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With most companies embracing remote or hybrid workforce models in the wake of the pandemic, cybersecurity threats have grown rapidly across the world. Insider risk has become a key problem for businesses — a risk that must be investigated, well understood and dealt with from the top down. An insider threat could be anything from negligent employees who lack cybersecurity training to rogue employees who facilitate a breach for personal gain. The increased frequency of insider threats and the severity of data breaches resulting from them is a wake-up call to all organizations to take proactive steps to combat this serious security risk. However, before taking any preventative security measures, it is necessary for you to understand where these risks come from and why. In this blog, we’ll discuss all aspects of insider threats including the motivations behind them, potential actors, primary targets, consequences and more. Actors behind insider threats Anyone with access to critical information can pose a potential insider threat risk if the information is unknowingly or maliciously misused, resulting in a data breach. Businesses need to identify these actors if they want to curb insider threats effectively. Insider threat types can be classified as follows: Negligent insiders – This may include careless executives or employees with access to privileged information. These insiders don’t have any motivation – money or otherwise. They are simply careless in their actions or may have fallen victim to a scam. In a recent incident, an IT employee deleted critical case files from a police department’s cloud storage, not realizing that millions of files were not completely transferred. Malicious insiders – These are insiders who intentionally abuse their credentials for personal gain. These actors can be more effective than external attackers because they have access to privileged information and are aware of security loopholes. They may be motivated by monetary gain or may have a personal vendetta against the company. An ex-employee of a medical equipment packaging company gained administrator access to the company’s computer network by hacking. He modified and wiped a huge volume of records to take revenge for his job loss. Contractors or vendors – Third-party vendors and contractors who have temporary access to an organization’s IT network can cause a data breach. The motivation, in this case, could also be negligence or malice. One of the Army Reserves payroll systems was once targeted by a contractor who lost his contract and activated a logic bomb to create a delay in delivering paychecks. Motivations behind malicious insider threats Malicious insiders are usually motivated by one or more of the following reasons: Money or greed – Most cases of non-negligent insider threats are motivated by money and personal financial gain. A greedy insider with access to restricted information is most often the culprit in this case. For instance, two employees stole intellectual property on calibrating turbines from a global energy leader and used it to form a rival company. Revenge – Another common reason for insider threats is vengeance. Disgruntled employees, who believe they have been wronged by the company they once worked for, are usually behind this type of threat. When a disgruntled former employee of a tech giant deleted hundreds of virtual machines, the company suffered huge losses before it could recover. Espionage – Many large organizations across the world have been victims of economic espionage from competing firms. This is mainly done to gain a competitive advantage in the market. An extranational, state-owned enterprise infiltrated an American semi-conductor firm with corporate spies to steal valuable trade secrets. Strategic advantage – Intellectual property theft against corporations is most often a result of trying to gain a strategic advantage in the market. A renowned smartphone company became a victim of an insider attack when its blueprint for bendable screen technology was stolen by its supplier. Political or ideological – There have been many documented cases of insider threats motivated by political or ideological factors. These cases often concern national pride or revenge against another nation for the attack. There have been numerous incidents of international hacking of businesses, human rights organizations and intellectual property theft. Why insider threats are dangerous Insider threats can have a massive impact on your data and bottom line. They typically aim for an organization’s core assets, including confidential data, product information, business strategies, corporate funds and IT infrastructure. Huge expenses are incurred because of downtime losses, lost business opportunities and more. Above all, it is frequently difficult to identify and contain these dangers. Don’t wait to protect your business Although the consequences of insider threats may be severe, you don’t have to face this problem alone. If you are wondering how you can mitigate these threats and prevent losses, we’ve got you covered. Check out our eBook to learn key strategies for mitigating insider threats. Reach out to us today to understand different ways of building a resilient cybersecurity posture against insider threats.

