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Cybersecurity helps keep your business running smoothly, but it can also eat into your time and effort if it isn’t tailored to your organisation’s needs
As technology evolves and businesses continue to rely more and more on data, cybersecurity has become one of the biggest priorities for organisations across all industries and sectors. Famous names like British Airways and WhatsApp have fallen victim to data breaches in recent years and this has only served to highlight just how necessary effective information security measures are for protecting your assets.
However, implementing effective measures requires time and effort. It can involve a rigorous and diligent approach that demands patience, rather than the “act first, ask questions later” approach that might seem more appealing for ambitious and fast-growing organisations. An example of this can be seen in the report compiled by Dell back in 2015, which found that nine out of 10 employees complained that company security policies were limiting their personal productivity.
So, how do you master the tricky balancing act between productivity and security; protecting your data without slowing your progress?
In the six years that have passed since this report, the stakes have undoubtedly increased for most organisations. Our reliance on technology has reached an all-time high and the volume of data held by even SMEs and sole traders is much greater than at any time in the past.
The COVID-19 pandemic saw countless businesses forced to adjust to remote working and digital communication. Because the hybridised workplace goes beyond the perimeters of the corporate network, it has undoubtedly served to make many companies more vulnerable to a cyberattack and less adept at protecting data. Quite simply the threat surface area has increased and the vulnerabilities have soared.
The simple solution to this is the implementation of more robust systems, solutions and best practice among team members – typified by adherence to the framework set out in ISO 27001. However, these measures and controls can often come with push back from team members who find that strict remote working security practices can hinder productivity, with staff experiencing issues accessing necessary data and information, or restrictions making it difficult to print or view protected documents. The number of people citing these kinds of issues has doubled in the year up to February 2021, according to Deloitte.
But the solution to this is not to abandon cybersecurity measures or reduce the layers of defence. Instead, businesses should be seeking better ways to apply cybersecurity techniques and principles. Companies of all sizes need to invest in education, capacity and resourcing when it comes to information security, in order to make the most of it. This can, of course, be done by recruiting the help of experts such as ISO 27001 consultants who are able to guide organisations towards greater resilience.
When implemented well, security measures can actually boost productivity. Achieving best practice within your organisation can be complex, but one of the central roles of cybersecurity is to keep your business up and running no matter what.
There is nothing more damaging to the productivity of your business than a massive systems outage or a loss of sensitive data. Lax cybersecurity controls can allow for virus-based breaches, spyware and infections that slow IT processes, ultimately reducing productivity. In more extreme cases, workers can find themselves completely locked out of their systems due to ransomware attacks or cryptojacking.
According to 2020’s Ransomware Marketplace report, the average downtime after a ransomware attack is 16 days, which needless to say can hugely hamper productivity. From time spent rebuilding servers and recovering systems, to potential product delays and incident investigations, the ramifications of a breach can be huge.
In order to provide the best possible outcome for businesses, cybersecurity measures must be implemented with the human factor in mind. The challenges raised by the introduction of cybersecurity infrastructure can be tackled by ensuring solutions are performed optimally, providing more training where necessary and offering standardised, straightforward guidance that every member of staff can refer to.
Effective cybersecurity implementation isn’t there to just respond to threats and safeguard documents. It will also contribute to a quality user experience that promotes collaboration, providing the best of both worlds for businesses aiming to protect their assets and add to them in the process.
