The Importance of Cybersecurity and Business IT Support in London

London is a major global business hub — a prime target for cybercriminals due to its economic significance and concentration of valuable data. Needless to say, the city experiences a high volume of cyber threats which keeps business IT support teams in London on their toes. 

This means you want to be assured the business IT support team in London looking after your cybersecurity remit knows how to ensure the integrity of IT systems and maintain the trust of customers and partners.

The importance of implementing effective cybersecurity measures is even more critical due to data protection regulations. The United Kingdom is subject to various data protection regulations, the most prominent of which is the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). 

Business IT support teams in London are tasked with ensuring that IT networks comply with these regulations. Firms that fail to protect the personal data of their customers and employees are subject to severe penalties and legal consequences.

But it is the loss of consumer faith in your brand that is the most damaging. A report published by Harvard Business Review reveals the cost of a data breach amounts to a global average $ 4.35 million. It is estimated that around 82% of businesses fail because they struggle to maintain cash flow due to the huge drop-off in customers.  

A security breach can severely damage your reputation and erode customer trust. Thanks to the proliferation of high-profile data breaches, the introduction of GDPR and cybersecurity awareness training in the workplace, the general public — otherwise known as consumers — recognise the increasing importance of data protection. 

IT security is undoubtedly a priority.

Why is cybersecurity important for businesses in London?

Cybersecurity is important for businesses in London because of the regulatory obligation to protect customer data. As the statistics show, cybersecurity is a threat to your business continuity. 

Consumers expect businesses to install IT security protocols and measures to safeguard their data. McKinsey reports that 87% of consumers confirm they will not use a business if they had concerns about its security practices.

By implementing robust security controls, business IT support in London help to mitigate the risk of data breaches and maintain the privacy and integrity of their data.

IT security helps prevent unauthorised individuals or malicious entities from gaining access to computer systems and business networks that stores sensitive information. 

Cyber threats are constantly evolving. Threat actors use a wide-ranging arsenal of weapons including phishing attacks, password-hacking tools, drone hacking and fake QR codes. Be wary of employees in ‘Smart homes’ because IoT is the next frontier for cybercrime. 

Business IT support professionals in London that specialise in cybersecurity, are, therefore, an integral part of digital transformation initiatives. As organisations adopt emerging technologies such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and big data analytics, the attack surface expands, necessitating stronger security measures.

What are IT Security Issues?

IT security issues encompass a wide range of challenges and threats that can compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information technology systems and data. 

Among the favourite strategies for hackers is the use of malicious software, such as viruses, worms, Trojans, ransomware, and spyware. These types of attacks covertly infect systems, disrupt operations, steal sensitive data, or provide access to attackers.

However, hackers need a way into a system before they can drop malicious malware into the network. They attempt to do this through various techniques, the most common of which is social engineering; phishing, smashing, spear-phishing and whaling. 

Read our article on how whaling attacks target C-suite executives using deceptive emails and websites designed to trick users into revealing sensitive information.

Software and system vulnerabilities can also be exploited by attackers to gain unauthorised access or control over IT systems. Companies need to promptly install security patches, regularly update software, and conduct security assessments to identify and address potential weaknesses.

Insider threats arise from employees, contractors, or other individuals that have permission to access some parts of your systems. Insider threats can be intentional, such as an employee stealing data for personal gain.

Businesses are also handed a penalty under GDPR for unintentional loss of data, such as accidental deletion or mistakenly exposing “sensitive” information due to negligence or lack of awareness. For example, Gloucester Police was fined £80,000 because an administrator sent out an email with all the recipient email addresses on display in the cc field rather than the bcc. 

Denial-of-Service (DoS) Attacks are another tactic hackers still use albeit less frequently these days. IT security measures have all but made this type of cyber threat impotent. 

DoS attacks aim to disrupt or disable the availability of IT systems by overwhelming them with excessive network traffic, causing system slowdowns or complete shutdowns. Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks, which involve multiple compromised computers flooding a target system, are particularly potent.

Whilst cloud security adds extra layers to your cybersecurity defences, cloud-based systems can be exploited by threat actors if you don’t configure the system correctly. Check Point’s 2022 Cloud Security Report shows that 23% of data breaches were due to misconfigured cloud infrastructure. 

The prevalence of smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices used by remote workers introduces critical security challenges for business IT support professionals in London. These devices can be lost or stolen, of course, but the biggest threat is from apps. Earlier this year, 60 Android apps infected with malware were discovered in the Google Play Store.

What are IT Security Protocols?

IT security protocols are a set of rules and procedures designed to establish secure communication and protect sensitive data within a business network. These protocols define the standards and methods for securing data transmission, authentication, access control, encryption, and other security-related aspects. 

Commonly used IT security protocols include Transport Layer Security (TLS) and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), cryptographic protocols that secure communication over networks such as the Internet. TLS/SSL protocols establish an encrypted connection between a client and a server, ensuring data confidentiality and integrity during transmission.