Over the last few years, we have seen several tech companies, such as Buffer, Todoist and Help Scout, to name a few, switch to a fully remote or partial work setup. Most of these companies spent months preparing for the switch by training their employees, setting up remote work policies and ensuring the necessary infrastructure was in place to deal with cybersecurity threats. However, many companies were forced to make the switch overnight when COVID-19 hit. Very few got the chance to fully prepare themselves, which left them more vulnerable to cyberattacks and data breaches. And this is exactly what cybercriminals are capitalizing on. According to the latest data from the National Cyber Security Alliance, there was a significant uptick in the number of cybersecurity incidents faced by businesses globally in 2021. The study found that most businesses reported an increase in the number of incidents, with more than 60% of companies indicating that the number of incidents had increased by at least 25%. Risks and consequences of not updating your security protocols and training programs For starters, your existing protocols and training programs were created in a pre-pandemic world. However, things have since changed drastically. Now, employees access critical company data through connections and devices that are beyond your control, making your company more vulnerable to cybersecurity threats than ever. Failure to update company security protocols and training programs could lead to the following consequences:  Employee inaction and dip in morale: If you don’t train your employees to identify or deal with new types of security threats, they may feel helpless or indecisive in the face of an attack. Moreover, being in a remote setting, they may find it hard to ask for support.  Hampering of business growth: Cyberattacks hamper your credibility and reputation in the market. This can make it challenging to acquire new customers or retain existing ones because they don’t trust you with their information.  Business paralysis: There has been a massive rise in DDoS attacks over the last few months.2 And such attacks typically lead to website downtime, increased vulnerability and disruption of business operations.  Compromise of crucial business information: If you fail to defend yourself, cybercriminals may end up getting away with everything from confidential client data, patents, sales information, business plans and much more.  Financial implications: According to a 2021 report, the value of ransom demands has gone up, with some demands exceeding over $1 million.3 But paying ransom is not the sole financial implication. A breach could see you lose money, your clients’ financial details, your reputation and much more.  Legal sanctions: If you fail to adequately protect yourself against cyberattacks, you could face everything from consumer lawsuits, hefty fines and sanctions, to even a business shutdown. How can you secure your remote workforce? To protect your company against cyberattacks and data breaches, you need to constantly evolve and grow to stay one step ahead of cybercriminals. If most of your employees are working remotely, it won’t take much to breach your defenses. In fact, all it could take is a password shared publicly on a team chat app, an accidental click on a phishing link, or confidential company information accessed through a public Wi-Fi connection.  This is why you need to have a new IT Policy in place that directly addresses remote workforce requirements. Apart from that, you must ensure all employees receive additional security training.  Personal device security: If your company allows employees to work using their personal devices, it is your responsibility to ensure they are of a minimum standard. You must clearly define what is permissible and what is not — the type of devices, operating systems, applications and websites that can be accessed. Besides that, give your employees a list of all security, remote access, VPN and other tools they need to install before they start. Your employees should also be aware of the level of access/control you have over their devices, the type of technical support you can provide and the company’s right to wipe/alter the devices.  Network security: Public Wi-Fi and home Wi-Fi networks are nowhere near as secure as the LAN connection in your office. That’s why you must enforce minimum-security standards to ensure employees don’t put company data at risk. Define everything from Wi-Fi encryption standards, Wi-Fi password difficulty, network security software, router safety guidelines and the types of devices that can be connected to the same network. Also, the use of public Wi-Fi must be actively discouraged. In case an employee has no other alternative, give them a list of essential safety guidelines that they need to follow — secure connection, WPA3 compliance, websites to avoid and so on.  Cybersecurity training programs: Due to this sudden migration to a remote work setup, IT teams in most organizations are stretched beyond their limits. They have to take care of support requests and make sure data and digital assets are safe and secure. This is why you need to make sure your employees get adequate cybersecurity training and are equipped to deal with common and emerging cyberthreats. The training program must include everything from password management, using multifactor authentication, identifying phishing and ransomware attacks, guarding personal devices against cyberattacks, operating/updating security software, configuring Wi-Fi, setting up VPNs, email usage, reporting/responding to cyberattacks and much more. Time to strengthen your first line of defense  Cybercrime is on the rise across the world. The ongoing economic downturn is only going to make things worse. That’s why you need to ensure everyone in your organization has their guard up at all times. However, if you decide to take on this journey alone, it’s going to be challenging and you might have to set aside a lot more time and effort than what you can invest. Therefore, it’s ideal to collaborate with a specialist managed service provider (MSP) like us who can handle the matters while you focus on your business.  

