In today's ever-changing world of cyber security, many companies rely on the expertise of an IT consultant to advise them on important IT decisions and how to use information technology in order to meet their business objectives. In addition to securing networks and providing cyber security advice, an IT consultant's job is to manage and administer IT systems for their clients.

Cyber security is all about managing, controlling, and mitigating risk to your organization’s critical assets.

Two methods of cyber security risk management are through IT Risk Assessments and Network Assessments.

As a foundation to your IT security strategy, an IT risk assessment is a review of the possible threats your organization faces. It helps you understand what events can negatively affect your organization and what security gaps pose a threat to your critical information. In many industries, an IT risk assessment is also a requirement for compliance. The more clearly threats can be identified, the better your business will be able to effectively reduce those risks.

An IT Risk assessment begins with risk intelligence and threat analysis. It looks at your IT assets and how much damage their loss or exposure would cause, the business processes that depend upon those assets, and the threat event that could impact those assets and how likely those events are to occur. Identifying the assets and risks will help you craft a risk mitigation plan to maintain business continuity in the event of loss, breach, or power outage.

A network assessment is an overview of what you currently have in your network, from servers to switches to devices and their connectivity. A completed network assessment includes network and computer equipment inventory, site configuration information, findings and recommendations. Network assessments help you understand and strengthen your weak defenses.

IT risk assessments and network assessments work hand-in-hand to determine risks your organization may be facing. Recommendations and solutions are provided and can include training, policy and procedure changes and network design proposals to support your unique needs.

Thorough IT and Network assessments come with many benefits including:

1. Understanding your Risk Profile: Your risk profile will describe potential risks in detail, such as:

• The source of the threat

• The reason for the risk (uncontrolled access permissions, hacking, etc.)

• The likelihood that the threat will materialize

• Impact analyses for each threat

2. Identifying and Remediating Vulnerabilities
3. Inventorying IT and Data Assets
4. Mitigating Costs
5. Complying with Legal Requirements

A clear risk assessment can strengthen your organization’s cybersecurity and better defend against threats and critical issues.

From assessing your IT risks to designing and building your IT infrastructure, IT consulting services can can offer customized solutions to increase productivity, decrease costs, and contribute to your success. IT consultants have the experience needed to navigate the complexities of network security and manage the implementation of network upgrades, while providing peace of mind so you can focus on your business.

If your organization is ready to hire an IT consultant, contact us today for your complimentary risk assessment at 804-897-8347 or visit www.proactive-info.com.