Organizations in today’s digital world are susceptible to cyberattacks due to the alarming increase in the rate of cyber threats. As a result, organizations must protect the privacy and integrity of their critical assets. To achieve such requirements, organizations must work with a security partner to properly accomplish a strong cybersecurity posture.

Selecting the right cybersecurity partner for your organization is very important, and only the best of ones can prevent data breaches and minimize the impact of a security incident.

But how do you select the most appropriate and best cybersecurity partner? This article will serve as a guide for how to choose the right cybersecurity partner for your organization.

The impact of cybersecurity partners in an organization

Since the start of COVID19, the FBI report shows that cyberattacks have increased by 300%. This report implies that cybersecurity is no longer an option but the fundamental pillar of a business. The size of an organization is no longer a factor. However, your sensitive business data is under threat if the cybersecurity protection of your organization is not robust.

Therefore choosing the right cybersecurity partner has become very crucial. The right cybersecurity partner helps you with the following:

• Secures your data and helps to avoid damage to the image of your company. So much hard work is being put into establishing a brand, but it takes only a single data breach to ruin your reputation. The right cybersecurity partner helps you in securing your data and reputation.
• Your clients put their trust in your operations whenever they do business with you, and a loss of information or data breaches can weaken your relationship with them. The right cybersecurity partner helps you in keeping the client’s trust in your business and security alive.
• They handle all the security-related legal issues for you. Thus, you avoid legal ramifications with the help of cybersecurity partners. So, you can invest your time in other essential parts of your business.

Benefits of having the right cybersecurity partner

A cybersecurity partner can help you in securing your sensitive data by enhancing your security standards. They maintain your organization’s overall security and prevent cyber threats.

Also, partnering with the right cybersecurity partner will help your organization avoid the embarrassment and difficulties of cyberattacks. Below are the other benefits of having the right cybersecurity partner:

1. Gaining a Better Understanding of Security Risks – Businesses are bound to adopt new technologies, but these technologies come with the risk of increased cyberattacks. Therefore, companies should always prepare for the worst-case scenarios. With the help of the right cybersecurity partner, companies can gain a better understanding of potential threats. They can also make the necessary adaptations and rescue plans in case of a data breach.
2. Proactive Protection – Following a reactive security approach may lead your organization towards becoming a cybercrime victim. A cybersecurity partner proactively protects your company by performing penetration tests, designing a data recovery and rescue plan, and performing regular security scans. Hence, saving you from potential threats.
3. Maintain Relevant Compliance Standards – Most companies must meet specific data security and privacy compliance standards, including  PCI-DSS, EU-GDPR, CMMC, etc. Often, it is difficult for organizations to decipher which compliance standards are nice to have and which ones are requirements. However, failure to meet these requirements will lead to heavy penalties and loss of customers.A cybersecurity partner will help your business to meet these regulations and compliance requirements. In addition, having an experienced cybersecurity partner ensures that your corporate resources are appropriately aligned with the compliance standards required to meet both business goals and security objectives.
4. Increased Revenue and Customer Trust – Being a victim of cybercrime can cause your organization a significant loss in terms of revenue and customer trust. You lose profit, customers and still face multiple penalties and lawsuits. Having the right cybersecurity partner would save you from these losses and increase your revenue and customer trust.

Key Attributes to Consider When Selecting a Cybersecurity Partner

The cybersecurity landscape is a crowded place, and when it comes to choosing the right cybersecurity partner, many organizations with impressive track records will look similar to you. But most of the time, some hidden and essential differences exist between them.

So how do you select the right cybersecurity partner for your organization? By following the few tips below, you will be able to choose the right partner without having future regrets:

1. Know your business and IT requirements – Before searching for a cybersecurity partner, you should first identify what you need and your business security requirements. Most businesses need solutions like data loss prevention, firewalls, data recovery, network security, device security, anti-ransomware software, and cloud security. You should consult within your team and create a list of your requirements before searching for a cybersecurity partner.
2. Confirm what services the cybersecurity partner provides and their delivery timeline – When selecting the right cybersecurity partner, you should find out their services and verify them according to your needs. For example, you should confirm whether they provide quick resolutions or not. Timing is critical, and delays in services may cost you a lot.  Below is a list of essential security services offered by competent cybersecurity partners in today’s threat landscape:
   • Security Operations Center (SOC) services
   • Data security governance
   • Network Security Operation
   • Infrastructure Security (on-premise and cloud-based)
   • Access Control Management
   • Malware and Ransomware Defense
   • IT Systems Management
   • Website Protection
     
3. Industry and Technical Expertise – Cybersecurity partners should have expertise across multiple industries, and they must be able to demonstrate their understanding of industry-specific issues as they relate to your organization. You can even ask them about their previous clients. Nevertheless, you need to have a look at the software and hardware they work with.  You can also evaluate their team based on their expertise, awards, certificates, and recognitions. With all that, you can be sure that your organization’s security is in the right hands.
4. Specialized Expertise and Knowledge Base – This is the most crucial factor when choosing a cybersecurity partner for your organization. Complying with Cybersecurity standards and regulations will help you save your money, time, and reputation. So, your cybersecurity partner must have strong expertise in cybersecurity Compliance.

Conclusion

It is becoming challenging for organizations to safely work online or remotely in an era where the rate of cyberattacks is increasing at a swift pace. By following the above tips, you will select the right cybersecurity partner at the forefront of your organization’s security and help you achieve your security goals.