Do you find budgeting for IT challenging? If so, you aren’t alone. While the IT budgeting process can be tricky for small businesses, it can be especially difficult for those trying to do it all by themselves. With so many aspects to consider, such as routine/ongoing IT services, projects, refreshes and accidents/incidents, it can be tough to prioritize each and everything and still have funds left over for other crucial matters. One solution is to partner with an IT service provider like us. We can help you budget for all your IT needs — both big and small. We can also help you find ways to save funds on your IT budget, in turn freeing up financial resources for other areas of your business. How we can help We can support you by: Assessing your business Through assessments, we’ll understand your business’s technology requirements and recommend solutions that improve efficiency. We can provide support and maintenance for your business’s IT infrastructure. Our services may include making sure your systems are up and running smoothly and helping with any technical problems you may experience. Also, we can help you plan for future growth by studying your business’s long-term needs and suggesting solutions based on that vision. Partnering with us means you can rest assured that you have the right tools and support to be successful. Developing an annual technology plan based on your needs and goals We can tailor-make an annual plan based on the needs and goals of your business. This plan can help determine which technology solutions are best suited for your company as well as how to implement them in ways that meet your budget and time constraints. We’ll even assist with troubleshooting issues and ensure your technology infrastructure is constantly functioning adequately. Facilitating compliance with a cyber insurance policy If you have cyber insurance or are interested in receiving coverage, we can help you comply with your policy to increase your chances of receiving a payout in the event of an incident. By partnering with us, you can understand what your policy covers and what it doesn’t. We can help you decide what measures you need to take to be in alignment with your policy. We can monitor and manage your policy compliance on an ongoing basis. Offering a flat monthly price for everything We can offer a fixed monthly rate for our services, helping you create a budget and estimate your monthly IT expenses. This matters because, like in any industry, you might find service providers who underquote their prices and later charge you additional fees. Let’s join forces to make sure your business succeeds Technology is constantly evolving and keeping up with the latest trends can be difficult. A technology budget can help ensure your company has the required resources to stay ahead of the curve. Our team can help plan your technology budget for the upcoming year by identifying your needs and putting together a budget that meets your specific business goals. Contact us today to set up a consultation. Our checklist “IT Services You Should Consider” provides a list of critical IT services that should be included in your IT budget. Download it by clicking here. Note to MSPs: To ensure your content doesn’t get tagged for plagiarism, add the “no index” meta tag. About Powered Services Powered Services sales and marketing resources and tools are provided to aid and promote the sales and retention of customer prospects and clients. Resources are meant as guidance and instruction and do not account for any laws, regulations or restrictions. We suggest you seek legal counsel where applicable. Copyright and limited permissions granted by Kaseya Powered Services. All sales or marketing samples and templates provided are to be used exclusively to promote or sell Kaseya products. ©2022 Kaseya Limited. All rights reserved. Kaseya and the Kaseya logo are among the trademarks or registered trademarks owned by or licensed to Kaseya Limited. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

To succeed in today’s modern competitive business landscape, you need to understand the strengths and weaknesses of your employees. This will equip you to identify areas where employees may need further training, including cybersecurity awareness. Are you sure that your employees can resist threats and prevent cyberattacks? Certain employee traits can indicate a lack of cybersecurity knowledge or awareness. For example, individuals who regularly click on phishing emails or fall victim to social engineering attacks are likely unaware of the dangers of these threats. Similarly, employees who do not adhere to cybersecurity best practices, such as using strong passwords, may also demonstrate a lack of awareness or motivation. If you notice any of these behaviors in your employees, it’s essential to empower them with the latest cybersecurity training and best practices. By doing so, you can help protect your business against the dangers of cyberattacks. In this blog post, we attempt to categorize the most common employee traits so that you can identify individuals who require additional attention. Traits to watch out for Although there are numerous ways to classify employee traits, we believe the four listed below cover the most common character traits. The skepticSkeptical individuals believe that a cyberattack will never happen to them. They don’t understand the significance of regularly changing their passwords or using two-factor authentication. This callous behavior is exactly what cybercriminals exploit to attack the organization. They have a high success rate when businesses and their employees don’t take the necessary safety precautions. Remember, cybercriminals are out