How to Overcome IT Cybersecurity Challenges
UK businesses, regardless of size and industry, face a shared concern: How to protect the intelligence, infrastructure and information that make them unique and give them their competitive advantage?
It is a universal problem. And with cyberhackers devising more sophisticated ways to carry out cyberattacks, UK businesses need to focus on comprehensive and secure IT cybersecurity strategies and roll-outs to protect them from the negative implications cyber breaches can cause.
Depending on your current IT strategy, the size of your business and the scope of your IT security responsibilities, your concerns regarding cybersecurity might be extremely wide-ranging or relatively narrow.
In this blog, we will identify the importance of cybersecurity management, the concerns and obstacles facing businesses and what they can do to overcome cybersecurity challenges.
What is IT security?
IT security refers to the security of electronic information and systems from unauthorised access or theft. It is the process of protecting electronic information from this unauthorised access or theft. Security measures are vital within all businesses as they protect data and keep it safe from potential threats.
Cybersecurity concerns in the UK
In 2022, the UK government carried out its Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2022 in alignment with the country’s National Cyber Strategy to inform understanding on cybersecurity resilience in the UK.
The research explores the approach organisations including businesses, charities and educational institutions adopt in relation to their processes and policies. The study also examines the impact that cybersecurity breaches raise and how organisations respond to combat the associated challenges and to prevent further attacks.
A total of 39% of organisations surveyed reported an identified cyber attack in 2022, which is the same figure cited in 2021 and remains within 10% of previous years’ findings. However, the government noted that organisations with bolstered cybersecurity results in a higher incidence of businesses successfully identifying cyber breaches. As a result, organisations with less robust and sophisticated security systems in place may be underreporting the number of breaches they are experiencing.
Almost a third of these businesses (31%) reported they received cyberattacks at least once a week. The most common threat found in the 2022 survey was phishing, which was reported by 83% of businesses. Over a fifth of companies (21%) said they had identified a more advanced attack such as malware, a denial of attack or ransomware attack.
Over the past 12 months, the average estimated cost for businesses who have faced a material cost such as loss of money or data resulting from a cyber breach was £4,200. For medium and large businesses, that figure rose to £19,400.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, approximately four in five (82%) of senior management or board members in UK businesses consider cybersecurity a ‘very high’ or ‘fairly high’ priority. This figure has increased from 77% in 2021, indicating that companies are placing greater emphasis on protecting the security of their organisation’s data and intellectual property in 2022.
Importance of cybersecurity
IT security is essential because it helps protect against threats to computer systems and the data they store or access. These threats can come from a variety of sources, including viruses, hackers and malicious software. By taking measures to secure computer systems and data, businesses and individuals can help protect themselves against these threats.
The benefits of making improvements to your cybersecurity, include:
- Improved security of information
- Prevention of costly breaches
- Compliance with industry regulations
- Peace of mind for employees and customers
Identifying cybersecurity concerns
Before you can start to address cybersecurity in your company, you need to know where it is and isn’t a problem. Defining your cybersecurity risk is the first step.
As a small business owner or director, you may well consider cybersecurity an important part of your overall business strategy. And whether you are directly responsible for cybersecurity or not, you will probably still be required to adhere to it throughout your organisation. Medium and larger companies are likely to have a chief information security officer, or CISO, who oversees the company’s cybersecurity efforts. This person might be independent of the other leaders of the organisation.
Common cybersecurity challenges
IT security challenges should not be ignored because they can lead to serious problems for individuals and organisations. Cyber attacks can result in the loss of sensitive data, which can have a negative impact on an individual’s or organisation’s reputation. Cyber attacks can also result in financial losses for individuals and organisations.
Cybersecurity challenges can be divided into three main categories: confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Confidentiality means keeping information secret and ensuring that only authorised individuals have access to it. Integrity refers to regulating and consistently ensuring the accuracy and completeness of data, and availability relates to ensuring data is available when needed.
In 2022, some of the typical IT security challenges experienced by UK businesses, include:
- Unsecured networks: Networks that are not properly secured can be susceptible to attacks from unauthorised individuals.
- Poor password management: Weak passwords can be easily uncovered or brute forced, granting attackers access to systems and data.
- Lack of security awareness: Users who are not correctly educated on security risks and best practices can be easy targets for attackers.
- Vulnerable systems and applications: Attackers can exploit systems with known vulnerabilities.
- Insufficient security controls: Lack of proper security controls can open an organisation to attack.
Tackling cybersecurity issues and challenges
You can take steps to address these cybersecurity challenges, but the severity of your issues will likely determine how much time and effort you will need to invest.
For example, cybersecurity training can address many issues. However, when latency in reporting security events results in significant data breaches being discovered more than a year after they occur, simply conducting cybersecurity training is unlikely to rectify the problem.
Organisational structure and hierarchy can, therefore, also influence how you approach cybersecurity. In larger organisations, cybersecurity responsibilities might be split across departments or divisions. In smaller businesses, it might be part of your role as an administrator, director or even the CEO. Identifying what works best for your organisation’s size and structure is vital to best direct your time and resources.
The best way to overcome IT security challenges depends on the specific challenges faced. However, some general tips on overcoming IT security challenges include increasing awareness of potential threats, implementing strong security measures and regularly testing and updating security protocols.
When businesses face their cybersecurity challenges, they often focus on several key areas to provide a strong and protective foundation, including:
- Protecting against malware and other cyber threats
- Ensuring data privacy and security
- Preventing data breaches
- Protecting against phishing and other forms of social engineering
- Keeping systems and software up to date with the latest security patches
An IT expert can support organisations with overcoming security challenges by developing and implementing security policies and procedures. Additionally, they can monitor network activity for suspicious activity and respond accordingly. An IT expert can also train employees on proper security protocols and procedures.
Cybersecurity challenges can be overcome by taking a proactive and comprehensive approach. By taking the necessary strategic and operational steps within your organisation in relation to cybersecurity risks and implementing effective security measures, you can help protect your data and devices from attack.
For more information on how your business can overcome its cybersecurity challenges and create a robust cybersecurity strategy, contact ait Systems for support, today.
