What It Means To Offer Excellent Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is never static. We stay ahead by:
Participating in industry peer groups and subscribing to trusted cybersecurity newsletters as well as training opportunities from cybersecurity experts.
Monitoring updates from our security vendors, who alert us in real-time about vulnerabilities and emerging threats.
Sharing what we learn with our clients. Check out our easy to read cybersecurity book here. It's written by our President Tracy Hardin and is designed for business owners and managers. Call 859-245-0582 for a free copy!
Ongoing staff training using the same security awareness programs we offer our clients, ensuring our team and yours are equipped to identify and stop threats before they become disasters.
While we hold CompTIA Security+ as our baseline, we work closely with partners staffed with CISSP-certified experts for advanced monitoring and support. We leverage their expertise while maintaining direct relationships, ensuring our clients receive personalized, advanced protection without big-box vendor limitations.
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Real Solutions For Real Clients
Recently, we detected unusual activity on a medical client's CEO email account. Our monitoring flagged login attempts from out-of-state with correct credentials but failing 2FA, triggering an automatic shutdown at 2 AM. We treated it as a full breach, resetting credentials, terminating all sessions, and reviewing Microsoft logs thoroughly. The system worked exactly as designed, blocking the attacker while maintaining client safety with zero data loss.
Our Monitoring Suite, Security Posture, and Reporting Process
We leverage RocketCyber Managed SOC for our endpoint detection and response (EDR) plus managed detection and response (MDR) tools for all workstations.
We offer third-party monitoring by CISSP-led teams at our 24/7 SOC (security ops center) who track logs, desktops, and endpoints across our environment, ensuring that no unusual activity goes unnoticed.
Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) on each workstation so our secured network and firewall solution follows us wherever we go.
A structured breach response checklist, including checking mailbox rules, active sessions, RSS feeds, delegations, and new file shares while investigating potential user errors and log reviews.
Ongoing logging and documentation, allowing us to correlate activities, identify weak points, and strengthen defenses across our environment.
Regularly scheduled risk assessments and vulnerability scans to identify risk and weaknesses, plus penetration testing (pentests) to test our environment as well as clients.
Monitoring of our Microsoft 365 tenant to shut down accounts due to suspicious activities. We also leverage Microsoft Intune and conditional access policies to keep out anyone outside of our organization that is not on a company-owned workstation.
Our Cybersecurity built into Every IT Managed Service Plan
We offer tiered IT managed services and support plans:
Standard Plan for businesses in need of tried and tested cybersecurity support with no special compliance or industry regulations. This plan comes with a strong set of cybersecurity tools including our EDR/MDR product, our SASE product (and/or next generation firewall with IDS/IPS), plus our Microsoft 365 monitoring tools to watch for suspicious activities and lock down access. Also included is Microsoft Business Standard and Microsoft Defender for Office365 Plan 1, which offers basic protection against phishing, malware and spam. Great plan for the construction and engineering sectors, veterinary clinics, and the insurance industry.
Elite Plan for healthcare, financial institutions, and other businesses that fall under compliance such as FTC Safeguards or FINRA. Also recommended for companies that seek stronger protection against phishing, ransomware, and account compromises. Elite is also the choice for companies facing cyber insurance policy requirements. Elite has all the tools found in our Standard Plan plus it adds an annual risk assessment, vulnerability scan and pentest. We also include backups of the entire Microsoft 365 tenant and ongoing cyber awareness training for all staff. Also included is Microsoft Business Premium along with Microsoft Defender for Office365 Plan 2 for advanced protection against phishing, malware and spam and automated investigation and response. A basic set of policies and procedures including an incident response plan is included. Great plan for accounting firms, financial planners, medical, title and loan companies, and law firms.
Lexington IT Services Offered by Next Century Technologies
Managed IT Services
Co-Managed IT Services
HIPAA Compliance Services
Data Backup and Recovery
Server and Computer Sales
Technology Speakers & Webinars
Here's What Our Clients Are Saying About Our Services
" LOCAL COMPANY WITH EXPERIENCE WE COUNT ON
Finance Administrator, Sturgill Turner Barker & Maloney
" THEY DO THE HEAVY LIFTING, PROVIDE GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE AND COMMUNICATE WELL
Director of HR, American Health Management
" WORKFLOWS IMPROVED COMPANY-WIDE THANKS TO SYSTEM UPGRADES
IT Manager, Everburn Manufacturing
Frequently Asked Questions About Cybersecurity Services
What cybersecurity services does Next Century Technologies offer?