there and they’re very good at staying under the radar, making it difficult to spot them if you’re not actively looking for them. The procrastinatorCybersecurity procrastinators know they are critical to preventing hackers from infiltrating systems, but they’ll worry about finally connecting to your virtual private network (VPN) or deploying that security patch tomorrow. Those with the procrastinator cybersecurity trait also have a love-hate relationship with the dozens of red bubbles on their apps and software. They know that if left unchecked, the situation could quickly spiral out of control, but they will prioritize other tasks and wait until “the next day” to take care of the issue. The naiveAlthough naivete is not synonymous with foolishness, those who are inexperienced in cybersecurity might trust too easily. Do you know people who leave their computers unlocked when they go out for lunch? Or the remote worker who uses the free Wi-Fi at coffee shops? Some individuals even write their passwords on post-it notes; we’ve all been guilty of doing this at some point. While it may seem to this type of employee that they’re surrounded by good people, the threat might be sitting right next to them. The employee with good intentionsIf cybersecurity best practices were an exam, this type of employee would get an A+. They are cautious of emails with links or attachments, use complex passwords to deter hackers and are always informed of the latest threats. However, even the employees with the best of intentions can be targeted by a cybercriminal and not know it. That’s why providing your team with the latest cybersecurity awareness training is crucial. Conclusion It’s essential for any business to know its employees well. After all, they are the lifeblood of any company. Good employees help drive a business forward, whereas careless employees can drag it down. It’s important to remember that each employee is an individual with unique skills, traits and motivations. It’s up to you to make sure that these individual traits are being put to good use and that your employees receive regular security awareness training to help them all learn and practice good cyber hygiene. Don’t worry if you don’t know where to begin. The experience and expertise of a specialized IT service provider, like us, may be just what you need. Contact us today for a no-obligation consultation to see how easy we can make security awareness training. To learn more, download our eBook “Security Awareness Training: Your Small Business’s Best Investment” by clicking here.  Note to MSPs: To ensure your content doesn’t get tagged for plagiarism, add the “no index” meta tag. About Powered Services  Powered Services sales and marketing resources and tools are provided to aid and promote the sales and retention of customer prospects and clients. Resources are meant as guidance and instruction and do not account for any laws, regulations or restrictions. We suggest you seek legal counsel where applicable.  Copyright and limited permissions granted by Kaseya Powered Services. All sales or marketing samples and templates provided are to be used exclusively to promote or sell Kaseya products. ©2022 Kaseya Limited. All rights reserved. Kaseya and the Kaseya logo are among the trademarks or registered trademarks owned by or licensed to Kaseya Limited. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

Cyber insurance is a type of insurance that protects businesses from financial losses that can result from a cyberattack. While it’s an essential tool for businesses of all sizes, there are some facts you should be aware of before purchasing a policy. Just because you have cyber insurance, it doesn’t mean you are guaranteed a payout in the event of an incident. This is because you may not have the correct coverage for certain types of cyberattacks or you might have fallen out of compliance with your policy’s security requirements. As a result, it is critical to carefully review your policy and ensure that your business is adequately protected. Learn from the past Here are three real-life examples of denied cyber insurance claims: Cottage Health vs. Columbia Casualty The issue stemmed from a data breach at Cottage Health System. They notified their cyber insurer, Columbia Casualty Company, and filed a claim for coverage.However, Columbia Casualty sought a declaratory judgment against Cottage Health, claiming that they were not obligated to defend or compensate Cottage Health because the insured didn’t comply with the terms of their policy. According to Columbia Casualty, Cottage Health agreed to maintain specific minimum risk controls as a condition of their coverage, which they then failed to do.This case reminds organizations of the importance of reading their cyber policy, understanding what it contains and adhering to its terms. BitPay vs. Massachusetts Bay Insurance Company BitPay, a leading global cryptocurrency payment service provider, filed a $1.8 million insurance claim, but Massachusetts Bay Insurance Company denied it. The loss was caused by a phishing scam in which a hacker broke into the network of BitPay’s business partner, stole the credentials of the CFO of BitPay, pretended to be the CFO of BitPay and requested the transfer of more than 5,000 bitcoins to a fake account.Massachusetts Bay Insurance stated in its denial that BitPay’s loss was not direct and thus was not covered by the policy. Massachusetts Bay Insurance asserted that having a business partner phished does not count as per the policy.Although BitPay is appealing the denial, this case emphasizes the importance of carefully reviewing insurance policies to ensure you understand what scenarios are covered. This