How Do Managed Cybersecurity Companies Differ From Traditional IT Support?

We live in a hybrid world these days. Our physical habitats and hangouts have been melded with digital technologies.

Look no further than the recent shift in how people work.

More employees than ever can work from home because of the available digital tech and virtual workplaces. Still, brick-and-mortar stores remain–as do physical offices and headquarters.

On the topic of brick-and-mortar stores and headquarters, these business hubs remain crucial to the success of many companies.

However, companies must combine those in-person locations with websites, eCommerce stores, and social media to compete and stay ahead.

While stores, offices, warehouses, and factories typically stay open from nine until five, a company’s digital presence is 24/7. There’s no turning out the lights in the virtual space unless it involves web maintenance or unwanted downtime.

The advantages the digital space offers can’t be denied. Your brand’s ability to connect with its audience isn’t limited to work hours like it was only 30 years ago. Instead, consumers can interact with your company–and even sometimes make purchases–no matter the time of day.

This hybrid environment is a boon to small businesses, medium-sized enterprises, and massive corporations alike. That said, the world functions based on a series of checks and balances. With benefits come pitfalls and vulnerabilities.

In the instance of the digital revolution, the primary vulnerability is cybersecurity.

Cybercrimes Are A Threat That Never Sleeps.

When you close a store or office headquarters for the day, security is a matter of arming your alarm system. From there, you don't need to think about it.

Security for company websites, social media, eCommerce stores, and online workspaces should offer similar peace of mind.

So, does your workplace have a digital equivalent to a failproof physical alarm system?

More specifically, is your organization equipped to successfully manage cybersecurity threats? Your company isn't alone if it's not up to the task.

Small and medium-sized businesses suffer $2.2 million in annual losses due to cybercrimes. Even worse, last year saw a 424% increase in cyber breaches for new small businesses.

Given the nature of their work, healthcare companies are uniquely vulnerable to cyberattacks. Such organizations faced an average of 1,463 weekly cyberattacks in 2022, almost a 75% increase from 2021.

Furthermore, healthcare entities in the US experienced an 86% increase in cyberattacks from 2021 to 2022.

What does this information tell you? At CNP, we believe it speaks to the need for more modernized cybersecurity solutions.

Given the nature of their work, healthcare companies are uniquely vulnerable to cyberattacks. Such organizations faced an average of 1,463 weekly cyberattacks in 2022, almost a 75% increase from 2021.

Furthermore, healthcare entities in the US experienced an 86% increase in cyberattacks from 2021 to 2022.

Permanent Cyber Threats Call For Permanent Cybersecurity.

Traditional IT used to be enough. Undoubtedly, it could be cumbersome to experience a technological snafu (like a security breach) and wait for a “tech guy” to show up. Regardless, it was all we had, and it seemed to work.

Today’s landscape is vastly different. Cyber threats are ever-looming, and businesses are vulnerable at all hours of the day.

Additionally, businesses that experience cyber breaches stand to lose more than what a cybercriminal steals. For instance, cybercrime-related downtime cost US businesses $160 million in 2021. There’s also the loss of consumer trust and reputational damage to consider. Plus, regulatory fines could come into play.

The clunky IT/cybersecurity services of old aren’t enough to combat these threats. Instead, your company requires cybersecurity that’s always there in the background. Your business deserves a proactive solution in flagging discrepancies before they develop into something more serious (like a full-on breach). 

In other words, organizations in the US need to start working with managed cybersecurity companies.

Managed Cybersecurity Companies Versus Traditional IT Support.

Managed cybersecurity companies are third-party providers who are always "on" and available to your business.

Options for coverage will depend on organizational needs. Frequently, though, businesses opt for 24x7 coverage.

Plus, managed cybersecurity companies provide scalable services. They'll adapt their solutions as their clients grow.

The crucial difference maker with managed cybersecurity companies is their proactivity.

Traditional IT services have always been reactive. You'd contact them when something was already broken or you'd been hacked. Then, you–and your team–would sit and wait.

Sitting and waiting isn't acceptable for companies in 2023. Nearly 50% of customers expect businesses to respond to their inquiries within four hours. Also, consumers can make big-ticket purchases at the press of a button and receive the order at their doorstep in a day.

Stasis isn't an option in the current landscape. Your competitors move lightning quick, and your business needs to be even faster and more adaptive.

Managed cybersecurity companies constantly work to ensure you and your team don't have to sit and wait. They're always performing background work to suss out potential threats and disruptions in lockstep with your organization's need for speedy processes.