Don’t Be a Boeing: Strengthen Your Cybersecurity

There are no more excuses to bury your business’s head in the sand. The data and cyber theft threats are real. And imminent. And not just for big corporations or large government organizations. Attackers are at your front door … or worse.

There are three areas that need your consideration when it comes to protecting your data from cyber attack.

FIRST: To Error is Human: Have your processes and controls assessed and take stock of your level of cyber preparation. Pay special attention to your “human” vulnerabilities, as most cyber thefts are the result of someone either unwittingly or purposely allowing a breach to happen. The best software in the world can’t keep someone inside the organization from gaining access to your systems and processes.

Do it now. If you are defenseless you could have to pay ransomware to stay in business. Or worse, you might not be able to afford to stay in business.

SECOND: Assess your vendors and third-party providers. It’s much like going to a doctor’s office in the morning for a checkup, then having your immune system attacked by the malady of the day by a virus you picked up from someone sitting next to you in the waiting room. It’s the same with vendors and those who service them. They can infect your systems in spite of your best efforts. It was the root cause of the Target data breach in 2013 that extended to as many as 70 million customers. Boeing continues to struggle as its fleet of 737 Max passenger jets – and its stock price – remains grounded due to problems with third party software described as “fatally flawed” and that has been at the root of two major airline catastrophes.

THIRD: Assess the data you transmit, process and store. Make a pecking order of data to determine which are more critical to your operation, and start at the top. Then proceed through it all.

Cybersecurity is no longer a check-the-box process; it is a way of doing business, a part of your business that must be addressed continually and methodically. We can help. Contact HBK Risk Advisory Services at 614-228-4000 or email us at SFranckhauser@hbkcpa.com with your cybersecurity questions and concerns. We can meet with you to discuss precisely when, how, where and why you need to protect your data. You can take baby steps. The one thing you shouldn’t do is nothing.