incident also highlights the importance of employee security awareness training and the need to reach out to an IT service provider if you don’t have a regular training policy.International Control Services vs. Travelers Property Casualty CompanyTravelers Property Casualty Company requested a district court to reject International Control Services’ ransomware attack claim. The company argues that International Control Services failed to properly use multifactor authentication (MFA), which was required to obtain cyber insurance. MFA is a type of authentication that uses multiple factors to confirm a user’s identity. Travelers Property Casualty Company claims that International Control Services falsely stated on its policy application materials that MFA is required for employees and third parties to access email, log into the network remotely and access endpoints, servers, etc. They stated that International Control Services was only using the MFA protocol on its firewall and that access to its other systems, including its servers, which were the target of the ransomware attack in question, were not protected by MFA. This case serves as a reminder that when it comes to underwriting policies, insurers are increasingly scrutinizing companies’ cybersecurity practices and that companies must be honest about their cybersecurity posture. Travelers Property Casualty Company said it wants the court to declare the insurance contract null and void, annul the policy and declare it has no duty to reimburse or defend International Control Services for any claim.   Don’t be late to act As we have seen, there are several reasons why businesses can be denied payouts from their cyber insurance policies. Sometimes, it could be due to a naive error, such as misinterpreting difficult-to-understand insurance jargon. In other cases, businesses may be maintaining poor cybersecurity hygiene. An IT service provider can help you avoid these problems by working with you to assess your risks and develop a comprehensive cybersecurity plan. Feel free to reach out for a no-obligation consultation. To learn more about cyber insurance, download our infographic titled “What Every Small Business Needs to Know About Cyber Insurance” by clicking here. Note to MSPs: To ensure your content doesn’t get tagged for plagiarism, add the “no index” meta tag. About Powered Services Powered Services sales and marketing resources and tools are provided to aid and promote the sales and retention of customer prospects and clients. Resources are meant as guidance and instruction and do not account for any laws, regulations or restrictions. We suggest you seek legal counsel where applicable.

Nothing is more crucial to a business than stability. Yes, profit matters, but companies can achieve consistent profits easily when markets are stable. The world, of course, doesn’t always work this way. Markets are highly unpredictable and things change in the blink of an eye. If your business’s viability is dependent on the marketplace, which is almost always the case, you must be prepared to face the challenges of trying to maintain a smooth path through a changing landscape. Businesses that survive and thrive under any circumstances share one trait: they are agile. When faced with a challenge, an agile business, like a skilled soccer player, knows when to decelerate, accelerate and turn. Agility can help organizations adapt to changes in the market and changes within the company. Begin with people, processes and technology* PeopleBeyond systems, stable and flexible personality types must be prioritized in your hiring practices. This means hiring those who are comfortable with change and can leverage change to better themselves and eventually the company. People are just as critical as processes in your organization’s ability to be agile. For instance, dividing positions by novelty versus repetition is a good idea (i.e., tasks with little to no context and which require a lot of research vs. well-documented duties with a playbook). Companies that use both work styles and appropriately cross-train their employees to take on both are usually better equipped to deal with changing market situations. ProcessesIt’s a good idea to plan ahead, but it’s also advisable to leave room for unexpected changes. Find the right combination for you. A process can be 70% planned and 30% improvised but knowing your typical mix ahead of time makes it easier to react quickly when the situation demands it. To take your processes through the path of agility, answer the following questions:How does your company assess agility? Is this working well, or do you need to broaden the definition to include departments other than IT?• Categorize the work you’ve done in the last 12 months (what percentage of it was planned versus ad hoc?)• Are the right people in the appropriate positions?• What slowed previous attempts to pivot quickly? TechnologyWhen handled properly, technology can substantially support your people and processes. However, you must make sure that the technology you use helps your business adapt to changes quickly. Otherwise, it could be the biggest hindrance in your journey towards agility. Collaborate for success Implementing all of the above could be overwhelming since you probably already have your hands full running your business. However, collaborating with a specialist managed service provider (MSP) like us can take the burden off your shoulders and give you the peace of mind you deserve. Feel free to reach out to us for a no-obligation consultation. To learn how to be more agile, click here to download our checklist titled “3 Ways to Make Your Organization More Agile.”  Syndicated article curated and used with permission. *Organizational Agility – IESE Business School  About Powered Services  Powered Services sales and marketing resources and tools are provided to aid and promote the sales and retention of customer prospects and clients. Resources are meant as guidance and instruction and do not account for any laws, regulations or restrictions. We suggest you seek legal counsel where applicable.    Copyright and limited permissions granted by Kaseya Powered Services. All sales or marketing samples and templates provided are to be used exclusively to promote or sell Kaseya products. ©2022 Kaseya Limited. All rights reserved. Kaseya and the Kaseya logo are among the trademarks or registered trademarks owned by or licensed to Kaseya Limited. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

