Understanding the Cybersecurity Needs of Your SMB IT Security Clients

When some IT providers hear a potential client is a ‘small business’ their attitude is dismissive. They think that perhaps there is little or no budget or that there is scant technology, networks, or data to protect. Nothing could be further than the truth. According to the Small Business Administration, there are 32.5 million small businesses in the United States today that comprise 99.9% of the nation’s businesses overall. Of these, according to J.PMorgan Chase, 88% of these firms have under 20 employees. Small perhaps, but certainly mighty: Fundera states that smaller firms generate 64% of the new jobs in our country, an average of 1.5 million each year. Those figures alone should make every SMB IT security provider take notice. In this posting, we’ll underscore smaller enterprises’ cybersecurity requirements, the general lack of effective in-house talent, and how Converged Technology Group addresses them.

Not only do smaller enterprises generate employment, but this sector also generates revenue. For eCommerce businesses, this translates into millions of global financial transactions daily.  It is this potential for financial transaction globalization that makes them unsuspecting targets of cybercrime. Hackers are seeking to harvest transactions and other data for resale on the dark web. No, cyber criminals do not exclusively target multi-national businesses with tens to hundreds of thousands of employees. Small to mid-sized companies are far easier pickings. A prime vehicle that hackers use to infiltrate businesses is through emails and file sharing. 

That means while smaller enterprise decision makers are growing their businesses, cyberhackers are seeking ways to infiltrate their networks and hijack and/or destroy their data. Essentially, hackers work to create a breach that can effectively put the targeted firm at risk of liability or put them out of business. Their energies centrically-focused, smaller enterprises need to partner with a professional SMB IT security provider to effectively protect their customer’s proprietary data (i.e. credit cards and social security numbers) as well as their biggest asset- the business itself.

While a small business generates jobs, its own in-house IT staff may be insufficient to protect its networks. That is not to ‘throw shade’ at in-house teams. It is simply that budgetary limitations prevent management from providing adequate cyber protection tools, upgrades, overall system maintenance, and in the event of a breach, lack an effective recovery plan. As a leading SMB IT security provider, Converged Technology Group offers several levels of protection. Depending on individual business needs we offer co-managed, or fully-managed security services. This way our clients can opt for the plan and level of security that best fits both their system requirements and their budget. 

Let’s confirm another fact. Any business growth is not possible without its technology, therefore for its very survival, IT technology must be protected. As stated above, due to limited budgets adequate protection for their firm’s hardware maintenance, software, and IT support capabilities are generally beyond the reach of an in-house staff. Small business owners need to come to the realization that they require a fully-managed, therefore probably outsourced SMB IT security provider. To continue their business’ upward trajectory they will need assistance with technology purchase decisions, as well as with the monitoring and maintenance of every aspect of their technology. That is Converged Technology Group’s wheelhouse and we are the leading professionals at providing small to midsize businesses with the cybersecurity tools they require to succeed.

By now you are wondering- what exactly is an SMB IT security provider and how does SMB security meet my business’ ever-growing requirements? To stay on the same page, here are a few definitions first:

Protocol:  In IT this means a set of rules/procedures for transmitting data between devices such as computers, cell phones, and tablets. For these computers to exchange information there must be an understanding as to how that information will be structured and how each device sends and receives it.

SMB IT Security: The Server Message Block protocol (SMB protocol) is a client-server communication protocol for sharing access to files, printers, serial ports and other devices on a network. It also carries transaction protocols when consumers purchase goods online. SMB as it is known, has been widely implemented and continues to be the most popular solution for businesses to share files in their workplace. 

Dialects: A dialect of a programming language is a usually small language variation that does not change its basic nature.

So by simple definition, Converged Technology Group as a SMB IT Security provider initiates tools that allow applications and their users to access files on remote servers as well as to connect to other resources such as printers securely. It creates a controlled, safe environment for appropriate users to open, read, create, and update files on remote servers. The protocol also communicates with server programs that are configured to receive SMB client requests. This system is constantly updated via dialects to provide an effective file-sharing tool that can be monitored against security breaches.  

As your SMB Managed Services provider in the New York City and Nassau and Suffolk County regions on Long Island, we offer comprehensive business technology security services that include:Hardware support

• Network Performance including Updates
• Software Upgrades
• Extended IT resources
• Disaster Recovery Plans
• Cloud Storage and Integration
• Monitoring Data Breach Threats
• Mobile and remote connectivity
• Regulation compliance

We invite you, as your business’ decision maker(s), to contact our team to discuss your requirements and IT security concerns. We welcome the opportunity to meet with you and your IT staff. Our aim as an SMB Managed Services provider is to gain a complete understanding of your IT requirements. Once partnered, we will then devise a solution that means your technology security requirements today and tomorrow, all within your budget. Next, our service delivery team will implement your security solution rollout. Going forward your business will have effective technology security support to reduce the possibility of a cyber breach and steps, in the event of a breach, for a swift and positive resolution with minimal impact. 

Sounds good? Then schedule your confidential consultation today!