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Cybersecurity Awareness Month Is Over—But Bay Area Businesses Must Stay Vigilant

October 1st kicks off Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a time when organizations nationwide review policies and promote safer online habits. But once November arrives, many slip back into old routines. For Bay Area businesses, cybersecurity can’t be a once-a-year initiative, it’s a year-round responsibility.

If your business relies on technology (and most do), then ongoing cybersecurity is essential. Whether you’re a small retail shop in Oakland, a non-profit in San Jose, or a growing startup in San Francisco, staying secure requires continuous attention. The good news? You don’t have to do it alone; a managed cybersecurity provider or managed IT services team in the Bay Area can handle the heavy lifting.

Still unsure about taking a more proactive approach? Here are some reasons your cybersecurity efforts shouldn’t stop when Cybersecurity Awareness Month ends.

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Cybersecurity Awareness Month is over—but your work isn’t. Get on track with our Year-Round Cybersecurity Checklist!

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Cyber Threats in the Bay Area Are Increasing Every Day

In today’s technology-centered world, putting cybersecurity on the backburner won’t do you any good. With constantly evolving technology and cybersecurity threats, your organization must stay ahead of the curve.

Unfortunately for us businesses in the Bay Area, we’re one of the most targeted regions in the country for cyberattacks. Our high concentration of tech companies, biotech labs, financial firms, startups, and non-profits that store sensitive donor data, make us a target. Attackers see enormous value in infiltrating our local networks.

Here are some common threats to be aware of:

Compliance Requirements Don’t End in October

California businesses are subject to some of the strictest privacy regulations in the country, including the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA). Non-profits must also take extra caution to protect any donor data and sensitive payment information.

Sadly, compliance is not just a project you “complete” and set aside, it’s a continuous process. Of course, this can be a hassle for your company to deal with, especially when you want to put all your time and effort into your business’ mission. Luckily, as mentioned previously, a managed cybersecurity team can do it all for you from risk assessments to recovery.

Cloud Security Requires Ongoing Oversight

Cloud integration is getting increasingly common, where over 90% of organizations use cloud services. As such, it is important you know that cloud security is a shared responsibility. Keeping secure does not stop after the initial porting of information, in fact that’s where problems can start. Even simple configuration mistakes like using a public bucket, leaving unused access keys, and over-permissioned accounts can create massive vulnerabilities.

A managed cloud service provider ensures your environment stays secure by:

Small Businesses and Non-profits Need Consistent IT Support

Without a dedicated IT team, many Bay Area SMBs and non-profits are at risk of facing a cyberattack. Human errors, outdated systems, and unpatched software amplify your vulnerabilities.

By partnering with a managed IT services provider in the SF Bay Area, you can tackle all these problems and more, before they start. Thus, saving you valuable resources and putting you ahead of the cybersecurity curve.

Remember: A Year-Round Cybersecurity Strategy Protects Your Organization

Cybersecurity Awareness Month is an excellent reminder to review policies and train employees, but the real work happens in the other 11 months of the year.

To stay protected, Bay Area businesses and non-profits should:

If you’re overwhelmed, or you don’t know what this means, it’s time to partner with a trusted IT service provider or managed cybersecurity expert who can maintain the security you and your stakeholders expect.