Blog

Insider threats are among the most dangerous cyberthreats out there. Yet, organizations of all sizes seem to be either reluctant or negligent when it comes to fighting them. Even though some companies have an insider risk management program, they have a limited cybersecurity budget for mitigating insider risk.1 Simply having an insider risk management program is insufficient to protect your corporate data from today’s sophisticated attacks.  This brief article will shed some light on the types of insider threats you must detect and mitigate, the damage they could cause, the user attributes that increase these risks and the security controls you should implement to prevent and defend against these threats. Understanding insider threats Simply put, an insider threat is an employee or contractor who, either wittingly or unwittingly, uses their authorized access to cause harm to your business. There are three types of insider threats businesses might fall prey to: Negligent insider: A careless or negligent employee or contractor who unwittingly lets a hacker access your business’ network. Criminal insider: A criminal or malicious insider who abuses his or her privileged access to your business’ network to either steal or exfiltrate sensitive data for either financial gain or plain old revenge. Credential theft: A credential thief who poses as an employee or a contractor to gain access to sensitive data and then illegally uses the data for financial gain. The serious damage insider threats can cause Even a single security breach caused by an insider threat can seriously damage your business in the following ways: Theft of sensitive data: Valuable data, such as customer information or trade secrets, could be exposed following a breach. Recently, a leading hospitality service provider experienced a data breach that compromised sensitive data, including credit cards and other confidential information about guests and employees. Induced downtime: The downtime following a breach impacts your business in more ways than one. As mentioned earlier, it can take a long time for you to ascertain the details of a breach and then control the damage. This period can drain your business resources as it did to a company that ultimately was forced to shut down permanently after a disgruntled employee deleted thousands of documents from its Dropbox account. Destruction of property: A malicious insider could cause damage to physical or digital equipment, systems, applications, or even information assets. A former employee of a leading tech company gained unauthorized access to its cloud infrastructure and deleted hundreds of virtual machines, jeopardizing access to thousands of users. The tech major had to shell out a hefty sum to fix the damage and pay restitution to the affected users. Damage to reputation: This is a guaranteed consequence of a security breach. Investors, partners and clients may immediately lose confidence in your business’ ability to protect personal information, trade secrets or other sensitive data. The serious damage insider threats can cause The likelihood of a security breach caused by an insider could significantly increase due to: Unnecessary access provided to users who don’t even need it to perform their responsibilities Haphazard allocation of rights to install or delete hardware, software and users Usage of weak login credentials and inadequate password hygiene practices Users that act as a single point of failure because of lack of access control (a phenomenon common with CEO fraud) The serious damage insider threats can cause As a business, you can undertake a list of security measures to build a resilient defense against insider threats as part of a proactive strategy rather than a reactive one. Some immediate measures you can implement right away include: Assess and audit all systems: Direct your IT team to assess and audit every system, data asset and user to identify insider threats and document them thoroughly for further action. Restrict access and permission controls: Not every employee needs to have access to every piece of data. You must review and limit unnecessary user access privileges, permissions and rights. Enforce strict password policies and procedures: You must repeatedly encourage all users to follow strict password guidelines and ensure optimal password hygiene. Enhance user authentication: Deploy enhanced user authentication methods, such as two-factor authentication (2FA) and multifactor authentication (MFA), to ensure only the right users access the right data securely. Determine “baseline” user behavior: Devise and implement a policy to determine “baseline” user behavior related to access and activity, either based on the job function or the user. Deploy ongoing monitoring to detect anomalies: Put in place a strategy and measures that will identify and detect abnormal/anomalous behaviors or actions based on “baseline” behaviors and parameters. Detecting insider threats and building a robust defense strategy against them can be a tough task for most businesses, regardless of size. The right IT service provider can help you assess your current security posture, determine potential insider threats to your business, fortify your cybersecurity infrastructure and secure your business-critical data. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation at a time that’s convenient for you.    

As the business world becomes increasingly digitized, you’ll have to tackle several dangers that come with doing business online. Cybercriminals nowadays have several methods to target organizations, from credential hacks to sophisticated ransomware attacks.   This is why it’s critical to think about measures to protect your organization in every possible way. If you are unfamiliar with technology and the cyberthreat landscape, it might be hard to know the best strategy to protect your organization. With so much noise about cybersecurity out there, it can be challenging to distinguish between myth and fact.   Understanding current and evolving technology risks, as well as the truths behind them, is critical for providing a secure direction for your business. This blog can help you with that, and after reading it, you’ll have a better idea of the threat landscape and how to protect your business against it. Cybersecurity myths debunked Busting the top cybersecurity myths is essential to keep your business safe: Myth #1: Cybersecurity is just one solution There are many different aspects to cybersecurity and they’re all crucial in keeping your business safe. A robust cybersecurity posture includes employee security awareness training, physical security measures and a web of defenses for your network and devices. You can create a solid cybersecurity strategy for your business by considering all these measures. Myth #2: Only large businesses become the victims of cyberattacks If you fall for this myth, it could severely damage your organization. The truth is that small businesses are targeted more frequently by cybercriminals since their network can easily be compromised and they are less likely to recover from an attack unless they pay a ransom. Myth #3: Antivirus software is enough protection Nothing could be further from the truth. Antivirus software doesn’t provide comprehensive protection from all the threats that can exploit your vulnerabilities. Cybersecurity is about much more than just antivirus software. It’s about being aware of potential dangers, taking the necessary precautions and deploying all the appropriate solutions to protect yourself. Myth #4: I’m not responsible for cybersecurity Many businesses and their employees believe that their IT department or IT service provider is solely responsible for protecting them against cyberthreats. While the IT service department/IT service provider bears significant responsibility for cybersecurity, hackers can target employees because they are usually the weakest link. It’s your responsibility as a business leader to provide regular security awareness training and your employees’ responsibility to practice good cyber hygiene. An IT service provider can help Cybersecurity myths like the ones you learned above can lull businesses into a false sense of security, leaving them vulnerable to attacks. This is where an IT service provider, like us, can help. We can help you separate fact from myth and make sure your business is as secure as possible. We have the experience and expertise to handle matters such as cybersecurity, backup, compliance and much more for our customers. We’re always up to date on the latest security landscape and provide you with the tools and guidance you need to stay safe. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you secure your business.

