We’ve all heard about people who have fallen victim to a social engineering ploy that puts their organization’s sensitive information at risk.

Whether you are just considering external IT support for the first time or are trying to wrap your head around the stew of acronyms associated with it, it can be confusing.

When business leaders think about technology, it is often “out of sight, out of mind.” As long as their technology environment is operating smoothly, they usually don’t give much thought to their IT infrastructure.

If you work as a contractor or subcontractor to the U.S. government, you likely know that not all sensitive information is marked “secret,” “top secret,” or “classified.”

Business leaders have a lot to contend with. There’s the balance sheet, inventory, and IT resources to name just a few. Compliance requirements add a level of complexity to the mix. If you are a government contractor or subcontractor, you most likely are aware of the increasing emphasis on cybersecurity and NIST Special Publication 800-171 (NIST 800-171).

As a business leader you have a lot on your plate. If you are an organization that works with the government, you most likely are aware that you are required to meet standards and guidelines to ensure that data and records are protected.

Firewalls often fall into that “out-of-sight, out-of-mind” category; quietly operating to keep your network safe without too much thought from business leaders or users. But, just like every other part of your network, firewalls need to be monitored and updated to ward off new threats.

If you are a company that works with the government you are familiar with the rules and regulations that surround information labelled as sensitive, top secret or classified. You most likely know about the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication 800-171 and Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC).