Better security = more clients
Make your organisational security a selling point.
In today's digital age, businesses face a constant and evolving threat from cyber attacks. In order to protect themselves and their clients, businesses need a comprehensive security approach that covers all aspects of their IT infrastructure.
At HostedTech, as a Microsoft partner, we specialize in securing businesses using Microsoft 365 and Azure services, and regularly help businesses align their security model to numerous security and compliance frameworks such as Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) Essential 8. In this blog post, we'll discuss how having a comprehensive security approach can be a selling point for businesses trying to win new clients, and how the ACSC Essential 8 can help guide this approach.
The ACSC Essential 8 is a set of strategies that organizations can use to mitigate the most common cyber security threats. The guidance is based on the experience and knowledge of the ACSC and is regularly updated to reflect the latest threats and trends in cyber security. The Essential 8 is not a prescriptive set of rules, but rather a set of best practices that organizations can use to guide their security approach.
By aligning with the ACSC Essential 8, businesses can demonstrate to their clients that they take data security seriously and have a comprehensive approach to mitigating the most common cyber threats. This can be a key selling point for businesses trying to win new clients, particularly in industry verticals where data security is of utmost importance like government, finance, retail and heavy industry and power generation.
So, what are the ACSC Essential 8 strategies? Here's a brief overview:
Application whitelisting: Ensuring that only approved applications can run on systems.
Patch applications: Ensuring that software is up-to-date with the latest security patches.
Disable untrusted Microsoft Office macros: Disabling macros in Microsoft Office applications, unless they are from a trusted source.
User application hardening: Ensuring that users have limited privileges to prevent the installation or execution of malicious code.
Restrict administrative privileges: Ensuring that only authorized personnel have administrative privileges.
Patch operating systems: Ensuring that operating systems are up-to-date with the latest security patches.
Multi-factor authentication: Requiring multi-factor authentication for all users to access sensitive data.
Daily backups: Ensuring that all critical data is backed up on a daily basis.
By implementing these strategies, businesses can significantly reduce their risk of falling victim to cyber attacks. However, it's important to note that the Essential 8 is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and that businesses should adapt the guidance to suit their specific needs and risks.
By taking a comprehensive approach to security, and aligning with the ACSC Essential 8, businesses can not only protect their sensitive data, but also demonstrate their commitment to data security to potential clients, giving them a competitive edge in the market.
At HostedTech, we can work closely with your businesses to develop a comprehensive security approach that aligns with the ACSC Essential 8 guidance. We’ll identify your specific risks and vulnerabilities, and develop strategies to mitigate them.