The Problem
2017 saw a record number of data breaches. From Equifax to Sony, hackers made it very clear that no organization, big or small, was safe. While to many small business owners the threat of cyber-attacks and data breaches may seem remote, in many ways it is far more relevant than they would like to imagine. In 2017 over 14 million small-midcap businesses suffered intrusions, breaches, and data loss as a result of bad actors. That means that over half of all U.S. small businesses were hacked. Despite the massive scale of cyber-attacks, only 2% of CNBC poll respondents listed cyber-attack as the principal threat to their business in 2017. This statistic is even more concerning when one understands the devastating nature of these attacks, 60% of small businesses go out of business within 1 year of a cyber-attack. Clearly, small business owners needed protection from a landscape of increasing cyber threats yesterday. However, the problem is only getting worse; everyday cyber threats proliferate while small-business information security practices languish. Hackers and malicious actors target small business for this exact reason; 90% of small businesses don’t use any form of data protection at all. Many business owners mistakenly believe that they are far too small to be put at risk from a cyber-attack. Many small businesses also believe they have nothing that a malicious actor might want. However, this is almost universally a mistaken belief. Small businesses store customer records, payroll, personally identifiable information, vendor lists, passwords, and many other sensitive records on their networks. It is evident that something must be done, but what?
The Solution: An MSSP
With the threat now contextualized many business owners may be at a loss for what to do. Anti-Virus alone clearly can’t cope with the constant barrage of attacks that malicious actors aim at small businesses. Hiring information-security staff is too cost prohibitive for many organizations since pay for even a single security analyst can approach six figures, but it should also be evident that things cannot remain as they are. The answer lies in the concept of Security as a Service. With a Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP), organizations have all the tools of a large internal professional security team for a price significantly lower than even business liability insurance. MSSP’s can perform many of the roles within an organization that typically only very large corporation could afford to consider. MSSPs can also provide a range of services from On-Demand CISO services to Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware services. These services are typically superior to any ad-hoc solutions since an MSSP can build a coherent cybersecurity program from the ground up. Since the MSSP is providing security for a wide range of institutions, the company can deliver the same services that an organization would have to hire an entire internal team of security professionals to match. This provides both peace of mind to the business owner and a significant reduction in the potential for catastrophic damage to the business; and all at a cost that is cheaper than hiring a single security analyst.
The ZenOpz Solution
ZenOpz MSSP is unique in the industry. Due to a lean but robust operation, extensive use of industry standard software, and a solid team of information security professionals; ZenOpz can deliver a wide array of Managed Security Services to small businesses for a fraction of what other MSSP’s charge. A small company can expect to be charged low monthly rates for services which will dramatically reduce the likelihood of a catastrophic cyber-attack. That not only beats hiring a team of internal professionals, it also beats just about every other Managed Security Service Provider out there. A second benefit to the ZenOpz approach is that the security approach is tailored to the individual business based on the sensitivity of the information, compliance requirements, and risk analysis. Other MSSP’s offer large packages that may include unnecessary features, or conversely under-protect key aspects of a business. The difference is akin to buying a suit; would you rather buy a suit off the rack that won’t have a perfect fit, or would you rather have a custom made bespoke suit that is perfectly tailored to fit. ZenOpz offers a wide range of services due to the diversity present within its workforce to ensure that it can cover ALL the potential security needs of a small-mid size business. Finally, ZenOpz offers around the clock service and support. If your company has a question, an incident, or concern ZenOpz staff are available, on the phone or by email, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Schedule a meeting with our team today. We can walk you through the terms of our service and our simple on-boarding process, as well as answer any questions you may have. You can also learn more about ZenOpz and our 360-Degree Review process by reading our Whitepaper, From Zero to 360 And Why It Matters.