From a data regulator’s perspective, it is the responsibility of your business to keep data safe from cyberthreats, inform clients about a breach within a stipulated period and provide necessary documentation as proof of your efforts. Although different regulations have laid down distinct mandates for breach notifications, the principle remains intact. While there is an over-arching belief that data isn’t really “stolen” in a ransomware breach, no organization hit with ransomware has been able to back this up as fact. That’s why compliance regulations mandate businesses to notify their clients if their data is in jeopardy. Many businesses, however, tend to operate in something of a “grey area” when it comes to notifying their stakeholders about data breaches. In this blog post, we’ll tell you why going down this route can backfire and why your business needs to adopt an inclusive approach that combines the best of cybersecurity and compliance. The grey area Many businesses seem to think that not all ransomware attacks need to be reported since not all hackers can decrypt the data they have encrypted themselves. They assume that only during sophisticated attacks do hackers possess the necessary skills to decrypt, exfiltrate and misuse data. Only in such cases do these businesses accept that a breach has occurred and is, hence, in need of reporting. However, this assumption is dangerous for two reasons. First, with enhanced ransomware-as-a-service tools readily available in the market, even a hacker with minimal skills can catch you off guard and wreak havoc. Second, regulatory agencies perceive the situation differently. For example, as per HIPAA’s Privacy Rule, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has advised companies to assume that ransomed data contains Personal Health Information, even in “low probability” cases. In fact, some data breach notification regulations mandate businesses to notify customers even in the case of “unauthorized access,” without the need to prove that personal data was stolen. Why businesses choose silence over breach notification Accepting a data breach isn’t easy for any business due to the severe financial and reputational repercussions. But there are other reasons why businesses choose to keep quiet. Inability to comply with data breach notification norms Despite being a basic requirement, most businesses lack the ability to adhere to breach notification norms set by several regulations worldwide. Even if a business avoids reporting a ransomware attack, failing to notify its customers or clients on time can still invite stringent action from regulators. GDPR — the European Union’s data privacy and protection regulation — has set a 72-hour deadline to report the nature of a breach and the approximate number of data subjects affected. From the moment a business’ IT team establishes that a breach has occurred, the clock starts clicking. Is your business capable of adhering to such norms? The “victim versus victimizer” perception Let’s assume a business reported a ransomware breach to its stakeholders and the relevant authorities. On one hand, law enforcement agencies investigating the matter would perceive the business as a victim, even if it paid the ransom; on the other hand, regulators might deem the business to be the victimizer of its customers for failing to protect their data. If the business is found to be non-compliant with the necessary security mandates after an audit, the regulators will undertake punitive action after assessing a list of factors. Reputational damage Most customers prefer not to engage with a brand following a data breach. Who would like to associate with a business that can’t protect itself? While your business could still recover from the financial damage caused by ransomware-induced downtime, rebuilding its reputation and regaining the trust of your customers is a long, tedious and more often than not, futile process. This is one of the main reasons why businesses abstain from reporting a ransomware breach. You need to cover both ends While there isn’t a 100% fail-safe strategy to avoid cybersecurity attacks such as ransomware, your business can still demonstrate its commitment to preventing security breaches or data loss incidents. This is just what compliance regulators, as well as your key stakeholders, look for — how proactively your business can mitigate risk and handle the aftermath of a breach while also adhering to applicable regulations. Adopting an inclusive approach that involves the best of cybersecurity and compliance is a step in the right direction. Partnering with an experienced MSP that has a track record of protecting businesses from sophisticated cybersecurity threats and non-compliance risks will significantly benefit your business. Feel free to contact us for a consultation today. Let us help you proactively meet all your cybersecurity and compliance needs.

