Rob Norton, CTO at Paradyn, outlines 6 things to look out for when choosing a top cybersecurity company.
Cybersecurity issues are becoming a day-to-day struggle for businesses. Unfortunately, cybercrime shows no signs of slowing down either, with the volume of phishing emails and attacks targeting remote workers growing significantly this year. Given the scale of damage a cyber breach can cause to your company’s finances and reputation, it’s essential that businesses have an effective security and risk management solution in place. Turning to a top cybersecurity company is the answer for many.
Sourcing and retaining the IT talent needed to implement and maintain a comprehensive security solution isn’t feasible for most organisations. Rather than employing in-house cybersecurity staff, the norm is now to outsource this function to a specialist cybersecurity provider – a far more cost-effective option for the majority of organisations.
While a cybersecurity partner can help to keep your business’s (and your customers’) data protected against cyber-attacks, the sheer number of providers out there can make choosing a specific provider difficult. Here are six things to look out for to ensure that you choose a top cybersecurity company:
1. What are your cybersecurity needs?
Before scouring the websites of every cybersecurity company out there, first focus on defining your organisation’s exact security needs. Almost every organisation will require basic security features like a firewall, anti-virus protection and back-up solution, while more advanced technology solutions can take your protection to the next level.
Top cybersecurity companies will first conduct an IT security assessment or audit to determine what are your core risks and greatest areas of weakness. From the results, you can determine exactly what data needs to be protected, where it should be stored and who has access to it. This stage should always come before implementing security solutions so you know you are only paying for the level of security your company actually requires.
2. What range of cybersecurity services are on offer?
Today’s cybercriminals will attempt a range of attack methods to bypass your company’s security measures. Cybercriminals don’t limit their focus to one vector of attack, so neither should your cybersecurity provider. It’s crucial that your cybersecurity company offers a range of services and can provide a multifaceted security solution, including services like network security, cloud security, compliance, device management and data security.
3. What partnerships and certifications does a top cybersecurity company have?
When researching the various technologies a cybersecurity company offers, also take the time to review the partnerships they have, ideally with leading global technology vendors. This can help to ensure that you will gain access to the most cutting-edge cybersecurity technology solutions. It’s also worth examining what levels of affiliation and accreditation the company has with these vendors. Certified partners will be able to demonstrate a proven track record of successfully implementing these technologies, distinguishing them from those without certifications.
4. What level of availability can you expect?
Cyber attacks often occur during out-of-office hours, when it’s unlikely the IT team will be around to quickly investigate issues. Cybersecurity companies with a dedicated network and security operations centre can provide 24/7 network monitoring so your business remains protected at all times.
Likewise, communication with your security provider is key to success, so prioritise those who have high-levels of support availability. As well as being on hand to help with any technical issues, support teams who are readily contactable will improve your relationship with your cybersecurity partner. This will help them to better understand your needs so they can make tweaks over time to get the very best out of your cybersecurity setup.
5. Are the cybersecurity solutions scalable?
Another factor worth considering is the scalability of the services and solutions offered by the cybersecurity company. Every business is on a journey, and your exact cyber needs will evolve and change over time. For example, if you are planning to open new locations or expand to new markets, question cybersecurity providers in advance to determine whether the proposed security model is capable of scaling in line with your own business growth plans, without causing major disruption.
6. What experience does the cybersecurity firm have?
Finally, when doing your due diligence on a cybersecurity firm, take a look at the experience of both the company itself and its team. Top cybersecurity companies with experience in your industry could be a great fit. If possible, check to see if they have had customers in a similar field to you. As well as reviewing the legacy of the company, review and ask its senior management team about their experience and examples of relevant work they have done which provides insight into their capabilities.
Paradyn is one of Ireland’s top cybersecurity companies and we continually strive to enhance our cybersecurity offering for customers. We recently announced the launch of our dedicated network and security operations centre, the Paradyn TotalView Operations Centre, to grant customers a complete overview of their infrastructure and the cyber threat landscape. If you’d like to know more about the breadth of our cybersecurity offerings, please contact us today to speak with a member of our team.
 | Rob Norton Chief Technical Officer, Paradyn Rob has been in the Technology industry for over 20 years and brings technical experience in Networking, Systems & Software Development to Exigent. As Paradyn’s Chief Technical Officer, he has responsibility for the Technical solutions developed by the business. Rob is one of the founding members of Exigent Networks and has achieved extensive ICT certifications from leading global vendors like Cisco, Citrix, F5 and fixed wireless manufacturers Ceragon and SAF. Rob has deep technical roots in B2B infrastructure, SaaS technologies and Hybrid IT solutions covering all aspects of Paradyns business. . |
