How to protect your tech stack

When tech goes wrong, it can severely damage your cashflow – and your reputation. Here’s what to look out for and why it is important to keep up to date with tech for your business.

The recent global IT outage caused by a Microsoft update to CrowdStrike’s Falcon sensor demonstrates a crucial lesson for businesses of all sizes, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the print industry.

When the likes of Microsoft and CrowdStrike, two industry giants with vast IT resources, can experience a technical meltdown that affects their systems globally, it serves as a clear reminder to SMEs to get serious about their tech infrastructure.

Many companies tend to adopt a ‘leave it alone’ attitude towards risk management, hoping things will be turn out fine. However, such an approach can be dangerous for your business in the event of a cyber attack, internet outage or hardware failure. Knowing your tech stack inside and out, and having a contingency plan in place, is now more essential than ever.

What could go wrong?

There are several common IT and technical risks that businesses face, particularly SMEs who may lack large IT departments or the resources of bigger corporations. Here's a look at some of the main problems that could occur:

1. Internet Outage: Internet downtime can be crippling for any business. With the increasing dependence on cloud-based software, remote working and online payment systems, even a few hours of downtime can result in lost productivity, sales and customer trust. In the print industry, where tight deadlines are often crucial, outages can halt production and delay deliveries, impacting your reputation.

2. Cyber Attacks: The threat of cyber attacks, such as ransomware, malware or distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, is ever-present. Hackers target vulnerabilities in outdated software, weak passwords and unsecured networks to exploit sensitive data. Print providers often handle customer details, artwork files and sensitive financial information, all of which can be prime targets for cyber criminals.

3. Fraud/Phishing: Fraudulent emails and phishing attacks are increasingly sophisticated. A single click on a malicious link can give hackers access to your systems, leading to potential data theft, financial loss and reputational damage. SMEs may think they’re too small to be targeted, but cyber criminals often see them as easy prey because of their more relaxed approach to security.

4. Hardware Failure: All hardware has a limited lifespan. Whether it's printers, servers or computer systems, an unexpected hardware failure can really disrupt your operations. Print businesses are particularly vulnerable because of the reliance on high-tech equipment to maintain quality and speed. A machine breaking down can mean hours or even days of downtime.

What are the implications for you?

When things go wrong, the consequences can be serious. In a competitive industry like printing, reputational damage can be hard to recover from. Your customers expect a quick, quality turnaround of their order, and they also expect you to look after their personal and payment details securely. Any disruption in your operations can damage that relationship and drive them to your competition.

You won’t only lose the trust of your customers if, for example, you experience a data theft. If you don’t comply with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules, you can also be fined. That expense can be compounded by other financial losses caused by tech issues. You may have to compensate customers, restore your systems and invest wholesale in new software and hardware. It’s the kind of thing that can make the difference between survival and closing down your business.

Even if things aren’t that severe, you need to be aware of disruptions to your operations and workflow. You may miss deadlines and have to move others around. You may have invested in materials that will now occupy space and can’t be used. If you work on time-sensitive projects, this can be particularly damaging.

Key steps to take

Given the potential risks, taking a proactive approach to managing your tech stack is essential. SMEs often rely on easy-to-use and inexpensive software solutions like WordPress for their business websites, but these can introduce vulnerabilities if not managed properly. Howeiver, there are some key steps you can take to mitigate your risks.

Firstly, it really helps to know your systems and what they do. You don't need to be a tech expert, but you should have a clear understanding of the systems your business depends on. Take the time to learn the basics of the platforms you’re using, what software is critical to your daily operations and who your service providers are.

Common software is usually common because it’s either free, cheap or easy to use. As a result, many SMEs use popular platforms like WordPress for their websites. While WordPress is convenient and cost-effective, it’s also a common target for cyber-attacks, particularly through its plugins, which can be vulnerable to exploitation if not regularly updated. It’s worth considering more secure alternatives, or at the very least, ensure that your WordPress installation is regularly maintained, with plugins updated and unnecessary ones removed.

If you’re not comfortable doing this yourself, then consider using reputable external partners to help manage your supply chain and IT security. There are many that can help ensure that your tech stack is both efficient and robust from a security point of view. They might also help you establish a cyber incident response policy. This should outline what to do in the event of a cyber-attack or technical failure. Having a plan in place can help reduce downtime and mitigate damage. The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) provides a helpful guide for small businesses on responding to incidents and protecting themselves from phishing attacks.

There are smaller, cost-effective but important things you can do such as regular security audits of your systems to identify potential vulnerabilities. This includes checking for outdated software, unused accounts and weak passwords that you’ve used repeatedly. Regular audits can help ensure that your systems are always up-to-date and less vulnerable to attacks. The same goes for ensuring that your critical business data is backed up regularly. Ideally, use both on-site and cloud backups to protect against data loss. This means that even if your systems are compromised, you can quickly recover lost data and minimise downtime.

Finally, consider investing in employee training. You and your staff are often the first line of defence when it comes to cyber security. Regularly train your employees on best practices for identifying phishing emails, securing passwords and safely using your IT systems. Employees who understand the risks are far less likely to fall victim to attacks.

As we’ve seen, even the largest organisations can experience technical meltdowns. For SMEs in the print industry, being unprepared for such events can lead to significant disruptions, damage and losses. The internet is now the lifeblood of most businesses, and SMEs can’t afford to adopt a casual attitude towards their tech infrastructure.

Take the time to understand your tech stack, be proactive in identifying potential risks and have a robust response plan in place. Plan for the worst and prepare your business to weather any tech storm.