The Overall Increase In Cyber Security Necessities
It seems like every year there is a new must-have security measure in place. Whether it is changing your password every thirty days, or requiring a one-time authentication code, or mandatory two factor authentication for some websites, the IT security industry is constantly trying to outwit the cyber criminals that are constantly nipping at the heels of unwitting victims.
There’s no question that people consider cyber security to be important. However, the difference lies in how far people and companies are willing to go to ensure that they have a secure infrastructure and environment. The fact that many companies don’t even have a solid backup strategy in place shows that while they consider security important, they seem to think that it is something that won’t happen to them.
There’s No Such Thing As Perfect Code
Why is it so hard to have a perfectly secure computer system? The answer lies in the fact that code is written by humans, and humans simply can’t write perfect code. Perfect code is impossible in part because it can be impossible to even get two people to agree on what perfect code even is or looks like. These same people could have totally different ideas. It is estimated that the industry average is approximately 15-20 errors per 1000 lines of code. And that is a lot!
Beyond just code, software and applications have architecture and design that has been developed by humans, and thus are imperfect. It is hard for one person or even a team of people to conceive of every possible way a line of code or vulnerability could be exploited.
Why Systems Can Never Be 100% Secure
Because of how complex computers are, and the fact that they are made up of components that have been designed by different teams in different ways, it is almost impossible to make everything completely secure. Even software that runs in the OS has millions or billions of possible different interactions depending on how users decide to run them. These can never all be accounted for.
Our computers are modern Frankensteins of highly complex code and hardware, and no two computers are even the same given tiny manufacturing variables or defects.
There was even the case recently where a Chinese computer hardware manufacturer secretly installed tiny chips no bigger than a grain of rice on hardware destined for computers in the United States Government. Even the supply chain cannot be entirely controlled given that it is run by humans.
Best Cyber Security Policy Precautions And Best Practices
Security isn’t really an absolute – you aren’t either insecure or totally secure. There is a gradient, and it pays to ensure that you’re striving to be on the “more secure” end of the spectrum.
If you’re running a business with a small IT team, outsourcing your IT security to a managed IT company can free up a lot of resources and give you the best bang for your buck. These companies have seen it all and keep their finger on the pulse of the latest in terms of threats. This is something that your in-house IT team might have a hard time with if they are also tasked with keeping the computer infrastructure running and assisting employees with computer issues.
You can also have a cyber security policy that is too invasive – if employees get sick of dealing with blocked websites and features, they will likely try to disable firewall features. A balance of security and usability will provide the best environment for everyone involved.
How Having A Solid Backup Is The Best Security
By ensuring that your business and computers are as up to date and secured as possible within reason and you are following as many cyber security best practices that you can, you can also beef up your security by ensuring that you have an adequate backup and disaster recovery plan in place. This ensures that even if you do suffer a breach you can recover without loss of sensitive data or have to endure too much costly downtime. The costs of breaches such as ransomware attacks can be truly astronomical.
Establishing Better IT Security
If you’re a Southern California business that wants to improve their overall cyber security presence and strategy, then AMA Networks can provide a wide array of managed IT solutions. From deciding on the best firewall for small businesses to setting up a proper backup strategy, AMA Networks can customize a plan for your business while taking into account your growth and future goals. Contact us today for a free assessment.