We offer comprehensive cybersecurity services including endpoint detection and response (EDR), managed detection and response (MDR), advanced threat monitoring, pentests, vulnerability scans, phishing prevention training, compliance-driven risk assessments, security operations center (SOC) services and Office 365 monitoring to protect your business from evolving threats.
What does your client training process look like for cybersecurity?
We offer ongoing cybersecurity awareness training, phishing simulations, and customized alerts for emerging threats. We encourage clients to "call before clicking," ensuring your staff actively participates in maintaining a secure environment.
What should I do if I suspect a security breach in my business?
How does Next Century measure the success of its cybersecurity services?
How can I get started with Next Century’s cybersecurity services?
What is EDR/MDR and why do I need it?
EDR is a security tool that detects and responds to threats on endpoints, while MDR is a managed service that adds 24/7 human monitoring and response. EDR is a software tool that is installed on all endpoints (laptops, desktops, servers) to monitor for suspicious behavior and detect advanced threats like malware and ransomware as well as viruses. It provides tools to isolate and threat and remediate it. MDR is a service provided by human experts and runs 24/7. An external team of cybersecurity experts monitors EDR via their Security Operations Center (SOC). They have the power to react to threats at all hours of the day and respond to stop it on your behalf. MDR is critical because hackers work all hours of the day and a quick response is key to preventing a major breach.
What is IPS/IDS and why should I care about it?
Intrusion Detection System (IDS) and Intrusion Protection System (IPS): one only watches while the other takes action. IDS is the lookout - it monitors traffic for suspicious activities and known threats. It only alerts; it does not stop the attack. IPS, on the other hand, checks the data carefully and actively takes steps to stop it. It can drop malicious data packets and block traffic or even reset a connection. A good IDS/IPS on a firewall comes with a subscription to keep up-to-date with the latest threats. Often "home" firewalls do not include advanced IDS/IPS subscriptions. We recommend a quality firewall product for all clients, even ones that are on the road. They are the most vulnerable because they connect their laptops to hotel, restaurant or convention wi-fi with questionable security standards.
What is an IT risk assessment?
An IT risk assessment is a thorough evaluation of a business's technology environment to identify, analyze, and prioritize potential security threats and system vulnerabilities.
Why is it Important?
- Prevents Cyberattacks: It finds the weak spots in your network—like outdated software or missing security protocols—so you can fix them before hackers exploit them.
- Guides IT Spending: It removes the guesswork from IT budgets by showing you exactly which vulnerabilities pose the highest risk, helping you spend money where it matters most.
- Ensures Compliance: It helps businesses meet strict industry data regulations (such as HIPAA, PCI, or FINRA), avoiding costly fines and legal trouble.
- Minimizes Downtime: By identifying aging hardware or backup failures early, you can prevent unexpected system crashes that halt business operations.
Check out what is a risk assessment?
What is a vulnerability scan and why is it important?
A vulnerability scan is an automated process that inspects your IT systems, networks, and software to identify known security weaknesses.
How to think about it:
Think of it like a digital security guard walking around your house to see if any doors or windows were left unlocked. The scan compares your environment against a database of known flaws (such as missing software updates, misconfigured firewalls, or weak passwords) and gives you a checklist of specific technical issues to fix before hackers can exploit them.
(Note: While a Risk Assessment looks at the big picture of your business policies and overall security strategy, a Vulnerability Scan is a specific technical tool used to find the actual holes in your software and network.)
You might want to check out what is the difference between a vulnerability scan and a pentest next!
Who should invest in managed cybersecurity services?
Managed cybersecurity services are a strong fit for businesses that need better protection against phishing, ransomware, account compromise, and compliance-related security risks without building a full in-house security team
Do you provide cybersecurity services for regulated businesses in Kentucky?
Yes. Next Century Technologies supports businesses in Lexington, Central Kentucky, and beyond with cybersecurity services that align with requirements such as HIPAA, FTC Safeguards, and FINRA-related security expectations.
