What is Cyber Hygiene?
We all know what Hygiene is, right?! We also know that it is an important part of maintaining a patient's health and keeping their teeth in optimal condition. It's also the first place we see new problems, or where we can head off issues before they can become expensive.
So what exactly is Cyber Hygiene? In the same way you would take care of your patients health, it is an IT providers job to care for the health of the technology you use in your office including your network and everything that is connected to it. We work hard to clean and maintain it, watch for any problems, and conduct check ups…the same things done in your dental hygiene’s chair, and every night when you brush and floss.
First up: updating the software and hardware on your network. Every computer that has access to your information needs to be checked and updated. Software is created to solve a problem, but often the process does not involve testing it in every way that it might be used. Overtime, issues are identified, and fixes are sent out ranging from immediate security issues, to feature updates. Every piece of software needs to be checked, maintained and updated on a weekly basis. In addition to software, your hardware is an important link in protecting your data. Even daily check ups for hardware can give us a good idea of what is going on, in the same way you might take an x-ray and verify what you already suspect might be a burgeoning carries infection, hardware needs monitoring too. Just as you explain to your patients, prevention is better than a huge cash outlay down the road.
In addition to the hardware and software updates, we can support you with processes that can help you maintain good Cyber Hygiene. Passwords and access are critical. Creating complex passwords, saving them in a secure location (and not reusing them!) are difficult tasks to handle manually. Luckily, there are several good options that can save your valuable time. Some of these programs can even help with the issues of who has access to which passwords, accounts, and computers. Having control over these processes can help put your mind at ease and, more importantly, maintain good cyber and HIPAA standards.
We spend a lot of time with clients on this last issue: backups and training. These crucial steps help you prevent and recover any data loss that could severely affect your business. The folks who use your technology systems are both your biggest asset and your biggest liability. Ensuring that your staff is trained and retrained regularly and securely will help your business. Untrained employees will click on a link 19.8% of the time. Even trained this can happen, so backups are the most important last step. What is your backup strategy, and are you still at risk?
Just as you tell your patients, those regular check ups can make a world of difference! Not sure where to start, contact us now for a free scan and quick consultation. We can check for problem spots or…give you a clean bill of health! Just ask yourself if you are brushing and flossing daily, what are you doing for your computer systems?
