Not surprisingly, cybersecurity tops the list as a priority for 2023. According to Red Hat’s 2023 Tech Outlook report, the need for cybersecurity investments was cited as a priority across a variety of technology categories including cloud infrastructure, big data and analytics, and automation. Network security and cloud security were the top two funding priorities, according to the report, which surveyed 1,703 IT leaders worldwide.
Prioritizing Security in 2023
The key is to identify areas that make the biggest impact and protect them in the best way possible. Here are some simple areas for consideration:
- Understand Your Environment
Take stock of your environment to understand the various devices and systems you have in place and where your valuable data resides. - Train Staff
Employees are often the weakest link in protecting against cyber threats. The human element (e.g., falling for phishing, clicking on a link or simple human error) continues to drive security incidents, contributing to 82% of breaches in 2022. - Implement Security Defenses
Security technologies will give you a great defense to safeguard against the many attack vectors bad actors use. There are some universal items to include on your checklist that are easy to implement and cost-effective. - Maintain a Solid Security Hygiene
Continually backing up data and keeping up-to-date with your software and patching is a good habit to protect against vulnerabilities. - Prepare a Response Plan
In the event of a successful attack, having a plan in place will help you act quickly and efficiently to involve the right people, take the necessary actions and mitigate the damage.
Need help organizing and/or creating a security plan? BMT has the tools and expertise to help you put together an executable plan – our Safeguards Compliance Assessment will make sure you have what is needed to protect personal and client information going forward.
