These days, hackers seem to be rifer than ever. They’re continually coming up with more sophisticated and new ideas for breaking into systems, stealing data, obtaining funds, and more.
Every business leader needs to take digital security very seriously, whether you’re a small business owner, handle CISO security for a large organization, or operate anywhere in between.
However, with so many products on the market now, too, it’s often challenging trying to settle on the best options to suit your needs. There are multiple factors to consider.
Reputation and customer testimonials and reviews
Start by considering which companies have been around for a while and garnered a solid and positive reputation. The firms with a reputation to uphold tend to work harder to keep satisfying clients and hone their products, processes, and customer service more and more over the years.
Also, while no firms that become large and well-known ever escape getting negative feedback, look for those that have received an overwhelming majority of positive ones. Read a bunch of customer testimonials and reviews to see what people say. Avoid choosing digital security products from companies that get a high percentage of critical feedback, especially if it’s recent or doesn’t seem like the business actions the issues that crop up for its clients.
Hype and claims
On the other hand, be wary of companies with a lot of hype about them that might be self-generated. Anyone can say that their business is the best and the results they produce are this, this, and this, but that doesn’t mean it’s the truth. Investigate a little further as needed and take note of claims that seem too good to be true.
Don’t be afraid to contact the customer service teams of the providers you’re considering to ask for clarification about their assertions on what their products provide and evidence of their claims.
Features and scalability
Of course, one of the significant factors that will come into your decision about which security software to invest in is what kinds of features are available. It pays to purchase a product that covers against all types of digital threats, such as viruses, spyware, spam, ransomware, and other types of malware.
You want an option that gets updated as often as needed by the developer to plug any security gaps, protects your privacy online, and sends you real-time threat alerts. You may need to find a program that covers several devices simultaneously, provides cloud and network security, features a built-in or additional firewall, and boasts data loss prevention.
Also, learn what type of reporting is available and how often, as you’ll want to keep a close eye on how well you’re being protected and the threats that emerge over time. Plus, determine if the customer support and product training, if required, is to the degree you seek or not.
Learn about the flexibility of plans and if security companies can scale to keep up with your business. It pays to talk to your Chief Information Security Officer about your organization’s specific CISO security needs, as they’re likely to know about services you need to be covered that you may not think of. Alternatively, get them to research digital security products and recommend one.
Your current and future goals
Before picking a security software provider, stop and think about your goals. You want the product to protect your business against digital threats, but you need something else. What would success look like to you in the online protection realm? Have this nutted out so you can share your success criteria with different vendors and include related elements into your service contract.
Potential conflicts of interest
Many don’t consider potential conflicts of interest when comparing digital security products. However, if a company monitors and protects your networks and systems, it shouldn’t be the business that audits your security strategies’ effectiveness. It’s best to have two separate providers, one to handle security and related IT consulting, where applicable, and another that operates as an auditor.
These functions are separate and should be conducted independently if you want to receive unbiased feedback and better protect your organization from online threats.
When engaging a security firm to help protect your business, there is much to consider. Remember that the right company will become one of your much-valued partners and give you and your team the assurance you need to go ahead and concentrate on what you do best.