In addition to TLS/SSL security standards, there is also Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) that provides authentication, encryption, and data integrity for IP network traffic.

A business network should also consist of several other security protocols which include Secure Shell (SSH), Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS), Lightweight Directory Access Protocol Secure (LDAPS), Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP), Secure Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME), Virtual Private Network (VPN) Protocols, Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) and Kerberos.

Is Working From Home A Cybersecurity Threat?

Remote working is one of the biggest threats to your IT security. Home networks generally have less stringent security measures compared to corporate networks. In addition, remote working employees may use unsecured public Wi-Fi networks or have weak passwords on their home routers.

Employees using personal devices may not have the same level of security controls and updates as corporate devices. If you deploy a BYOD strategy, allowing employees to access your business network with devices they also use to surf the web increases the risk of malware infections, data leakage, or unauthorised access.

Sophisticated hackers also exploit remote work situations through phishing emails, fake websites, or social engineering tactics. Employees working from home may be more susceptible to such attacks as they are outside the protective environment of the corporate network and may be distracted or less vigilant in identifying potential threats.

What’s more, remote working makes employees less familiar with their colleagues and, in particular with C-suite executives. Hackers are now using spear phishing and whaling attacks to target employees that have access to sensitive data and financial accounts. They do this by posing as an executive and sending an email with instructions to transfer money. 

Employees that work from home also have a lack of IT support which can make them more susceptible to threat actors — particularly if they download apps on their personal devices and don’t update security patches. 

Ideally, remote workers need immediate IT support or assistance for cybersecurity-related issues. This can prolong the exposure to potential threats or hinder the timely resolution of security incidents.

Outsourcing your cybersecurity to business IT support professionals in London represents an effective solution. 

How Can Business IT Support in London Help with My Cybersecurity?

Business IT support services in London can help to mitigate the risks of cybercriminals. Micro Pro, for example, take a holistic approach to cybersecurity that meets your business needs and budget.

From a technology standpoint, we implement robust security monitoring and incident response software with the capability to detect and respond to potential security incidents. This includes monitoring network traffic, endpoint protection, and user behaviour analytics.

We also implement secure virtual private network (VPN) connections to encrypt data transmitted between remote workers and corporate networks and recommend multi-factor authentication to enhance login security.

In addition, we feel that providing cybersecurity awareness training to your staff is essential. Conducting regular training and ongoing updates to educate employees about common threats, phishing attacks, and safe remote work practices should be part of everyday work routines. Cyber threats are evolving all the time and everyone has to keep up to date with the latest developments. 

Read our article about the new hacking techniques in 2023 to make sure your workforce is up-to-date. 

As we mentioned above, patch management is a critical strategy to ensure the software installed on your business network has the latest security patches installed. Unless every device holding software is updated, your entire network is vulnerable. All it takes is for one device to be compromised and the whole house of cards comes tumbling down. 

What is IT Security Governance? 

IT security governance refers to the framework, policies, processes, and practices that companies establish to manage and oversee their information technology (IT) security efforts. It involves defining the strategic direction, goals, and responsibilities for IT security, as well as implementing controls, monitoring activities, and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and standards. 

IT security governance aims to align IT security initiatives with the overall business objectives and risk management strategies of your organisation. Key components include strategy and planning, risk management and establishing policies, standards, and guidelines that define the organisation’s expectations and requirements for IT security. 

IT security governance is typically overseen by a designated governance body or committee, which may include representatives from various departments, such as IT, legal, risk management, and executive leadership. The governance body ensures that IT security initiatives align with the overall governance framework of your business and provide regular reporting and updates to executive management and stakeholders.

Reporting should include incident response plans and procedures to effectively respond to and recover from security incidents together with the mechanisms that have been implemented to monitor and measure the effectiveness of security controls and how appropriate they are to meet compliance.

Regular review and analysis of security incidents, performance metrics, and feedback help drive continuous improvement in IT security governance.

What is an IT Security Audit? 

An IT security audit is a systematic evaluation and assessment of an organisation’s information technology systems, processes, and controls to determine the effectiveness of its security measures. It aims to identify vulnerabilities, weaknesses, and areas of non-compliance with security policies, standards, and regulations. 

The primary goal of an IT security audit is to ensure that the IT infrastructure, its assets and data are adequately protected against potential threats and risks.

IT security audits involve clearly defining specific systems, networks, applications and processes, and assessing the effectiveness of security controls and safeguards in place to protect IT assets. This may involve reviewing policies and procedures, identifying and evaluating vulnerabilities in the existing infrastructure and network together with evaluating risks. 

Business IT Support in London

Micro Pro has more than 20 years of experience in providing specialist IT security services. In that time we have established a solid reputation as one of the best managed IT support teams in London.

If you’re based in the UK and want business IT support professionals you can trust to protect your business network, give us a call and let’s discuss what we can do for your business.