How long does it take to get cybersecurity sorted?

How long does it really take to get your accounting firm’s cybersecurity sorted? That is a question we often get asked here at Practice Protect – after all, we are considered the experts in cybersecurity for accounting firms.  

To give you a simple answer, before going more in depth, it takes 2 – 3 weeks depending on the complexity of your firm.  

What does good cybersecurity look like? 

Depending on who you talk to and what industry they work in you will likely get different answers to these questions – after all depending on industry, and company size your cybersecurity needs may be different.  

This is why it is important to partner with a firm who; 

1. Specialize in cybersecurity – not do a bit of everything shop – you need someone who lives and breathes cybersecurity to really know your data is safe. 
2. Specializes in your industry – there are many great cybersecurity providers, but if they aren’t familiar with your business workflows, processes and tools how can they really make a solution tailor-made to you?  

So, let’s get back to the original question, what does good cybersecurity look like for accounting and booking firms?  

1. Strong onboarding/offboarding procedures around access of applications and sensitive data so you can be sure when a staff member leaves, they cannot access information after they are gone 
2. Mandated Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) on all applications where you add a second layer of security to logins to accounts making it harder for criminals to attack  
3. Strong access control around user access ensuring staff only have access to the most needed applications and all logins and access can be easily audited in case of discrepancy or locked down easily in case of breach  
4. Ongoing security training and on-demand training for all staff so they know and can be aware of the latest threats and challenges in the cyber-world without having to call in experts every 2 months  
5. Up-to-date legal compliance documentation around cybersecurity and data breaches – not just a tick and flick but actively going through and identifying threats and gaps in security with recommendations on how to resolve 
6. AI-Supported Anti-virus software installed on all company devices to ensure you are safe from malware, key loggers and other errant attacks on your system – all powered with AI to help ensure you stay ahead of the criminals 
7. Cutting-Edge email security which ensures your emails stay locked and safe away from scammers, with separation protocols in place when something we’ve never seen before gets flagged and kept out of your system for manual review and destruction if needed 
8. Passwordless access to applications where possible making applications even more secure through strong login safety protocols  

All the steps above are table stakes when it comes to keeping your firm safe and secure against cyberthreats.  

How long will it really take to get safe and secure?  

We’ve given you eight key points which are the baseline for strong cybersecurity for accountants and bookkeepers, so how long would it take to complete all the above steps? 

It is of course vendor specific, but on average here at Practice Protect we see clients onboarded and working within our portal in 3 weeks from their kick-off call with our onboarding team.  

The process is designed to take up as little time as possible with the bulk of work being done for you in the background. All we need from you is a few hours of your time to fill in an online form and meet with us and then a quick session with your team to train them on how to use our platform.  

Other vendors out there may claim they do not need as much time, but due to the highly personalized nature of our platform we do require some investment of time from you.  

To summarize, it may take 3 weeks on average but your total time investment in this process is 3 – 4 hours on average. But that 3 – 4 hours investment gives you many benefits such as: 

1. Knowing your firm and your client’s data is safe and secure 
2. Completed for you compliance documentation around cybersecurity  
3. Streamlined login processes for all applications  
4. Potentially decreased cyber insurance costs  
5. Access to the leading enterprise-grade cybersecurity solutions at a fraction of the cost  
6. Documentation that you can use to prove to clients and prospects you take their data security seriously – increasing your credibility  

What are the next steps?  

If cybersecurity is at the front of your mind, it is quite easy to talk action. All you need to do is book a call with our team right now!