Understanding IT security planning (long term)

Concerning upgraded security recommendations and features, we wanted to provide further explanation for our customers. Our goal is to help our customers understand what is important, why it is needed, time-based sensitivity, and how to secure their IT operations the most effective way possible. We hope this article helps explain our goals for your company and start an open discussion concerning these important updates and upgrades.

We have reached a critical point in the IT industry, security breaches are in the news almost every day now. Hacking, ransomware, security breaches, SSN and CC numbers stolen all seem to happen consistently.

Our company’s first responsibility to every customer is to PROTECT DATA – no questions asked. While we highly suggest each customer follow our recommendations and implement new security measures, your company will always have the final say concerning IT setup and infrastructure. We truly believe that companies that are not protected will lose time, data, and possibly customers at some point in the future due to identity theft, credit card theft, or hacking. We are now seeing companies being blacklisted as sending SPAM, struggling to get verification from online payment companies to accept credit cards, having employees leave with critical data, difficulty achieving PCI compliance for online payments, etc.

Most of the changes we are recommending affect your company’s online reputation as seen from the major IT industry’s companies (Google, Microsoft, Bitdefender, etc.) For example, Google has a 16-page step-by-step security checklist just for Google Business Email. Microsoft also has stated security practices for Office 365. The documented steps will not only provide additional security for the users – it clearly shows the IT industry that your company has taken steps to protect everyone from spam, viruses, fraud, phishing, etc. Even though they may be difficult to understand, things like DKIM (Domain Keys Identified Email) and SPF (Sender Policy Framework) are the keys to proving to everyone we are who we say we are. These security features are the driver’s license, SSNs, TSA checkpoint verification, birth certificate, etc. in the online world that says we are legitimate businesses providing trustworthy goods and services.

While they can be frustrating, inconvenient, and concerning for everyone’s IT budget requirements, security policies are necessary and should be enforced as if your business depended on them. A security breach or failure in your business email, credit card processing, or your website can have very serious consequences for your business reputation and the company’s bottom line.