Columbus IT Risk Assessment & Mitigation Services

CyberWatch is Affiliated's unique risk assessment service that discovers vulnerabilities in your organization's environment—so you and your cybersecurity solutions provider can find and fix them before the hackers do. It's an independent evaluation of your organization's health when it comes to security and compliance.

CyberWatch delivers answers to several important questions:

1. Where are the weaknesses in our cybersecurity?
2. Has my IT team accidentally done something that makes us vulnerable to the known tactics of today's hackers?
3. Where's the best place for me to spend my security budget?
4. Where am I already safe enough so I don't need to spend more money

And CyberWatch doesn't just list a bunch of potential problems. It includes expert analysis of any discovered issues and vulnerabilities so you and your cybersecurity solutions provider have a clear path to stronger cybersecurity, smarter spending, and greater peace of mind.

• Would face significant financial hardship if you had to shut down for 48 hours as the result of a ransomware attack or other hacker exploit
• Handles personal customer information like credit card numbers or health-related information
• Is subject to regulatory mandates such as SOC2, HIPAA, CMMC, or FTC Guidelines
• Has or seeks cyber insurance coverage to mitigate the financial and legal risks associated with hacking, data theft, and other related contingencies
• Serves or contracts with large corporate customers that require their supply chain partners to demonstrate due diligence in cyber defense and GRC (governance, risk, and compliance)
• Has a high-value brand that you must protect from the reputational risk associated with the bad publicity that would result online and on social media if you were hacked.

Bottom line: The safest organizations aren't always those that spend the most on security and compliance—or the ones that have the most skilled security and compliance teams. The safest organizations are those that use a reliable independent service provider to continuously scan, test, and evaluate their environment to make doubly sure they're safe.

Why Every Organization Needs an Independent Risk Assessment

In today's hyper-connected world, cyber threats are a reality every business must face—especially here in Columbus and the Central Ohio area, where our thriving business community and expanding tech sector make us an attractive target for cybercriminals. With cybercrime expected to grow by 15% in the next two years and the cost of these attacks already surpassing $8 trillion annually, no organization—big or small—can afford to be complacent. Even in 2023, 422 million individuals were affected by cybercrime, and an estimated 33 billion accounts are at risk of being breached this year.

The Local Reality: Cybercrime Hits Home

For Columbus organizations, the stakes are high. While the city is known for its growing tech presence and entrepreneurial spirit, these same qualities also increase exposure to sophisticated cyber threats. Unfortunately, many companies believe that investing in cybersecurity tools alone will keep them safe (i.e. firewalls or anti-virus software). The truth is that most successful breaches don't occur due to a lack of security solutions but rather from unnoticed weaknesses and misconfigurations within existing systems.

For example, most recently, a ransomware group targeted the city of Columbus, compromising 6.5 terabytes of data, including personal employee information, surveillance video, and sensitive internal documents. While the city managed to stop the full encryption of its systems, the breach still exposed a significant amount of personal data, forcing Columbus to disconnect its systems temporarily. The attackers demanded nearly $2 million in ransom, and part of the stolen data was leaked on the dark web, affecting city employees and potentially third-party vendors.

While Ohio State University itself wasn't hacked in the 2024 Columbus attack, cybersecurity experts from OSU monitored the situation and indicated that the compromised data might include payroll and other sensitive employee information.

Some of the leaked data also involved third-party vendors that service the city, suggesting a broader potential risk to businesses and service providers interacting with Columbus city systems.

The Ohio Lottery, Cleveland Housing Authority and several not-for-profits were also victims of cyber hacks,

The Solution: Independent Cybersecurity Assessments

Just as you wouldn't skip regular health checkups, your organization would benefit from a cybersecurity checkup to uncover hidden vulnerabilities. This is where CyberWatch comes in. CyberWatch isn't just another security product—it's a comprehensive, independent evaluation that identifies where your defenses are strong, where they fall short, and how to optimize your security investments for maximum impact.

For Columbus-based organizations, an independent assessment is especially crucial. CyberWatch assesses your defenses through rigorous testing and analysis, uncovering gaps like unpatched software, misconfigured permissions, or weak access controls that hackers love to exploit. With this level of visibility, you can proactively eliminate risks before they turn into costly security incidents.

Risk Mitigation: Why It Matters

Effective cybersecurity isn't just about compliance or using the latest tools—it's about mitigating risk. A successful attack can cost an organization hundreds of thousands of dollars, but the real cost goes beyond finances. A breach can lead to operational downtime, loss of client trust, regulatory penalties, and long-term reputational damage that's difficult to recover from.

Proactive risk mitigation means understanding where you're most vulnerable and closing those gaps before they're exploited. Whether you handle sensitive customer data, fall under strict regulatory mandates (e.g., SOC2, HIPAA), or simply want to protect your hard-earned brand reputation, CyberWatch offers a clear roadmap to minimizing risk and ensuring resilience.

How Your Organization Would Benefit CyberWatch

Columbus is a hub for innovation and growth, but this also means local organizations are prime targets for cybercriminals seeking easy entry points. Whether you're a growing startup, a mid-sized business, or a larger organization serving regulated industries, an independent cybersecurity assessment can be the difference between a minor incident and a catastrophic breach.

For organizations in industries like healthcare, finance, or manufacturing—key pillars of the Ohio economy—the need for strong risk mitigation is even more pressing. Regulatory mandates like HIPAA and CMMC add layers of complexity, and compliance failures can result in severe financial and legal consequences.

The Takeaway: Proactive Cyber Security is the Best Security

Don't wait for a breach to reveal your vulnerabilities. With cyber threats becoming more sophisticated by the day, the safest organizations are those that proactively assess their environments and use independent evaluations to verify their security posture. CyberWatch offers a clear path to stronger cybersecurity, smarter spending, and, most importantly, peace of mind.

If you're a Columbus business, it's time to ask yourself: Do you really know where your security stands? If the answer is no—or even if you're unsure—it's time to consider an independent cybersecurity assessment. After all, it's far better to identify a weakness today than to suffer a breach tomorrow.

Don't let cyber risks derail your growth and success. Are you ready to secure your business against evolving threats and demonstrate your commitment to strong cybersecurity? Let's make Columbus a safer place to do business. Get started with a CyberWatch assessment today.