Most business executives know that they should invest in IT security to protect their company from potential breaches. But, why is it that many companies often ignore the problem or only do the bare minimum with an anti-virus program? From talking with executives and looking at the problem from several angles, we have found there are two primary problems:
1) Lack of Bottom-Line Impact
Even though IT security can prevent huge losses, it is does not drive bottom line results. Business executives are often unwilling to spend money on increased security or give up some flexibility for better security. For a smaller company, this may make sense, because they are just trying to keep their head above water. However, it does not make sense for a profitable company. One serious breach, and the loss of customer confidence that come with it, can be enough to drive a business to bankruptcy.
2) Business Benefits are not understood
IT professionals often find it challenging to explain in terms that matter to business executives, the security benefits gained from IT investments. Or, the suggested investments are misaligned with the organization’s business goals.
How can your organization overcome this complacency and avoid significant risk? Get an IT security audit from a third-party provider. It identifies gaps in your IT security and helps you understand which parts of your IT infrastructure are critical to protect. The cost of a security audit is minimal compared to the actionable information you gain from it.
