5 Eye-Opening IT Takeaways from 2020

Between the global COVID-19 pandemic, subsequent economic recession and social distancing measures, 2020 has been a year to remember. With most of the workforce propelled into a world of remote work, it was also a year that accelerated digital adoption. There have been a lot of lessons learned, particularly in information technology. Let’s review 5 of these lessons.

1.     Security Took a Backseat

COVID-19, and the subsequent lockdowns, took place seemingly overnight. And IT departments across the nation scrambled to mobilize their entire organizations and continue operations while working remotely. No small feat. In the battle between operations and security, operations took precedence, leaving organizations vulnerable to cyberattacks. As months went by and the work-from-home (WFH) model became the new normal, many IT departments redirected resources to ensure proper security protocols.

Can criminals hack your organization?

Take advantage of our complimentary security audit to find out if your security measures are up to par in protecting your organization against endless and evolving cyberthreats.

2.     Increased Adoption of Technological Tools and Platforms

As teams pivoted to virtual workplaces, but they turned to a wide range of technological tools: from team collaboration to project management software to video-conferencing platforms. These virtual products helped to streamline, automate and connect companies. However, while these tools were a positive advancement and resulted in heightened productivity and increased efficiencies, they came with substantial risk. Every new tool and platform provided additional entry points for cybercriminals. Advanced security data protection has never been more important, as this article demonstrates.

How can you ensure minimal downtime?

Having a managed IT service provider that offers disaster recovery and back-up support is a good start. Compass Computing Group’s partner Axcient provides comprehensive backups, flexible cloud storage and migration as necessary.

3.     Working from Home – Does IT Work?

It has been widely predicted that, once the pandemic is in our collective rearview mirror, employees can safely return to their traditional offices and workspaces, but they won’t do so in the same manner as pre-COVID. These recent statistics paint a picture:

• An astounding 99% of remote workers want to continue in some manner of remote work post-pandemic.
• 74% of organizations are currently planning on a permanent move to WFH models after COVID.
• 77% of employees report being more productive when working remotely.
• The WFH model provides cost savings for both employees and employers – 30% of workers report savings of over $5,000 annually, and employers save an average of $11,000 per year for each part-time telecommuter.

On a less upbeat note, 54% of IT professionals feel that a greater security risk exists with remote workers. Educated employees and managed IT services solutions can help mitigate these increased security risks.

Security awareness training is a critical component in ensuring a stable and secure working environment. Your average employee, while well intentioned, just doesn’t understand how vulnerable they are to cyberattacks, which, in turn, can compromise your organization’s entire IT framework. Compass Computing Group, in partnership with Webroot, offers network security training as part of our managed service plan.

Remote work is here to stay, and businesses need to ensure they have the proper processes and standards in place to support this new reality and its accompanying vulnerabilities.

4.     The Great Reveal

For businesses forced to pivot to remote work, 2020 was a true test in agility. One of the silver linings of this pivot was that businesses learned of gaps and weaknesses in their data security and cybersecurity protocols, providing valuable opportunities for corrections. Can your organization afford to wait until cybercriminals expose and exploit one of these gaps or weaknesses? The global cost of cybercrime is forecasted to reach $11.4 million per minute by 2021. Don’t get caught. Take control of your cybersecurity needs today.

How can your organization ensure their protection?

Compass Computing Group is partnered with SentinelOne, the leading antivirus software built specifically to service telecommuters. By using AI (artificial intelligence), SentinelOne detects and resolves every single cyberthreat that comes your organization’s way. If that doesn’t give you peace of mind, then their $1 million warranty surely will.

5.     A Global Pandemic Doesn’t Slow Down Cybercriminals

Did you know that between 75% and 90% percent of targeted cyberattacks begin with an email? In a time when co-workers can’t merely catch up on status updates over the water cooler, cybercriminals are taking advantage by gaining access to your network through email. The numbers are scary and eye opening:

• Cloud-based attacks increased 630% between January and April 2020.
• The average ransomware payment rose to $111,605, a 33% increase from the end of 2019.
• Phishing attempts increased 600% since February 2020.
• In March alone, ransomware attacks were up by 148%, and there was a 66% increase in visits to hacker forums and websites.

More than ever, your organization needs to take its cybersecurity seriously. The consequences of not doing so can be devastating. Through our managed service plans, Compass Computing Group can implement essential security measures, which include 24/7 monitoring and the system and security updates required to protect your business from sophisticated and relentless cyberattacks.

Make 2021 the Year You Do IT Right

Despite what the memes would have us believe, 2020 hasn’t been all doom and gloom. By learning 2020’s network security lessons, your organization is well positioned to make 2021 the year you do IT right.

The first step is to schedule a free disaster recovery, security and backup audit with Compass Computing Group. One of the leading tech companies in Portland, Compass will work with your organization to develop and execute a technology plan that will ensure you and your clients get state-of-the-art IT security and peace of mind. Let’s connect today.