How Can I Protect My Company from a Cyber Attack?
By Sean Barden, Forward Systems
I was recently asked about the difference between a Full-service Managed Services Provider (or MSP) and a Break-Fix provider. Some IT consultants are what our industry calls Break-Fix consultants or technicians. What that means is that they are hired by companies to fix things after they break – things like restoring a firewall after a network outage or restoring systems after a data breach. The keyword here is AFTER. They are called after a problem, many with a delay in response, and many who bill an unknown amount until the invoice arrives. A full-service MSP works proactively and puts stopgaps in place BEFORE a problem happens, and most with fixed, predictable pricing.
In 2024, the global average cost of a data breach across all industries was $4.88 million (USD), and the financial industry alone reached as high as $6.08 million (USD), While they rank 22% higher than the global average, financial firms actually came in second to the healthcare industry. Let’s take a look at some of the ways your company can protect its customers, its employees and its longevity from a cyber attack.
Employee Training
According to the 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report from Verizon, roughly 60 percent of breaches are attributed to human error. Additionally, “synthetically generated text in malicious emails has doubled over the past two years… as 15% of employees were routinely accessing GenAI systems on their corporate devices (at least once every 15 days). Even more concerning, a large number of those were either using non-corporate emails as the identifiers of their accounts (72%) or were using their corporate emails without integrated authentication systems in place (17%), most likely suggesting use outside of corporate policy.”
Companies are finding employee training is not just an option, it’s a necessity. Small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in particular are the most common targets for malicious attacks, as many of these organizations do not invest as consistently in cybersecurity protection as larger companies. Consistent employee training is one of the most important steps to avoid a cyber attack, plus today there are affordable, customizable security plans available for all size businesses if you work with a scalable, full-service MSP.
Proactive Network, Email and Device Security/Monitoring
A full-service MSP can support your existing IT team, serve as a fractional CIO/CTO, or act as your complete IT team – whatever your organization’s need may be. The key is to put a cybersecurity plan in place to proactively protect your customer and employee data, and ultimately, your company’s success.
An experienced MSP monitors your networks, email accounts and devices to prevent attacks. Those with verified support teams are accessible, quick to respond and have solid measures in place to limit any exposure or downtime. Working with a proven MSP is just a good business practice and ultimately improves customer service, employee productivity and operational performance. According to a recent report from Accenture, “Organizations that closely align their cybersecurity programs to business objectives are 18% more likely to achieve target revenue growth and market share and improve customer satisfaction, as well as 26% more likely to lower the cost of cybersecurity breaches/incidents, on average.”
And Don’t Overlook Cybersecurity Insurance
Cybercriminal activity changes daily, and unless your company and its employees keep up with all system updates and patches, you may be the victim of a breach. For this reason, it is worth the investment to research cybersecurity insurance and ensure your organization is protected. Take a look at this short video I recently recorded to explain the importance of cybersecurity insurance.
Your Organization’s Next Steps
To properly protect your business, find an experienced IT service provider like Forward Systems that works proactively and puts stopgaps in place BEFORE a problem happens. Forward Systems serves as a partner to your organization to proactively monitor, maintain, and protect your business technology – everything from your network and servers to your employees’ computers and every screen in between. Not all providers are alike; make the decision today to invest in your company’s security by partnering with a well-respected, full-service provider like Forward Systems to ensure rapid response and no surprise fees. For more information, contact me directly at sbarden@forwardsystemsus.com, or visit www.forwardsystemsus.com.
