5 IT Tasks to Automate in 2026

5 IT Tasks Every Business Should Automate in 2026

Automation is no longer nice to have. It’s how businesses stay quick, consistent, and secure. As a cybersecurity-minded managed-IT provider working with Virginia organizations, we’ve seen the same pattern again and again: manual processes create gaps that attackers exploit, while simple automation buys time, cuts risk and frees people to focus on work that matters.

Below are the five IT tasks every business should automate in 2026, why they matter, and how to start — with short, practical examples and local context for Virginia companies.

Why automate? A quick reality check

Industry research shows that breaches are costly and usually take place within avoidable gaps. In recent years, the global cost of data breaches has reached staggering amounts. Phishing, stolen credentials, and human error continue to be key factors in incidents.

Automation can now minimize your window of exposure and make security more predictable. But what should you automate first?

1) Automated patching and updates stop known attacks before they start

Unpatched systems are still one of the most common methods for attackers to get in. Automated patching takes the process away from someone needing to remember and allows for servers, endpoints, and network devices to receive critical updates as scheduled.

To get started, deploy a centralized patch management tool, test the updates in a staged group, and then deploy them automatically. For many Virginia organizations where compliance is a requirement (healthcare, education, government contractors), automated patching is expected by customers and should be a baseline requirement.

Mini Case: An anonymized mid-sized Virginia nonprofit was able to decrease its average vulnerability window from a week to only a few hours of post-automated patch deployments, and the security team was no longer chasing repetitive manual tasks.

2) Endpoint protection & response (EDR) automation detects and contains faster

Present-day attackers advance laterally with incredible speed. Automated endpoint detection and response (EDR) systems are designed to detect suspicious behavior, automatically isolate infected endpoints, and implement remediation playbooks, sometimes without requiring human approval.

Why it is important: Automated containment has the potential to reduce the risk that one infected laptop grows into a full-blown breach. Verizon’s breach of data continues to show credential and phishing-based incidents as common attack vectors. The faster you isolate, the less damage attackers do.

How to start: deploy EDR across all company devices, integrate it with your SIEM or monitoring, and create simple automated responses (isolate, kill process, alert SOC).

3) Automated backups and disaster recovery testing don’t assume the cloud protects you

Many teams assume “cloud” equals “backup.” It doesn’t. Make sure you automate regular backups, and even more importantly, automate your recovery testing so you know your backups work when you need them.

A stat to note, cloud adoption is still on the rise, and automation around backup and disaster recovery is critical as those workloads move into hybrid infrastructure or multi-cloud.

How to start: nightly incremental backups, weekly full backups, and quarterly automated restore tests. Backup verification should be considered non-negotiable.

4) Identity and access automation make access safe and fast

Badly managed accounts are a top risk. Automate user lifecycle: provisioning, role-based access control, and deprovisioning. Tie everything to multi-factor authentication (MFA) and automated access reviews.

Why it matters: stolen credentials remain a leading initial access method. Automating access reduces orphaned accounts and enforces least privilege across your systems.

How to start: use an identity provider (IdP) with automated provisioning, require MFA for all remote access, and schedule automated access recertification every quarter.

5) Security monitoring & alert automation turn noise into action

Poorly managed accounts are a high risk. Automate user life cycle management of provisioning, role-based access, and deprovisioning. Automated user life cycle management changes with multi-factor authentication (MFA) and automated access review processes.

Why it is important: stolen credentials continue to be one of the top initial access vectors. Using automated access processes reduces the number of orphaned accounts and guarantees a least privilege of posture across your systems.

How to start: use an identity provider (IdP) with automated provisioning, require MFA for all remote access, and schedule automated access recertification every quarter.

A short checklist for Virginia businesses (quick wins)

• Enable automated patch management across critical systems.
• Deploy EDR on all endpoints with automatic isolation rules.
• Automate backups and test restores quarterly.
• Automate identity lifecycle and require MFA everywhere.
• Integrate logs and automate triage/playbooks for common incidents.

Final thought

While automation opens up exciting opportunities to improve efficiency, it has to be controlled. Start small with predictable tasks, document playbooks, and review automated actions regularly. Review automated INR actions for compliance, records, and best practices in action. Automation must be combined with employee training, multi-factor authentication, and network monitoring. Ultimately, tools are only as useful as the policies and people that supervise their activity.

Takeaway & Next Step

Automation is the fastest, most reliable way to shrink your attack surface in 2026. Suppose you’d like a short, no-cost automation readiness check. In that case, our team at Omega Technical Solutions reviews your top systems, recommends three immediate automations, and outlines a roadmap you can implement with minimal disruption. Schedule a free consultation now!