – and nothing you don’t, at a reasonable monthly fee. We can help you develop a cybersecurity compliance program to meet compliance requirements today, for tomorrow’s successful ventures!
We are a close team of IT security professionals and when you choose us as your managed services provider, you’ll have continuous monitoring of your system to help stop cyber threats in their tracks. We take a risk-based approach, so let’s work together to get you properly protected and maintain compliance for your industry.
Read our other article on Microsoft Office 2021: What to Expect and Should I Update?
