In the midst of all this excitement, though, it’s crucial not to lose sight of the fundamentals.
Information security is a growing area of concern – and the technologies that safeguard your data deliver their best performance when you have high speed internet. Even “state of the art” software can falter if it doesn’t have the necessary infrastructure.
That can render many of your most costly security investments moot.
Data Security Is A Big Budget Item For Businesses In Florida And Elsewhere
Cybersecurity budgets rose by an explosive 141% between 2010 and 2018.
The biggest category of security spending today is on services, including software that helps monitor and manage security risks on the network. The arrival of AI means many companies are implementing “smart” Network Traffic Analysis tools that evaluate data traffic as it arrives. These tools gradually learn traffic patterns over time, which enables them to home in on cleverly disguised cyberattacks.
The problem: Unlike so much of today’s software, advanced security tools do not live only in the cloud. Because they must analyze traffic that runs through your corporate network, they rely in part on the speed of your internal connections. High speed internet enables them to recognize problems faster.
In effect, the “feedback loop” that keeps you safe is limited by the top speed of your internet connection. And that’s not true exclusively with groundbreaking, AI-driven software: You can see the same effect for many products and services related to protecting your network.
High Speed Internet Enables Your Network Protection Tools To Work Together
Even if you have the most powerful network boundary protection around, don’t forget many of your other network security features rely on high speeds and robust bandwidth. A true “defense in depth” strategy means multiple security processes are always happening behind the scenes.
Many applications involved in network security also work together. If your email program flags an unsafe attachment, for example, it may send a signal that causes your antivirus software to review recent traffic and see if anyone else on the network has interacted with the attachment.
Then, if it detects the file has been opened somewhere on the network, several different apps may work together to push notifications to the user and your IT team. At the same time, traffic from the affected computer may be shut down so that the hardware can be taken offline for inspection.
All the following services do their best work when you couple them with high speed internet:
Your Managed Data Backups
Data backup and recovery is the best way to protect yourself against today’s most devastating threat: Ransomware. Ransomware encrypts your data files, making it impossible to retrieve them without a “key” provided by the criminal involved. The best defense is frequent backup of all your indispensable data so affected files can be replaced. With high speed internet, you can get it done faster and more frequently.
Your Email Management Software
Email management is a sophisticated, integrated approach to business class communication. It not only makes it easier for your personnel to reach “Inbox Zero,” but identifies and acts on email threats – often before users are aware of them. This requires ongoing evaluation of threat “footprints” compared to your own network activity, so high speed internet makes it even more effective.
Your Anti-Virus And Anti-Malware
You already know that anti-virus and anti-malware keeps you safe from what might amount to thousands of attacks every day. To do it, the software must remain up-to-date. Managed anti-virus services from a cloud IT provider mean this is all done for you. If you are still manually managing your own anti-virus and patches, however, high speed internet ensures you can download and apply the latest updates fast.
Your PC and Mac Hardware
PC and Mac support can now be automated with continuous monitoring. Your managed IT support team can tap into the latest performance statistics and resolve problems as they arise. Even if you outsource all support, however, high speed internet still helps: It enables fast, lossless Remote Desktop connections that allow your outside team to get computers up and running more quickly.
Your Business Phone System
Believe it or not, even a modern business phone system needs to be part of your network protection plan. The speed and quality of a VoIP phone system is second to none, but it means your phones must be able to communicate over the network. The recent wave of Zoom bombing attacks shows people are looking for ways to exploit video conferencing features that now come standard with many phone systems.
Your Mobile Devices
Does your company allow employees to use their own smartphones, tablets, or laptops for certain business tasks? If so, high speed internet on your company network is key. Compliance software can quickly scan new devices as they come online and ensure they are secure enough to be used.
Your People
Last, but certainly not least, your people benefit from high speed internet. Every task is affected by it. And when systems slow down, people do their best to work around them – which can open up the gates to all kinds of security mishaps. Fast, convenient systems mean procedures are more likely to be followed.
High Speed Internet Means Greater Reaction Time In An Uncertain World
In a world where even charging cables can be dangerous, it’s vital to take the right precautions.
There’s never a good time to be caught behind the curve, and if you don’t have high speed internet, many of your competitors are operating twice as fast as you are. That includes the “invisible” rivals who are out there looking for ways to steal your valuable company data.
High speed internet can minimize your security risks while giving you the opportunity for unprecedented business performance. Atlantic Communications Team implements secure and trusted T1 data lines for our clients, giving you complete control over the backbone of your company network.
For more than three decades, our company has provided the most stable and efficient business computing technology in Central Florida. We understand how technology – and the threats that come with it – have evolved, and we’ll deliver networking services that keep you safer online.
To learn more about high speed internet from trusted experts, contact us today.