In today’s business world, technology plays a significant role in almost every industry. It has disrupted the way we live, work, interact and collaborate. There are endless ways that technology can benefit businesses like yours. Technology can help you automate processes, connect with new customers and improve communication within your company. Ultimately, technology can help you reach your business goals and be more successful. However, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) often have more difficulty implementing new technologies than larger businesses. This could be due to a lack of resources, compatibility issues with existing systems or complications in managing new technology. You might also find it hard to keep up with the latest technological trends. This is where you need to consider hiring an external IT service provider in addition to your existing IT team or simply rely on an IT service provider if you don’t have an internal IT team. An IT service provider is a specialist who can act as your outsourced IT team. The benefits of outsourcing IT services over hiring internally There are many benefits of outsourcing IT services rather than hiring internally, including: More comprehensive support Outsourcing your technology needs can be a great way to get more robust support for your business. By outsourcing, you gain access to a team of professionals with a wide range of skill sets rather than just one person or a small group with a specific skill set. This can be beneficial for businesses looking for assistance in a range of areas. On-demand If you only have one person providing your IT services, you only get service when that individual is available. That’s why it’s crucial to look for 24/7/365 support and that’s where an IT service provider comes in. With an IT service provider, you have a team of experts who are always on call to help you with your IT needs. You can rest assured knowing that your systems are being taken care of and that you’ll never be without service again. More reliable When you hire a specialized IT service provider, you are basically hiring a team of experts. That means if someone from that external team leaves, your support will not suffer. You’ll continue to have access to the same level of support as before. Internal hires, on the other hand, don’t come with that same safety net. When someone quits or gets fired, your support abruptly dwindles. You’ll have to spend time training a new hire and getting them up to speed. Worry-free An IT service provider will provide you with the necessary software, tools and staff to manage your entire IT environment. You can focus on your business and leave the IT management to them. This is an excellent option for small businesses that lack the time or resources to manage their own IT department. Predictable cost The most enticing benefit of partnering with an IT service provider is the monthly bill you’ll receive. This predictable bill will take away the worry of budgeting for employee benefits, bonuses, etc. Collaborate with the right partner An IT service provider like us might be exactly what your business needs. We can help you by providing a single point of contact for all your IT needs, right from industry-best software to support and maintenance. We can also provide you with access to resources you may not have otherwise, such as a broader range of software and skill sets, as well as security, compliance and backup services. Finally, we can help you stay up to date on the latest technologies, which can improve your business efficiency and competitiveness. Feel free to contact us today to take the first step towards solving your technology woes.

Imagine it’s the end of a long workday and you’re ready to head home for the evening. However, just as you’re about to leave, you find out your email credentials have been hacked and critical data has been stolen from your business. As a small business, you may have to deal with similar scenarios caused by phishing attacks, ransomware, malware or any other security threat. The question is, do you have a plan in place to respond quickly and effectively to minimize the impact on your business? Remember, the longer it takes to address a cyber incident, the more harm cybercriminals can do to your business, such as severe data loss and damage to your bottom line and reputation. That’s why, in addition to having strong cybersecurity measures in place, you need to have an incident response plan to fall back on. An incident response plan is a set of steps that can be implemented following a breach to minimize its impact and get the company back up and running as soon as possible. Cyber incident response 101 According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), incident response has five phases: Identify There are numerous security risks to be aware of in order to develop an effective incident response plan. This includes threats to your technology systems, data and operations, among other things. Understanding these risks allows you to be better prepared to respond to incidents and reduce their impact. To identify risks, you can start by looking at system logs, examining vulnerable files or tracking suspicious employee activity. Protect It’s critical to create and implement appropriate safeguards to protect your business. Safeguards include security measures to guard against threats and steps to ensure the continuity of essential services in the event of an incident. To protect your business against cyberthreats, you can use backups, implement security controls such as firewalls, and train employees on security best practices. Detect Quickly detecting irregularities, such as unusual network activity or someone attempting to access sensitive data, is essential to limit the damage and get your systems back up and running faster. Deploying techniques such as an intrusion detection system (IDS) is an effective way to tackle irregularities. Respond You need to have a plan in place to respond to detected cyber incidents. This plan should include strategies for breach containment, investigation and resolution. A couple things you can do to respond to an incident are isolating affected systems and cutting off access to every impacted system. Recover Following an incident, you must have a plan in place to resume normal business operations as soon as possible to minimize disruption. These steps can be part of your recovery plan: Restoring systems that have been affected by the attack Implementing security controls to prevent the incident from happening again Investigating the root cause of the event Taking legal action against perpetrators Keep in mind that a well-crafted incident response plan will help you resolve a breach, minimize the damage caused and restore normal operations quickly and effectively. It’s critical to ensure that all staff are aware of the incident response plan and know their roles and responsibilities in the event of a breach. An incident response plan should be reviewed and updated regularly to ensure that it remains relevant and effective. Cyber incidents can occur at any time, so it’s crucial to be prepared. Collaborate with an IT service provider to ramp up your defenses A specialist IT service provider like us may be exactly what your business needs to develop an incident response plan. By employing our expertise and experience, we can help you: Protect your business against cyber incidents Create a comprehensive incident response plan Abide by NIST’s five phases of incident response These are just a few of the ways we can help you with your incident response journey. If you’re looking for help protecting your business against cyber incidents, be sure to contact us to schedule a no-obligation consultation.

