The Undeniable Benefits of Regularly Performing a Cybersecurity Audit
If small business ownership wasn’t enough of a challenge, small business owners have to be very careful about their cybersecurity. 43% of cybersecurity attacks target small businesses. More hackers target small businesses because they don’t have the infrastructure and IT department to manage their security.
So, if you are a small business owner, how can you protect your business from cybersecurity attacks? To prevent a cyber attack, you must know what security policies you have in place and where your business is vulnerable. You can achieve this by conducting a cyber security audit.
Read on to learn how a cybersecurity audit can benefit your business.
What Is a Cybersecurity Audit?
A cyber security audit examines all your business’s cybersecurity policies and procedures. The goal of an audit is to check that you have appropriate security and follow regulations.
They are often conducted by a third party, ensuring an unbiased report. But can also be performed by an internal team if they act independently from the company.
Cybersecurity Audit Best Practices
Begin by compiling your current cybersecurity procedures and industry compliance regulations. From this document, you can create a checklist for an auditor to follow. You should also outline your network and how your systems connect so auditors can find security issues.
Then, as the auditor conducts their audit, they should identify and record vulnerabilities in your security. You should then rank those risks to address them efficiently.
The cybersecurity landscape is constantly changing. So your business should conduct a cybersecurity audit once a year to keep your policy and procedures up to date.
Benefits of a Cybersecurity Audit
Now that you understand what a cybersecurity audit is, why should you take all this time and effort to conduct an audit? Here’s how an audit can help your business stay protected.
Keeps Your Business up and Running
If your network systems go down for any reason, your business’s performance can be affected, costing you money. Performing a cybersecurity audit can help you find any vulnerabilities in your systems to prevent any interruptions in your business. As a result, you can build a business continuity plan so you are prepared for a cyberattack or disaster that could knock your business offline.
Keep Your Policies up to Date
As a business, you probably collect and save customer data. As data privacy laws continue to evolve, your business must adapt to protect customer data. A cybersecurity audit can help you update your policies and find where you need to make improvements to ensure your customers are protected.
Protects Your Investment
In 2020, cyberattacks cost businesses about $2.7 billion. Although hiring a third party or IT specialist to conduct an audit for you will cost you, a cyberattack could cost your business more to fix any damages and in the long run as it hurts your business’s reputation.
Conduct a Cybersecurity Audit Today
A cybersecurity audit allows for a proactive approach to your business’s security. You can reduce your vulnerabilities and improve your policies to protect your business. Follow best practices like conducting a regular audit to get the most out of your efforts.
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