With new software and applications being developed daily and appearing on the market, it can be difficult for a business to ensure that their IT security remains effective and that any IT security risk is reduced to a minimum. No organisation wants to experience an IT security crisis such as the NHS Wannacry virus released in 2017, which infected almost 30 000 computer systems. Security technology should be implemented, and although the cost of this technology may be substantial, business owners and managers realise that IT security is a priority and are willing to invest in such technologies.

IT asset management tools have been developed mainly to keep track of technology-related assets, such as hardware, software, and licenses, but IT asset management programs have been developed and they can now effectively help minimise IT security risks. Here are some of the ways in which effective IT asset management can help reduce IT security risk in your business:

• Identification of malware: In order to ensure robust IT security, it is vital that all software and hardware that are used in the organisation are accounted for on an inventory. Having an effective IT asset management system allows the business to identify any additional or illicit software on the system that may have been downloaded either accidentally or on purpose by employees. Advanced IT asset management systems also have the ability to manage and identify rogue applications, and use blacklist tools to manage these, and to maintain the programs that manage your IT security risks.

• Prevent high-risk applications: If the presence of all software is effectively visible within the organisation, it makes it easier to avoid the use of potentially damaging applications. Even if the procedures within the company are very strict in terms of the downloading or using of software, a lot of the mobile technology used within the business on a daily basis is privately owned, and a secure firewall is necessary. Being able to access information regarding the software used within the organisation gives IT technicians the ability to disable certain programs and to prevent or manage access to certain types of software when and where needed.

• Provides evidence of data use: If a security breach happens, your IT asset management system can provide information of what software was used by whom at any given moment in time and provide insights into which programs they had access to during the time of the security breach. This helps to find out where the security breach was, when it took place, and by whom it was launched into the system. Resolving security issues is therefore made a lot easier and faster.

It is now a necessity to implement IT asset management to reduce IT security risks. If the entire software inventory and full capabilities of software discovery are added, good IT asset management can go a long way towards ensuring that breaches in your IT security are minimised. Give our team at Sequoia a call to find out more!