Last week, a colleague at a convention relayed to me an account of a company in Melbourne who hired a consultant to perform a cyber security audit. The company was concerned about their network security and wanted to make sure they were protected from every angle. While news cycles report lists of companies every month that have been breached, their goal was to avoid being included in a future news report – or becoming an easy target.
The company looking for help had an internal IT department, just a handful of team members, but the senior management was concerned the IT staff wasn’t able to keep up with the latest technology. The IT department was maxed out on time and resources to keep pace with demand, leaving nearly zero time for continuing education, research or training. It’s a scary feeling to wonder what could happen, and when the executives began wondering about worst-case scenarios, the next step became obvious for them: the company needed help. It’s a common concern: how best to shield your team’s activity, safeguard your network, and protect your company’s future. Smart, right?
As it was presented to me, the company’s decision to bring in a cybersecurity consultant seemed the next logical step. Cybersecurity is critical to every company’s operations, and putting cybersecurity at the top of a priority list is smart. What I was most curious about was the process, and more importantly, the results.
Critical Thinking
I was fascinated by this situation – but perhaps because I’ve heard so many iterations of these same circumstances, including from clients we’ve serviced. When it comes to cybersecurity, every step is critical and nothing should be left out.
- What is the cybersecurity audit process?
- What elements are included in the review?
- How detailed is the report of results?
- To what degree are the results shared with the staff, including outside of IT?
- Is there follow-up or training? What does this focus on?
What the consultant, in this case, delivered sounded a lot like ethical hacking.
- Ethical hackers are IT professionals with advanced technological skills that use penetration testing techniques to determine weaknesses and cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and ultimately fix them to strengthen a network. The goal is to create an impenetrable environment by beating a cybercriminal – a hacker – at his/her own game. Many hackers that have been prosecuted, convicted, and released as a reformed member of society have found lucrative careers as cybersecurity consultants – ethical hackers.
In the case of this story, the results were mixed at best, because the consultant was performing an audit, and probably didn’t fully comprehend the intricacies of the company’s IT systems or network. I’m sure the advice was accurate, but the best way to get a clear picture is to work with an organization that knows your system inside and out because a one-time ethical hack provides little for long-term cybersecurity.
The Future of Cyber Security and You
Long-term goals are exactly what you need. A one-time solution will help an organization find weaknesses – today – but those weaknesses and the resulting fix(es) are only good for now. Next month, or next week, there will be new issues that need to be addressed, and the network may become vulnerable again. Vulnerabilities don’t always mean a system is ripe to be hacked; if staff aren’t aware of current technology best practices, a simple accidental email click can result in malware or a virus.
The better solution is to work with an IT consultant who works as a Virtual Chief Information Officer (vCIO), to form a long-term strategic plan with a holistic approach to technology.
- What is a vCIO? Hiring an IT consultant to act as a vCIO ensures an expert-level of technology knowledge and service deliverable to support computer systems and needs.
What areas should a vCIO focus on? Cybersecurity companies in Melbourne should focus on any areas of your business that are directly related to your IT systems, or are impacted by IT, like:
- E-commerce
- Strategic Growth
- Network Administration
- Network Security
- Email Security
- Hardware Support
- Help Desk Support
We always say the right IT advice makes the difference! Growing a business takes focus, and your focus needs to be on your business. Partnering with Invotec gives you the time and resources for your focus to remain where it should. The team of cybersecurity experts at Invotec is proud of our track record and follows through on our promises.
Invotec performs a full assessment of your network, your overall security, and your team. We look at every component in the list above and make sure we have a thorough understanding of every aspect of your business. If one area of business is left unprotected, it’s the same as leaving the entire businesses vulnerable – and that won’t happen with Invotec.
Contact Invotec today to see how you can benefit from a full risk assessment – and partner with the top cybersecurity company in Melbourne – to get the latest in technology news and information.
