Keith Franco, Securing Digital Safety for Nutley

May 23, 2017

Keith Franco: Voices of Nutley

While Keith Franco has moved around in his life, he always came back to Nutley. See why this lifelong resident chose Nutley as the home-base for his cybersecurity business in this edition of Voices of Nutley!

Can you briefly tell us who you are, where you are from and what you do?

I grew up here in Nutley. I’m the owner of Kingsland Security, which provides cybersecurity services to small and medium sized businesses, as well as individuals and families. I’m here to keep your private data safe! In my spare time, I’m a HUGE boxing fan, enjoy working out, travel, music, and reading.

What inspired you to start your own business and why in this field specifically?

I started Kingsland Security to bring my Information Security experience in the corporate enterprise environment to smaller organizations. I’ve been in the Information Technology field for nearly 20 years, with a focus on Information Security for the last 10. The Fortune 500 corporations out there have world class security teams and technology protecting their sensitive internal and client data – they can afford this. But most small businesses cannot afford the expense or time of investing heavily into cybersecurity solutions or personnel. Unfortunately, these same smaller businesses are the frequent victims of data breaches, virus outbreaks, ransomware, and other cyber attacks. In the event of a data breach, they may not even realize that data was ever stolen. I want to help bridge that gap, and partner with these smaller organizations to help them secure their data and networks, and provide ongoing services to ensure the safe operation of their digital assets – all in a cost efficient manner.

Keith Franco Headshot

What are your goals for Kingsland Security?

To deliver exceptional service to my customers, and to as painlessly and transparently as possible, weave security into their business’ day-to-day operations. There was a time when cars had no seat belts, airbags, automatic braking, etc. At that time, getting into an accident meant a much greater likelihood of serious injury. But over the years, cars have evolved to incorporate dozens of safety features (crumple zones, stability control, safety glass, pre-tensioning seatbelts) which have greatly increased safety, and for the most part, have done so in a seamless, transparent manner to the driver. Kingsland wants to do for cybersecurity what these technologies have done for auto safety.

I also want to allay the anxiety which is often associated with cybersecurity. Computers generally, and cybersecurity especially, tend to be intimidating topics for many people, and organizations. They don’t know where to start, and they may be rightly concerned about over investing in security solutions. You definitely need more than antivirus software these days, but you likely don’t need all of the latest buzzword security technologies. Process and awareness are every bit as important as technology when it comes to protecting your data and network.

There’s an old saying, “You don’t have to run faster than the bear, just be faster than the guy next to you”. And so it is with cybersecurity. Hackers run automated programs which continuously scour the internet for weak targets to attack. You don’t want to be one of the pieces of low-hanging fruit which they can easily pluck with little to no effort. But, you don’t necessarily need to be at the top of the tree either. I’m here to help organizations and individuals figure out how high up the tree they ought to be, given the nature of their operations, the sensitivity of the information they handle, their tolerance for risk, and of course, budgetary considerations.

How long have you lived in North Jersey?

Although I’ve moved a couple of times (New Orleans, Illinois) I’ve been in Nutley most of my life (40 years).

How do you like Nutley and how do you like being a business owner here?

Nutley has that small town charm, but nestled right in the shadow of NYC’s energy; it’s a combination which I love. We have a very vibrant business community. I love our parks, and especially the fact that they run through the entire length of town. Wherever you are in Nutley, a park is never more than a short walk away. Over the years, I’ve witnessed Nutley become a much more dynamic community, with greater diversity in the people, and businesses taking root here. Growing up as a kid in the 80s, I was convinced that there were only three types of businesses here: pizzerias, hair salons, and tanning salons! How things have changed, we truly have a diverse and dynamic range of businesses. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that someone will soon open a local brewery and/or coffee roastery.

How are you involved with the local community? Do you attend events?

In addition to running Kingsland, I also work full time as an Information Security Officer for a major law firm. This puts some constraints on my time, and thus my ability to attend local events. I’m a member of the Nutley Chamber of Commerce, but have only been able to attend a few events thus far. I’ll be increasing my community involvement over the next year, but am still not sure in what capacity.