Organisations in every industry need to strengthen their cybersecurity and fight back against the growing threats. At Microsoft Inspire in July, the topic was front and centre of the opening day Corenote, where Microsoft President Brad Smith highlighted the importance of security and “keeping our intellectual property safe”.
Every business is at risk, particularly the UK, where – 43% of businesses reported cyberattacks in 2017. In this blog, we take a look at healthcare cybersecurity and, in particular, the NHS’s recent investment in Windows 10; however, there are lessons to be learnt here that can be applied to every industry.
At Centrality, we are experts across a host of sectors; healthcare, retail, hospitality, leisure and many more to help businesses find the right technology solutions for their unique business requirements. For 20 years, we have seen how technology has evolved and have kept a close eye on the ever-changing threat posed by cybercrime. This puts us in the best position to help your business adopt a robust cybersecurity solution.
A new dawn for healthcare cybersecurity
In May 2017, the NHS was brought to a standstill by the WannaCry ransomware attack. Highly publicised at the time, this cyberattack affected 1,200 pieces of diagnostic equipment, shut down 300,000 computers, locked staff out of their devices, and resulted in 19,494 cancelled emergency appointments.
One of the reasons the NHS was susceptible to the attack was its reliance on outdated operating systems, such as Windows XP. These systems, which are no longer supported by Microsoft, are not optimised to fight back against the latest threats. As the methods hackers use constantly evolve, neglecting the latest healthcare cybersecurity puts hospitals, healthcare workers and patients in danger.
Recently, the NHS struck a £150m deal with Microsoft to update to Windows 10 nationwide. Windows 10 is the latest and most secure operating system that Microsoft offer. The NHS’s choice to upgrade to Windows 10 is a welcome step forward in the right direction. Not only is Windows 10 secure – because it provides regular security patches to stay on top of the latest threats, proactively seeks out malware, and uses the latest in machine learning and behavioural analysis to help identify threats – but it also helps users work more productively on devices of their choice.
A wake-up call for every industry
The NHS’s investment in Windows 10 is a great step forward for healthcare cybersecurity. The attack last May should have been a wake-up call for all organisations across all sectors to do the same. However, this doesn’t seem to have been the case. But why?
Here are the most common reasons businesses are reluctant to invest in cybersecurity – and how we respond.
It’s too expensive
It’s always better to be safe rather than sorry, because the consequences of a cybersecurity attack can be catastrophic for businesses regardless of size or industry. ‘Downtime’ alone can hit heavy on the bottom line, but when you add to this the reputational cost, many businesses will find it hard to overcome a cyberattack. A report from the Home Office estimated that the average cost of a malware attack for a UK-based company is just over £57,000.
But robust cybersecurity doesn’t have to be expensive, if it’s done right. At Centrality, we work closely with our customers to learn everything we can about their business – their goals, values, how their employees work best – so that we can find a solution that is tailored-made for them, both in terms of needs, effectiveness AND cost.
It’s disruptive
Configuring the right operating system for your organisation can be a complicated task. If it goes wrong, the impact is felt across the business as everyone relies on it to get work done, making the risk a considerable one for organizations.
As a Microsoft Gold Partner for Windows 10 and devices, our expertise in Windows 10 integration is recognised and trusted globally. We can help you migrate to a new, more secure system with no problems at all. Centrality’s OneDeploy solution has the power to migrate large enterprises to Windows 10. Not only do we help deploy Windows 10 devices, we personally train your staff to become accomplished users in no time.
It won’t happen to me
This is a common viewpoint, but it’s a dangerous one. Cyberattacks are often indiscriminate. For instance, the NHS wasn’t directly targeted by the WannaCry attack – it affected businesses in over 150 countries. Taking the same steps as the NHS and implementing robust cybersecurity is the only way you can guarantee peace of mind.
Helping our clients find the right solution for them
A recent report looking into cybersecurity spending across different industries found that the hospitality, entertainment, construction, administration and retail sectors all featured in the bottom half of spending on cybersecurity. With our 20+ years of experience working with organisations in these industries we have delivered industry-leading IT solutions in these areas and more. If your business is still working on outdated operating systems like Windows XP or Windows 7, then our experts can help you migrate to a more secure system.
At Centrality, we differentiate ourselves from other IT companies, by making sure we always put the customer at the centre of what we do. Every business is different with a unique set of business goals and requirements from IT. At Centrality, we independently test software products in-house. Remaining unbiased and free from third-party incentives, allowing us to honestly judge technology on what solves your specific needs or problems. We find Windows 10 to be the best operating system, which is why we use it ourselves, have done for years and recommend it to businesses looking to strengthen their cybersecurity.
We also offer proactive 24/7 IT support from Centrality HQ, located in Bedfordshire. Our team will constantly monitor the stability of your platforms and fix any issues before they become a real problem.
To find out more Windows 10 and the services we provide at Centrality, get in contact today. We are Microsoft experts, committed to helping our customers find the right IT solutions for their specific business requirements.