4 Pro Cybersecurity Tips For Leading Security Companies In Utah

While cybersecurity breaches in enterprises such as Google, Facebook, or Amazon always grab the headlines, the truth is that the overwhelming majority of cyber attack victims are small and mid-sized companies. Many of these companies do not hire security companies in Utah. Instead, they either have zero security, or they attempt to employ in-house staff (or use other staff that is not qualified to manage IT security).

Consider these alarming statistics collected by Small Business Trends back in December 2018.

• Small businesses account for 43 percent of all cyber attacks.
• Less than 20 percent of all businesses are well-equipped to handle cyber attacks.
• Sixty percent of all small businesses close their doors within six months of a cyber attack.
• Nearly half of security breaches were intentional — usually with some type of malware.
• Sensitive customer information is the #1 concern of all small business owners.

In addition, business owners also have to worry about intellectual property, credit card information, financial data, employee profiles, email correspondence, and, of course, all other stored data.

With all this concern, isn’t time that you considered the secure state of your IT infrastructure? So, if you are ready to move forward with a cybersecurity strategy, below are some tips to help get you started. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact Nexus. We are here to answer your questions, address your concerns, and help you find the right IT solutions.

1. Create Complex Passwords

By industry standards, a complex password consists of a nonsensical sequence of 8 to 16 numbers, letters, and symbols that bear no connection with the user. An example of a powerful password looks like this:

@f)S_^720’:DD*

Keep in mind that some software or service accounts only allow for certain types of symbols. However, the key concept here is that there should be no way to figure out the password based on any personal information. Try to stay away from birthdays, names, addresses, favorites, or the current year. Here are some examples of passwords you should avoid:

• JohnSmith1983
• GameOfThronesFreak01
• CompanyName_2019

2. Keep Your Circle Of Trust Small

Did you know that hackers can use any account holder’s information to access your data? All the user has to do is visit a website, open an email, or install an app to create a vulnerability in the network. Once the hacker gets into your network, they can virtually find and exploit any data.

Therefore, you should set limitations and levels of accessibility within your network. Ask these questions when granting access to your network:

• Who gets into the core areas?
• Who has access to the email server?
• Who can create an account?
• Who can utilize the cloud platform or certain of software?
• Who are the admins? Who can set the restrictions?

Remember, that access is not just about allowing people in and out of the network. It’s about whom those people let in either intentionally or by accident. It is similar to give a key to someone who makes a copy and gives it someone else. Or worse, someone steals the key and makes a copy and gives it to someone else.

The lesson? Limit who you allow into your network.

3. Monitor All Personal and Remote Devices

If you allow your employees to access your business network on their personal devices (laptops, smartphones, tablets, etc.), then each device creates a potential path to your network core. Hackers use personal devices to access databases all the time. In fact, device users make it easy for hackers by engaging in questionable online or email activity.

And we’re not necessarily talking about just gaming, porn, or gambling sites. There are dozens of ways that a hacker can access your network via personal cell phone just by someone checking their social media account.

There are three ways to handle personal devices on your business network (we recommend combining all three):

1. Require all users to install some type of virtual private network (VPN), antivirus software, or malware detection software on their device before you grant them access to your network.
2. Allow your network administrator or outsourced managed IT company to monitor all activity from remote devices. Simply tell your employees that if they connect to the network through a remote device, an administrator will monitor and report their activity. An admin can monitor the activity without invading personal privacy.
3. Educate and train your employees on cybersecurity issues. More specifically, educate them on employee errors that can render a network vulnerable to an attack. Help them to see the correlation between their online activity and a security breach that could shut your company down and leave them without a job.

4. Proactively Plan for a Cyber Attack

Security companies in Utah should take proactive measures in protecting their clients from cyber threats. Therefore, if you are working with a managed IT company, find out what strategies they are utilizing to protect your IT network.

Some effective multi-layered cybersecurity solutions include:

• Penetration testing
• Backup and disaster recovery
• Employee education
• Unified threat management
• Managed security services
• Security consulting
• Industry regulation compliance

Nexus IT: Leading Security Companies in Utah

If you are looking for managed IT and cybersecurity solutions in Utah, then contact, Nexus IT. We offer a wide range of services, including business continuity, cybersecurity, cloud solutions, IT consulting, data backup, web services, and Wi-Fi services. We are the leader in security companies in Utah. To find out more about our IT services, call us today at or (435) 659-2533.