This weeks discussion:

What are the costs and benefits of developing cybersecurity programs in business?

Almost everyday a new business is emerging and getting used to the everchanging effects of their new market. Cybersecurity is one of the most misunderstood, while important area of maintenance that will make or break the success of the new business. Which means having a smart and well informed cybersecurity specialist, who has already done research and extensive looking into with cybersecurity programs is a key point in the process. Some programs the specialists should recommend is firewalls, maintaining up-to-date software, creating effective policies, have monthly trainings for staff, and build a strong IT team. When even just doing some of those steps when building a strong and efficient cybersecurity program for a business will be extremely worth it. Some of the benefits that could come along with it, would be having protected information, such as customer details, like their credit card information or their name and address. It would ensure confidentiality when people use your business meaning they can also put trust into your company. Another benefit is that you will have a team that is knowledgeable on how to protect themselves and others from attacks and daily issues. When they have a IT team that is always around to help the other staff or customers members with any technical problems they may have. This ensures Availability from the business for any users or employees, who need to access their real information or data whenever they need it, the team will help them find it quickly, or deter against attack or vulnerabilities slowing down the access for the user to their data. The last benefit I will touch on is the monthly trainings for all staff. With these trainings it will allow for better protection against phishing schemes, like emails , and the entire workplace again will be most likely gaining knowledge they never have before. They could especially learn the importance of their password, and multi factor authentication. This accounts for the authentication part of the business, ensuring they know the difference between the real and fake conversations, they have regarding their “coworkers” or services they use in general. Password importance ensures the real person only has access to their accounts and sensitive data they protect for the business. In regards to costs of having a cybersecurity program, I can only really think of two. One cost would actually be that some money would really have to be spent to ensure that the infrastructure and procedures in place are accounted for. However, even though it will cost a good bit of money from the budget to be spent on cyber related items, it still can’t top the amount owed in legal fees, or ransom asked when they encounter a data breach . The second cost would be the process of beginning a cybersecurity program is that it can be very time consuming. When understanding and finding which programs to actually put in place, it would require numerous amounts of research time, as well as the maintenance efforts would take ample time if the program was new to everyone. Since the internet is getting more advanced it is also important that employees and staff members have the ability to change and adapt with the companies needs , which can be seen as a benefit or cost depending on who’s looking at it. In my opinion, I think starting the cybersecurity program would be worth it, simply because it seems to have more benefits than costs, and I feel that as a business there is no harm in actually being prepared before anything happens.