It’s Week 3 of Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Do you feel more secure? Do you feel educated? Or do you feel hopelessly lost in the vast amounts of information out there and the constant dire warnings?
It’s a bit overwhelming. Scratch that – it’s a LOT overwhelming.
IT professionals spend their entire career training up and making sure they are aware of the latest tech changes and cyber security threats that are out there. I’ve used this analogy before – but being in IT is a little bit like being a Doctor. Only unlike the human body, technology changes radically every 6 months or so.
As of the last check – technology skills have a half-life of about 2.5 years. What that means is that IT professionals must be continuously learning to stay ahead in the game. That is where a good IT partner can make all of the difference in your security game. They are TRAINED to not only protect your business – but also educate you on the risks.
Your customers hire your company because you are good at what you do, right? You offer a product/solution/offering that is better than another company’s and your customers trust you. You don’t claim to know about another industry that you are not skilled in, because why should you? Well, the same goes for a good IT company. They are good at tech – and all of those ‘tech’ subsets – like security.
Now, we are not saying to NOT read all of the resources available to you about cybersecurity and cyber risk – but you should trust that your IT company will share its expertise with you. Ask them what you should be aware of/worried about/thinking about in the future. If you don’t trust them to educate you – maybe it is time for a new IT partner.
Being overwhelmed by cybersecurity is understandable. There is a LOT of information out there about a lot of risks (kind of like Dr. Google). Reach out to your IT company for what you need to know – and if they send out communications about IT risks – maybe read them – they sent them for a reason.
Your IT company should be your trusted partner in all things tech-related. Not only during Cybersecurity Awareness Month – but EVERY month.
OpEd – Jennifer Gilligan 10.21.21