How IT Technicians Can Help Your Business Against Cyber Threats 2024

Cyber threats are one of the growing concerns for any company of any magnitude amidst today’s digitization. These attacks can range from stealing critical information to bringing down a business’s operation. 

According to a report by Cybersecurity Ventures, cybercrime will cost the world $10.5 trillion in damages, a giant leap from the $3 trillion recorded in 2015. Companies depend on these IT technicians to keep their systems safe and sound from such threats.

Installation and Maintenance of Security Software

Proper security software is installed to prepare the company for such threats fully. IT technicians at the workplace install and update programs like antivirus, firewalls, and anti-malware that are needed within a computer system to block viruses and prevent hackers from viewing information.

Firewalls, for instance, set a blockade between an enterprise’s internal network and the Internet, ensuring that no unauthorized user gets access to it. IT technicians then update this software regularly to ensure that everything is operating correctly and taking care of new threats. Without such protections, companies would be more at risk of being attacked.

Essential Security Software IT Technicians Use:

• Antivirus programs to detect and remove malicious software.
• Firewalls to block unauthorized access.
• Encryption software for the protection of sensitive data.

These tools help IT technicians outsmart any cybercriminal and keep a company ahead.

Monitoring Networks for Suspicious Activity

Cyber threats can also emanate from within a company’s network and not solely from the outside. IT technicians monitor the network to ensure that strange activities are found and reported using tools that track network traffic to alert them when something seems unusual.

For example, a computer suddenly sending large amounts of data to an unknown source may be a warning sign of a cyberattack. IT technicians can trace and stop the attack before serious harm is caused to the system.

Still, network monitoring will also help IT technicians realize several weaknesses within the company’s system so that they can easily fix the problems before they are hacked.

Cybersecurity Employee Education

Human factor risks are among the most potential risks to information security in an organization. Most cyberattacks happen just because an employee clicks on a malicious link or downloads a destructive file. IT technicians have a big responsibility to inform employees how to stay safe online and avoid the most common cyber threats.

IT technicians train other employees on such things as:

• How to recognize phishing emails that trick people into giving away sensitive information.
• The importance of strong passwords and how to create them.

It is necessary to periodically update software for better system security.

With this education, they build a company-wide culture of awareness about cybersecurity. This makes it much more difficult for hackers to use simple tricks to penetrate the company’s system.

Backup of Significant Data

No matter how advanced a company’s cybersecurity defenses may be, there is always one way or another that a cyberattack can be launched. That being said, this further reiterates the importance of backups for all critical data. Cyber Technicians regularly back up the company’s files and store them in safe locations like the cloud or external servers.

These, in turn, are backups that enable business recovery of data in ransomware or other types of cyber-attacks that lock a company out of its files without necessarily paying a ransom. Secondly, backups protect against accidental loss, such as when files are mistakenly deleted.

In other words, having a good backup system means that the company can continue to function even after a cyberattack.

Responding to Cybersecurity Incidents

When a cyberattack occurs, IT teams are the first line of defense. They respond quickly to stop the threat and reduce as much damage as possible. This may involve isolating affected computers, shutting down network parts, or removing harmful software.

Once the immediate threat is contained, IT technicians seek to understand how the attack occurred and will find ways to prevent it from happening again. This could be done by updating security software, patching vulnerabilities, or even reworking company security policy to better protect the business.

Conclusion

IT technicians play a crucial role in protecting businesses from cyber threats. They install security software, monitor networking, educate employees, back up data, and respond to incidents. Since the risk of cybercrimes keeps growing each day, the need for skilled IT technicians is higher than ever.
Visit us today at Northwest Career College and enroll in our IT Technician Program to learn how to prevent companies from being affected by cyber threats. Our program will provide the skills and knowledge you’ll need to thrive in this growing field!