As we move along into 2020, cyber security continues to be a critical topic. Being exposed or a victim of a cyber threat is one of the top concerns for many small and medium size business executives today. What is important for cyber security in 2020? Let’s take a look at some key findings from a Q4 reported released by AppRiver and what the top cyber security priorities for this year should be.

Key Findings from the App River Survey

AppRiver, a cyber security solutions provider, recently released a report titled ‘Q4 Cyberthreat Index for Business Survey.’ The study identified that 62% of small and medium-size businesses are planning on increasing their cyber security budgets in 2020 as well as expand their existing strategies. Other key findings included:

• 45% of SMBs believe that their organizations are vulnerable to cyber threats and attacks.
• 66% of SMBs agreed with the statement cyber attacks ‘are prevalent on a business such as their own.’
• 72% of SMBs admitted that a cyber attack would be harmful to their business.
• 79% of SMBs and IT decision makers agreed that cyber threats are a ‘top of mind concern.’

Top Priorities for 2020

No matter what industry your business is in, it is susceptible to cyber threats. One of the best ways to help protect your organization is to partner with a Managed Service Provider and let their industry experts bolster your network security and ward off cyber attacks.

From the AppRiver survey, several top priorities were identified. The main identified investment areas for SMBs were as follows:

• Technology Improvements – 58%
• Training – 57%
• Security Defense Reviews – 50%
• Partnering with an MSP – 30%

Why Partner with a Managed Service Provider?

 It can be daunting for many business owners to try and consistently maintain and monitor their networks and computer systems. Especially for SMBs as many have skill and/or financial limitations, however, partnering with a Managed Service Provider can drive business efficiency and provide state-of-the-art security.

Partnering with a Managed Service Provider for cyber security can ensure that your business has proactive protection against cyber attacks. MSPs provide multiple layers of threat prevention, which significantly reduces the risks of being attacked or subject to a breach. Another important role that an MSP will handle is ensuring that all software and systems are patched and updated in a timely manner, closing the loophole that can leave your business exposed to new threats. Managed Services provides so much peace of mind to business executives, knowing that their networks and sensitive data are secured.

MSPs will also help establish a business continuity plan for your organization to help maintain operations and minimize damage, should a security event occur.

Managed Service Providers, like MBC, have specialized knowledge of the latest cyber threats as well as prevention tactics. At MBC, we also believe that employee training and security organizational security policies go a long way in helping organizations be secure. We always make sure that your staff knows what to look out for and how to identify something suspicious, like a phishing email, which could lead to a cyber attack.

To learn more about how an MBC can help your business with your cyber security needs in 2020, get a free assessment today.

Tammy Nyman

EVP & Managed IT Services Expert