IT Support Provider Landscape: MSP Background Checks
It may surprise you that over 77 million Americans hold a criminal record. This accounts for roughly one-third of adults in the United States, and those are just the ones caught! While serving time, prisoners can take online college courses to help with reform, and one of the most common classes taught in prison is computer coding.
While 95% of Americans agree with prisoner reform, handing the keys of the kingdom to an ex-convict is quite another thing. And that is exactly what you do when you make someone an administrator on your account. For example, they have access to the following:
- Confidential Company Information –intellectual property such as client lists, inventions, patents, etc.
- Human Resource Information– employees’ social security numbers, contact information, and payroll documents, to name a few.
- Stored Passwords – all the passwords stored in your Google Chrome are easily accessible by your IT administrator.
- Email Correspondence – your IT administrator can view every email you send and receive.
- Financial Information – bank accounts, retirement funds, and financial trading records can also be accessed.
For this reason, you should ensure your IT support provider is doing background checks on any employee who has access to your data. Similarly, it is just as vital for you to do background checks on your own internal IT staff.
Background Checks and Government Regulations
The government also insists on background checks. However, it is not just criminal records they are interested in; it’s also credit records. This basic background investigation ensures federal employees are “reliable, trustworthy, of good conduct, and character and loyal to the United States.” They also require background checks for mandatory regulations such as:
- Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) & their Business Associates
- Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS)
- Sarbanes Oxley Act (SOX)
- Gramm Leach Bliley Act (GLBA) and their Secure Service Providers
- Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Therefore, you are legally responsible for ensuring all your employees and IT personnel have background checks if you fall into any of these categories.
Your IT Support Provider in Marietta and Atlanta GA
INSI performs IT support and cybersecurity for small- and medium-sized businesses in Atlanta Metro, GA. We take this responsibility very seriously and perform background checks on all employees who access client data.
About INSI
For over 25 years, Innovative Network Systems (INSI) has offered an integrated IT support and cybersecurity approach for small and medium-sized businesses in the Atlanta area. Your top IT support provider in Atlanta and Marietta, GA, comprises of 100% local, college-educated, and experienced engineers who provide a range of services from basic monitoring to fully managed IT services. The INSI IT model gives their clients the exact level and type of service they want while providing greater accountability and reduced ongoing IT support costs. INSI options include cloud, cybersecurity, backups, cabling, wireless, business phones, and more.
About the Author
Deborah Frazier is the author of IT Outsourcing Secrets – A Small Business Guide to Compare IT Support Companies. With nearly 20 years of experience consulting small and medium-sized businesses on their IT support needs, she brings a wealth of knowledge to INSI as Head of Marketing and Sales. If you like this article and would like to get notified when a new article is posted, click here.
