Raised Cyber Risk for Small Business Encouraging Virtual CTO Solutions

No company is ever completely safe from security vulnerabilities, which is why you need to put cyber security solutions in place to shield your business from risks. A recent study by the Ponemon Institute entitled, ‘The 2017 State of SMB Cybersecurity Report’ found that the risks of cyberattacks are ever increasing—and this is true for companies of all sizes and across different industries. According to their numbers, more than 61% of SMBs have experienced some form of cyber breach in the last 12 months, which is a 6% rise compared to last year’s 55%. The study also points out the more advanced level and sophistication of attacks as evidenced by the huge quantity of stolen data during an average breach, which has now nearly doubled from 5,079 in 2016 to 9,350 records in 2017. These numbers alone prove that cyber risk is a real and ever-present danger especially for small businesses that are prone to internet threats, despite many small business owners’ believing that they are too small to be under any risk.

To enhance cybersecurity at the small business level requires more than just securing individual businesses. This is because one cyber incident in one particular small business isn’t likely to remain confined to that business. Cyber-attacks tend to multiply and proliferate once a successful breach has been made. This even more proves that companies—even smaller ones—need innovative ways to approach cyber risks and prevent further threats and breaches.

Virtual CTO solutions is one such innovative method. It provides businesses with a person or a team of experts whose task is to understand business drivers and to implement tools and technologies required to meet business objectives are in line. At the rate that technology advances these days, your business needs a CTO (chief technology officer) or virtual CTO solutions so that it can readily adapt with advances and ensure that you are protected from emerging risks that tend to be bigger and more aggressive as technology progresses.

A virtual CTO is the perfect solution for small businesses that can’t afford to hire an in-house, full-time personnel to manage tech alignment, system efficiency, and overall security. With virtual CTO solutions, you have access to tools and expertise that your business requires to avoid being another cyberattack statistic and make sure that your tech assets are aligned with what you are doing and trying to accomplish.

Mike Rana is the Chief Technology Advisor of Orion Network Solutions. Orion Network Solutions specializes in providing Computer Installation, Maintenance, and Consulting services along with 24x7 help desk services for small and midsize companies.