What is cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity is the process of protecting your networks, systems, devices, and programs from cyber-attacks. In a nutshell, Cybersecurity is your organization’s way of protecting the company, employees, customers, and students from the plots that hackers are trying to implement.

Cybersecurity Challenges

Private schools and small-medium businesses face plenty of challenges when it comes to implementing cybersecurity. According to a study by the Ponemon Institute, only 14% of small businesses rate their ability to mitigate cyber risks and attacks as highly effective. That’s because many of them face roadblocks in cybersecurity that seem insurmountable.

Limited IT Budget

Private schools and small businesses don’t have the luxury of spending too much on their IT budget. It’s a constant struggle to find the balance between growing the company and keeping it running optimally. Unfortunately, that often leaves very little left to invest in cybersecurity.

 

In a study by Insurance Bee, 83% of SMBs have no funds set aside to deal with a cyber-attack. 

That could be a costly error for SMBs, especially considering that remediating a ransomware attack could cost you an average of $2 million. 

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

Smartphones and bring your own device (BYOD) policies can provide a wide range of benefits for SMBs. In a survey conducted by Cisco, 69% of IT decision-makers in the US see BYOD policies in a positive light because they can improve productivity, mobility, and efficiency. On the other hand, it also increases your risk for cyber-attacks. That’s because while BYOD policies are convenient, it also increases the number of endpoints you need to cover.  Things like data leaks, phishing scams, and other cyber-attacks become more common the more unsecured devices are connected to your network. 

Cybersecurity Skills Gap

The cybersecurity industry has a serious skill shortage that has not been addressed for years. That means you’ll be hard-pressed to find the right people for the job of managing your security because skilled professionals are scarce. In a study by Ninja RMM, three out of four small businesses have admitted that they do not have the necessary IT personnel to handle IT security. 


More so than budget constraints, businesses are struggling to get the right people for the role even when they said that they were prioritizing cybersecurity and had put aside a budget for it.