DOES YOUR COMPUTER NEED A FLU JAB?

Technology companies are fast becoming one of Ireland’s top business areas, with many worldwide tech companies choosing our little island on which to set up shop. It’s not surprising then that technology is everywhere, a huge part of our everyday lives from getting us to work to business meetings and finding that perfect recipe for dinner (not to mention firing up Netflix) when you get home. It is often not until we attempt an ‘unplugged’ day that we realise just how big a part it has to play. With that in mind, it would stand to reason that we should look after these new extensions of our business so that they don’t come down with “an awful dose” as the Irish Mammy would say, or become the target of an attack.

Recently Rob Sadowski, director of marketing at security company RSA has spoken out about the need for tech security in businesses, stating that it is now a major security challenge for companies having to detect and respond to technological threats. Many companies do not utilise the security systems at their disposal for their technology, with some not having any installed anti-virus software, or as Sadowski states “defences built for yesterday’s IT”. Many companies also fail to have the correct staff to deal with these threats. When we think about the information stored on these machines, it would be wise to ensure that our technology is as protected as possible.

In this technical age, our computers are always at risk of various threats, as evidenced by our overflowing SPAM and junk mail folders that seem never ending. If your company is one of the many that still has a primary focus on outdated IT security systems and antivirus software, Sadowski suggests moving into a mode of preparation. Ensuring that your data is as protected from any outside threat as possible will be far more beneficial to your company than running that daily antivirus software. One of the primary methods of achieving this is to ensure that your company has well-trained and knowledgeable IT specialists who can identify threats and possible attacks in order to limit issues.

A recent RSA survey found that less than 10% of companies felt that they could detect a threat quickly enough whilst 90% admitted to not having the facilities to investigate these threats before they became an issue. This survey also showed that it is not merely the bigger companies who find themselves targeted, but also smaller companies and companies storing various forms of data other than financial. It was also found that smaller companies can be attacked as a gateway to a larger partner.

This might all seem very ‘doom and gloom’, but with our technology advancing and becoming more of an integral part of everyday and business life, it is important to ensure that safeguards are in place.

If you have any queries or require our assistance in budgeting for your own IT security team, please don’t hesitate to contact us here at DCA Accountants where we will be happy to help.