Merely mitigating external cybersecurity threats isn’t enough to fight cybercrime in today’s ever-evolving threat landscape. Although insider threats can be just as devastating as their external counterparts, most businesses fail to track and manage insider threats adequately. Human error and malicious insider threat behavior are involved in the majority of breaches. In light of this, it would be wise of you to have a plan to combat this increasingly rampant threat. Tackling insider threats should be the top priority of your cybersecurity strategy and it is imperative that you find ways to curtail the damage caused by a data breach due to these threats. Once you’ve undertaken consistent and comprehensive measures to take care of this problem, your business will be significantly safer. This blog will help you understand how to save your business-critical data from insider threats. Keep an eye out for insider threats Insider threats are risks that your business faces from the inside – either in the form of malicious insiders or insiders who unwittingly end up jeopardizing the security of your business. Some of the various types of threats you must be wary of include: Negligent insiders: A loyal and hard-working employee with the best of intentions might unintentionally make a mistake when moving too fast. Malicious insiders: Someone who uses their access privilege to steal and use sensitive information for personal gain. Untrustworthy third parties: An irresponsible third party, such as a business partner or a contractor, can compromise an organization’s security through malicious or negligent access, assets or information. Disgruntled insiders: They disrupt operations or destroy property and data to harm their organization. In the following sections, we will focus on disgruntled insiders to help you understand what motivates them to carry out attacks and the potential damage these attacks could do to your business. How to identify a disgruntled insider While it is crucial to identify signs of a disgruntled insider, it is equally important to realize that in most cases, your employees are not deliberately trying to harm you. You should always approach your employees with trust and respect, unless they give you a reason not to or you find yourself in a situation where you have to let someone go. A disgruntled insider often displays one or more types of high-risk behavior that you must keep an eye on. Some of them include: Expressing dissatisfaction over a poor performance review: It is critical to be aware that sometimes an employee who is disappointed with their performance review may become an insider threat. While not every unhappy employee turns into a threat, it is something that can happen, so it is necessary to be aware of the possibility. Feeling unequal among co-workers or feeling ignored: There is a risk that an employee who feels unequal or overlooked by their peers could become an insider threat, though not always. Feeling dissatisfied with the job: If an employee feels stuck at their job, they may at times engage in activities that could harm the company. Leaving the company abruptly: While this may not be classified as a type of behavior, an employee leaving the company may cause damage while on their way out for various reasons. It is important to remember that until an employee’s access privileges are revoked, they remain an “insider.” Tracking and managing such behavioral patterns may seem daunting, but the longer you sit on it, the greater the chances are of a disgruntled insider causing your business harm. What problems do disgruntled insiders cause? A disgruntled insider might do any or all of these activities: Exfiltrating business data before leaving the company to work for a competitor Deleting critical data or incriminating evidence Leaking or exposing private/personal customer data or business IPs to the public or on the dark web Enabling or causing damage to physical or digital equipment, systems or applications, or deleting/destroying data and information assets Here are a few examples of how security breaches caused by disgruntled insiders impacted their respective companies: Several lawyers from a major law firm stole sensitive files and deleted emails. They did it for personal gain and with a specific goal — to assist a competing law firm in opening a new office in the same area. The victim law firm lost a large chunk of its correspondence, pleadings, confidential records and client database due to these malicious actions. As a result, they were forced to close the affected office. The day after quitting his job, a hospital ex-employee downloaded private data to his USB drive from his former employer. He then leaked test results, patient names and dates of birth to the public. As a result of the incident, the hospital was forced to provide additional services, such as free credit monitoring and identity restoration, to all affected patients. Tighter security + robust backup and recovery = The protection you need There has never been a better time to fortify your IT security and devise a contingency plan for insider threats. While implementing robust security measures such as stricter access management and ongoing risk management would be a great start, protecting your business with an enterprise-class backup and disaster recovery solution will boost your defenses immensely. It will ensure your business-critical data is backed up regularly, protected from malware or insider threats, and quickly recoverable in the event of a breach. Want to protect your business from disgruntled insider threats without feeling paranoid and having to watch your employees’ every move? An experienced IT service provider can help you not only ward off insider threats, but also secure your business-critical data with a backup and disaster recovery apparatus. We’d love to help you safeguard your business. Feel free to send us a quick email and we’ll set up a no-obligation consultation today.