Safer connections

Protect your business from cybercrime

December 2020 Industry Perspectives / Text by Toby Waters

The dramatic increase in people working remotely due to the Covid-19 pandemic has led to an increased risk of individuals, businesses, and public institutions falling prey to cybercriminals. Firms with cybersecurity expertise have stepped in to ensure their clients are well protected against cybercrime.

Vulnerabilities revealed

Although working from home has become more common in Japan to keep people safe from the coronavirus, it has opened businesses’ data to a host of vulnerabilities, explains Matthew Connolly, CEO and founder of EIRE Systems. “With people working from home and accessing company systems on personal devices, company data is now potentially at risk if employees’ computers are not set up properly,” he says. “Is their VPN secure? Is data being encrypted? Are passwords being changed regularly? These are just some of the questions companies need to be asking during the Covid-19 pandemic.” As a result, it is important for cybersecurity firms to consider data protection from a number of different angles, as IT-Deutschland Global Business Solutions CEO Daniel Schwarz describes. “We consider security and privacy compliance to be a social responsibility. We follow a human-centric approach, based on technology, law, and data-ethics,” he says. “Infused with European and Japanese culture, the diversity within our firm allows us to more easily see the big picture, compared with our competitors in the market.”

Taking action
Just as every business is different, each one will need an individualised approach to cybersecurity, notes Schwarz. “We help clients by determining any potential risks, then creating different action plans. We ensure that any kind of business can take their first steps to successfully create compliance protocols or to improve those already in place,” he says. “In the near future, we will be launching our first product series, which will support the next generation of work security.” Since cyber threats can come from anywhere, EIRE Systems’ Connolly emphasises the importance of staying current with global best practices. “Our firm has helped companies assess their current corporate firewall and VPN connections, set up multi-factor authentication, and enable encryption on remote devices,” he says. “EIRE ensures that its clients’ security systems are up-to-date with international technical standards, whereas domestic companies often limit themselves to compliance with local standards.” Cybercrime has become more common — and more dangerous — than ever. But with the right partner, your business can stay connected and safe. •