What Is the Most Important Question to Ask An IT Firm?
You are looking for an IT services firm to partner with your business, and you’re not sure what to ask. Cyber security is such a widely-addressed topic and there’s so much information about technology available that it’s incredibly challenging to find an IT services provider that offers the technology experience that serves the needs of you and your business.
Whether you think as a consumer or as a business that handles data, like a law firm, accounting firm, or doctor’s office, cyber security is important to you and you need to know how your information is protected and what expertise the IT services provider has in comparison to your needs.
Understanding the Needs of Your Business
Your business is powered by technology but fueled by information – data about your customers, your sales figures, your revenue, your tax details and financial reports, payroll and human resources, and the list just keeps going. The amount of personal information you need to protect is staggering, and this data is critical to the operations of any business.
Protecting this information is the only way to prevent unauthorized access and cybercriminals – hackers – from acquiring this data for illicit purposes, like identity theft. Cybercriminals and their tactics are increasing in sophistication, but so is technology and cyber security. IT services providers leverage sophisticated technology to protect businesses and data from finding its way into the hands of hackers.
The Question to Ask: “How Are You Protecting My Data?”
This is the most important question you can ask an IT services firm. The cyber security measures an IT company uses to safeguard data speaks volumes about their total technology approach and how they view cyber security with regards to the personal information you need to protect.
Cybercriminals are getting more sophisticated in their approach, and your IT services provider should be equally sophisticated – better yet, even more sophisticated – to prevent these hackers from being able to access your data. Cybercriminals are realizing there is value beyond just finding their way into your network and seizing control of your data until you pay a ransom for access. There is far more value in accessing your data and then using this data to gain access to individual consumers’ information for access to financial accounts, for identity theft, credit card fraud, and more.
What Steps Should An IT Firm Take to Protect Your Data?
The answer to this question will depend entirely on your business and your individual cyber security needs. Understanding your technology is the first step, and auditing your network and IT systems and environment to assess your total technology ecosystem is key to providing a roadmap to data protection and cyber security.
Doing your due diligence and researching your available options for an IT services provider with the best cyber security track record will help you find the best fit. Ask how the firm will protect your data, and be sure the IT services provider is leveraging the most advanced security measures for your needs.
