IT Services Company vs. Cyber Security Company

When it comes to cyber security, one size definitely does not fit all and comparing providers can feel like comparing apples to oranges (or maybe to apple juice). But most businesses promising better cyber security fall into one of two categories — cyber security companies and IT service providers.

Cyber Security in a Vacuum

Cyber security is one part of the larger information technology umbrella. A cyber security company offers IT security without the larger suite of IT support and infrastructure management services.

A cyber security firm can run audits and system tests to tell you what you need to change to improve your security. This can be a valuable tool for some businesses; it’s  like using an accountant to go over your books rather than an internal auditor.

The downside is that those scans and analysis are only for that moment in time and cyber security risks vulnerabilities change often and quickly. 

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Cyber Security as Part of IT Support Services

An IT services company does much more than just run scans for malware, worms  and other risks. It will:

• Make sure your infrastructure is secure,  closing any gaps and providing recommendations to improve both productivity as well as security.
  
• Provide day-to-day support. Your company’s general IT needs will have this benefit and support services will proactively respond to attacks, usually blocking them before they breach your system.
  
• Provide ongoing training. The number #1 weakest link in any security chain is people. That’s why your tech staff and leaders are not the only staff who need to stay informed about cybersecurity. Your entire team needs to stay up to date, including those who have nothing in their job description that is IT. 

The more the whole team is involved, the more protected your company will be. It will also help keep your staff engaged and actively thinking about your company’s systems and security. They won’t be tricked into allowing hackers to gain access to your systems.

Don’t Wait To Secure Your Business

Small and  mid-sized businesses are the most frequent targets of cyber crime. Statistics have even revealed that 60 percent of those targeted are out of business within six months. 

The year 2020 was a banner year for the COVID pandemic and also a banner year for data breaches. According to the  2020 Mid-Year Data Breach Report, 27 billion data records were exposed, 12 million more than in 2019! 

All of these breaches cost companies with fewer than 500 employees $2.35 million, according to IBM’s 2020 Cost of a Data Breach.

Choose the right IT support provider with our free Managed IT Checklist.

So here’s the take-away from all this: do your due diligence. Choose wisely and make sure that whichever company you choose to manage your IT is an expert in IT cyber security. You will be better served overall by a managed service provider (MSP) than a cyber security company.

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