San Jose, Calif., November 13, 2023 – ZAG Technical Services (ZAG) BB #:365534, an award-winning strategic IT consulting firm and the leading IT security provider in agribusiness, is sharing strategies for IT planning and budgeting to help companies strengthen protections, improve bottom lines and maintain the food supply chain.
Microsoft reports that 4,000 identity authentication threats are blocked every second – that’s over 345M threats blocked daily. For those not blocked, IBM reports that 67% of breaches were reported by a benign third party or by the attackers themselves leaving only one-third of breaches detected by companies’ security teams.
Maybe more surprising to many in agribusiness, 70% of organizations encountering human-operated ransomware had fewer than 500 employees. “Squeezing companies for ten thousand or one million dollars is far less important in the business of cyberattacks, than the win of the payout,” Tim Bussey, CFO of ZAG commented.
Whether it’s technology upgrades, new IoT integrations, cybersecurity and disaster recovery planning, or new data systems for business intelligence, there is operational planning required. With budgeting season underway, ZAG is sharing a few tips to guide companies on planning their IT journeys.
Bussey remarked, “Coming from Silicon Valley tech to agribusiness just over 6 years ago, I was surprised by how sophisticated the industry is technologically, but equally shocked how little planning went into protecting those systems.”
In today’s online, data-driven world, technology maintenance and cybersecurity are a reality driving the new normal and inspiring companies to ask how they can protect their tech. The following steps can help when developing your IT plan and budget for the coming year.
- Evaluate the status of your security systems – Do an audit of your current systems and software or hire experts to do it for you. Detecting all vulnerabilities and opportunities from field to plate will help identify your needs and develop your plan.
- Determine crucial assets – Organize your list of vulnerabilities and opportunities by priority level. While there are many nice-to-haves, developing security and recovery plans that will get you back online in less than 24 hours in the event of a breach should be priority.
- Budgeting – There is no set percentage guideline for what to spend, but the more complex and data-rich operations are, the greater losses are in the event of a breach. To help clarify needs or make recommendations, clearly label vulnerabilities and opportunities and outline expected daily losses and added consequences in the event of a breach.
- Turn a weakness into an advantage – Technology on the farm and in the plant is sophisticated, however, you may not be able to build or afford an in-house team to handle everything including cybersecurity, data collection, operations, smart technology, AI, and data, but you can afford to prioritize working with a managed service provider (MSP) to supplement your IT department with a team of experts ready to assist in strategy development, maintenance and execution.
- Review and audit regularly – Don’t set it and forget it. Tech and costs are constantly changing, and strategies need to be reassessed throughout the year. Regular audits that detail progress, weaknesses and recommendations will help keep your systems safer.
Allocating the resources needed to protect tech and operate more efficiently has never been more important. Bussey concluded, “The number of natural and man-made obstacles our agribusiness clients face trying to get their products to consumers is unlike any other industry. Keeping systems safer and drastically speeding recovery times is something we can control and should make every effort to do.”
For more help planning, auditing, and budgeting for upcoming IT and cybersecurity needs, contact ZAG at zagtech.com.
About ZAG Technical Services
ZAG Technical Services, Inc.?(ZAG), is an award-winning IT consulting firm and managed services provider (MSP) for the agribusiness industry specializing in network infrastructure, security, disaster recovery, virtualization, cloud computing services, and remote access. ZAG enables clients to succeed with digital transformation solutions by delivering even?greater value in IT assessments, consulting, managed services, and support. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., and with offices in Salinas, Calif. and Meridian, Idaho, ZAG is the premier provider of information technology for Western agribusinesses.?
Melinda Goodman
FullTilt Marketing
414-469-5524
melinda@fulltiltmarketing.net
