With the rise in cybercrime as a result of our reliance on technology, everyone is starting to wonder who is going to attack them and who is going to protect them.

The advice in this situation is to go to the experts in IT security. However, it’s not always easy to find these experts, and some companies might find themselves in the financial situation where they can’t hire their own IT security expert to advise them on ongoing trends in security.

While you shouldn’t denounce experts who work in IT security (they do a really important job in keeping all of us safe), it’s hard to find the support you need when security solutions are not your main focus, and you might not be able to afford the solutions that you see on the market.

Fortunately, if you have an IT support team, whether it is internal or external, they can help you with the foundations of IT security that you need so that you can sleep better at night.

Of course, having as much security as you can is always better, but it is always good for an IT department to walk you through the basics so that you can understand why everything is safer.

But IT Support Is Meant To Fix My Computers!

A lot of people look at IT support and think that all they do is fix computers. After all, you never do think much about IT support until something goes wrong.

But just as you wouldn’t say that your industry only does one thing, IT support is a lot more than just broken computers.

After all, almost everything can be stripped down to one simple job if we really tried to do that.

IT support looks after the company’s IT. It does fix computer problems when they occur, but they are also responsible for system maintenance, upgrades and software implementation.

Your IT support will also consist of people who are very knowledgeable in technology. This is different from someone who has worked with computers or is “more technologically savvy” than you are.

These are people who are trained in a certain area (in this case, information technology) and know how to deal with the problems that technology will often run into. This goes beyond DIY knowledge and into more technical realms.

That’s not to say there’s no room for DIY. But just as you would tell your customers that leaving things to experts is most likely the right decision, IT experts say the same thing.

Whether it’s implementing simple backups or creating the right system for your needs, your IT support team knows this better than simple DIY experts.

How Can IT Support Help Me With Security?

IT support teams and individuals know how technology works, and also how to catch basic threats before they hurt you.

This sounds obvious, but with a rise in DIY knowledge and a sudden mistrust in expertise because it’s “too expensive”, many people choose not to rely on an expert and instead take matters into your own hands.

To be fair, this isn’t always a bad decision. Sometimes, something as simple as getting a bilingual keyboard setting isn’t something that requires expert help, but just knowing how to find (and configure) it on a computer.

When it comes to things like file protection and anti-virus programs, it’s not always black-and-white, which is why it is good for an expert to come in and help you with this.

As IT support teams are constantly learning new ways to help your business run smoother, they know how to implement basic security steps that are right for your business. Since they’re looking from an outside perspective, they know how to protect your systems in the best way possible.

This can be as simple as configuring the right anti-virus software to identifying the cloud programs that would best suit the company’s operations. It can also extend to training users on simple IT security practices.

You’re paying your IT support team to help you with IT, so make the most of your investment and have them help you outline a simple security plan. You might even find that with a bit of investment on your end, you can get a solid security solution that protects you against industry threats.

Don’t just wait until your computer breaks down, or when your company is the victim of an attack, to call in IT support. Their job is to act as your IT department, and it’s much easier to prevent fires before they start rather than put existing ones out.

Can’t I Just Teach My Employees Better Security Practices?

A lot of IT security falls on the responsibility of the user of the system. After all, even the best security systems are useless if you let a robber into your home, or in this case, your company files.

That’s why a lot of companies start talking about the value of IT education, whether it’s teaching employees about IT security training they can do themselves, or teaching them how to properly use software so that they understand how to use it without leaving themselves at risk.

However, even the best employees will sometimes make a mistake or two. Even if you somehow replaced all of your employees with AI, they will encounter a situation that they are unable to adapt to.

Security is all about layers, which will discourage attackers from spending their time trying to get to their ultimate goal after all the trouble. The more you can apply, the better. It doesn’t have to be an excruciating task either.

It just means that while education is important, there are still more things you have to do before you can truly say you’re safe. And in the world of IT, you always have to think about future threats.

Think of it like a mouse infestation. It’s easy to teach people how to prevent it, but even following all the advice and tips isn’t going to be enough to fully prevent a mouse infestation. Pest control experts would have to seal up your home and make sure there are no entrances.

Even then, there’s no guarantee that the mice in your home might have another way of getting inside your home, either through an entrance they make themselves or you accidentally bringing a mouse inside.

You will feel much safer if it is harder for mice to come in, and if you have experts who come in and take a look, give you advice and tell you how they will continue to monitor your house to make sure you are as mouse-free as possible.

Now the counter argument will be that the last point only happens if you continue to pay pest control, which not everyone is keen to do.

The good news is, you do this with your IT support team anyway, so it is something you can ask them.

If you’re paying money for your IT support (and let’s face it, you most likely are), get the most value out of it by talking with them and having constructive conversations about what you can do.

IT Support Can Protect Your Company

IT support can fix your computers. They have done that before, can do that now and will always be able to do that.

But keep in mind, when you decided to work with an IT department, you didn’t hire a bunch of people who could fix computers.

You hired a team of individuals who knew how to manage and take care of your IT, making sure that you could focus on your business, while staying informed on how to prevent threats from endangering your business.

Talk to them today and work a plan out for the future. It’s never too late.

If they’re not interested in talking about it, well, maybe it’s time to find someone else who is concerned about your business security and your interests like we do at MSP Blueshift.

Don’t hesitate to call us at 1300 501 677 for a look at your IT today!