CrowdStrike Outage Got You Worried? 8 Essential Steps to Strong Cybersecurity and Compliance

As we move deeper into a digital-first world, businesses are under increased scrutiny to protect sensitive customer information. Whether you’re a financial institution or just a business handling sensitive customer data, these updated Safeguard Rules aren’t something you can ignore—unless you REALLY enjoy paying fines or explaining a data breach on the evening news.

Understanding the FTC Safeguard Rule

The FTC’s Safeguard Rule is more than just another box to check off your compliance list. It’s about protecting your business and, more importantly, your customers’ trust.?

What the FTC Safeguard Rule means for your business:

• Stricter requirements
• Identifying and inventorying devices and software that stores customer information
• Performing periodic risk assessments

Consequences of non-compliance:

• Fines from upwards of $46,517
• Investigations into security practices, which can lead to further penalties
• A data breach can lead to litigation, which can cost not only your business bottom line, but damage your brand and customer loyalty?

Putting all your eggs in one basket is risky. A strong internal security framework should be your first line of defense, and a reliable partner can be the safety net when things go south.

Here’s a breakdown of what your business needs to put in place to get started on the FTC's stamp of approval:

?? Designate a Qualified Individual: Pick someone capable of managing your information security program—ideally, someone who doesn’t still use “password123” for their email.

?? Develop a Written Risk Assessment: This is your playbook for identifying risks and dealing with them before they turn into a full-blown crisis.

?? Limit Access to Sensitive Information: No, not everyone in the company needs access to customer data. Lock it down, and only let in the people who really need it.

?? Encrypt Sensitive Information: Think of encryption like a digital watchdog—it’s not letting anyone get their hands on your data.

?? Train Your Security Personnel: Keep your team sharp. Regular training ensures your people don’t fall for phishing emails that start with “Dear Valued Customer.”

?? Develop an Incident Response Plan: Hope for the best, but plan for the worst. You don’t want to be scrambling when a breach happens.

?? Assess Security Practices of Service Providers: Your vendors’ security can be your problem too, so don’t be shy about asking tough questions.

?? Implement Multi-Factor Authentication: Because a strong password alone isn’t enough when “qwerty” is still in the top 10 most used.

Failing to get these basics in place could mean hefty fines, nasty legal battles, and a serious PR headache. Plus, do you really want to be that business that lets customer data slip into the wrong hands?

The CrowdStrike Outage: A Not-So-Subtle Reminder to Step Up Your Game

Remember the big CrowdStrike outage on July 19th? If your first reaction was, “What’s CrowdStrike?”—well, that’s a problem. This cybersecurity giant faced a service disruption that left many businesses hanging, proving that even the best tech isn’t bulletproof.

Here’s the lesson: putting all your eggs in one basket is risky. A strong internal security framework should be your first line of defense, and a reliable partner (like, say, Maven IT) can be the safety net when things go south.

Why Partnering Up Makes Sense: 6 Perks of Having a Cybersecurity Expert on Your Side

Let’s face it: managing compliance and warding off cyber threats isn’t exactly anyone’s idea of a good time, and it requires more than just technology—it requires expertise and continuous vigilance. Here are six reasons why partnering with an expert can make a significant difference:

• All-in-One Platform: We’ve got all the tools you need, from DNS filtering to endpoint detection, in one user-friendly platform. It’s like getting a Swiss Army knife for your cybersecurity needs.
• Trustworthy Expertise: We actually read those boring FTC regulations so you don’t have to—and we know how to apply them to your business.
• 24/7/365 Protection: Hackers don’t sleep, and neither do we. Our Security Operations Center (SOC) is always on guard.
• Tailored Risk Assessments: We don’t do cookie-cutter solutions. Our assessments are custom-fit to your business goals and compliance needs.
• Custom Cybersecurity Frameworks: We help you build a strategy that’s both effective today and adaptable for whatever threats come next.
• Incident Response Planning: When things go wrong (and they sometimes will), we’re there to help clean up the mess quickly and efficiently.

The 8 Key Ingredients for a Strong Cybersecurity Program

Whether you’re a cybersecurity rookie or a seasoned pro, there are a few things every robust program should have. Here’s the recipe we recommend:

Future-Proofing Your Business: Why You Should Care

These FTC rules aren’t going anywhere, and the stakes are only getting higher. Getting compliant now means fewer headaches down the road—and more time to focus on actually growing your business. At Maven IT, we’ve got your back. In fact, we’ve just launched a new ?XDR (Extended Detection and Response) Cybersecurity Platform designed to monitor and reduce cyber threats by collecting, correlating, and analyzing data from multiple security layers.?

Whether you’re still trying to figure out what the new FTC rules mean for you or you’re ready to up your cybersecurity game, we’re here to help. Let’s make sure your business is ready for whatever comes next.

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