As the world increasingly moves online, so do the risks to our businesses. Cyber insurance is one way to help your business recover following a cyberattack. It covers financial losses caused by events such as data breaches, cyber theft, ransomware and more. Cyber insurance can be beneficial in many ways since it typically covers the cost of: Recovering data Legal proceedings Notifying stakeholders about the incident Restoring the personal identities of those affected Due to the complicated nature of cyber insurance, there are a lot of myths out there that can be harmful to your business if you fall for them. Let’s debunk them together. Cyber insurance myths debunked Busting the top cyber insurance myths like the ones below is necessary so that you can make informed decisions for your business:   Myth #1: All I need to protect my business from cyberthreats is a cyber insurance plan This could not be further from the truth. Your insurance provider will only cover your business if you meet the requirements outlined in your contract. Most reputable insurers will require proof that you have been following the proactive measures outlined in your policy. If you can’t prove your compliance, your claims are unlikely to be paid. One of the most common insurance requirements is that you have top-tier cybersecurity protection. Despite the availability of a variety of cybersecurity solutions in the market, keep in mind that not all of them are the same. Finding a solution that offers the best protection for your needs is crucial. Myth #2: I don’t need cyber insurance since I have cybersecurity solutions Even though cybersecurity solutions can boost your defenses, they don’t make you immune to cyber incidents. Yes, cybersecurity solutions can reduce the risk of a cyberattack by identifying and protecting vulnerable points in your system. However, no solution can provide complete protection against all threats because staying on top of emerging risks can be challenging. Additionally, human error can always result in vulnerabilities in a system, regardless of how secure it is. That’s why it’s a good idea to have a cyber insurance policy in place to fall back on in case of an incident. Myth #3: Cyber insurance is easy to get As technology advances, so do the occurrences of cyber incidents. With small and medium-sized businesses being the most susceptible targets of cybercriminals due to a lack of enterprise-level protection, the likelihood of an attack is high. Consequently, insurers are reluctant to provide coverage since the risks are significant. While policies are still available, they are becoming more expensive and difficult to obtain.   Myth #4: If I have a cyber insurance policy, my claims will be covered in case there’s an incident If you can’t prove that you’ve complied with your cyber insurance policy’s prerequisites, your claim is likely to be rejected. This is why you might want to consider partnering with an IT service provider. An expert IT service provider can help you remain compliant with your cyber insurance policy as well as provide evidence of such compliance. Partner for success It’s crucial to not fall for the above myths about cyber insurance so that your business qualifies to invest in a policy and receive coverage. However, it’s also important to remember that cyber insurance is something that demands a lot more time and effort than you might have. To protect your business effectively, you should partner with an IT service provider like us who can help you understand how to increase your chances of receiving coverage and a payout in the event of an incident. Reach out to schedule a no-obligation consultation.

Remote or hybrid work models are utilized by many businesses to keep their operations up and running. For all its benefits, hybrid work does present unique challenges as it exposes organizations to a whole new level of cybersecurity and compliance threats. With cybercriminals preying on vulnerable home networks and work-from-home employees saving files on local drives, businesses using a remote work model face a significant threat to proprietary data. If you are a small business, you should never regard cybersecurity as an afterthought. In this blog, we’ll look at the major compliance and security concerns associated with remote work and how to overcome them. Despite the exponential growth of cyberthreats, businesses can successfully resist these threats and maintain regulatory compliance by utilizing cutting-edge technological solutions, even if your entire workforce is remote. Challenges to security and compliance with remote work Although many companies utilize a remote or hybrid work model, only a few have solid policies or processes in place that support secure remote work. Even some of the largest companies struggle to adhere to compliance standards while their employees work from home. Businesses of all sizes face the following challenges when working with remote employees: Reduced security: Today, your employees take their business devices home and use them on their home networks. They also occasionally use their personal devices for office work. This poses a great threat to business data since organizations have very little control over security. Inability to enforce best practices: When operating within your office environment, you can ensure data security best practices are followed by employees. However, with remote work, employees might use shared networks or public Wi-Fi connections to perform their work, adding to security complications. Inadequate backup: Data backup failure is quite common. That’s why organizations need to make sure they have multiple copies of their critical data in case their remote servers are compromised. Lack of employee awareness: Although most organizations follow best practices with regards to employee and customer data, human error is still a major threat to security and compliance. Remote employees need to be provided with proper awareness training on how to handle data and on the best practices to follow. Best ways to ensure compliance during remote work Although remote setups make compliance more challenging than usual, organizations can incorporate the following best practices to boost their security and stay compliant with various regulations. 1. Create a cybersecurity policy If you don’t have a cybersecurity policy in place already, the time to create one is now. It’s vital that organizations create a cybersecurity policy suitable for remote work as well. This policy should cover the various steps employees need to follow at personal as well as professional levels. By establishing proper standards and best practices for cybersecurity, organizations can minimize their exposure to risk. 2. Incorporate a consistent data storage policy Without a standard cloud storage policy, employees won’t know how to store and handle data. There should be a shared repository on the cloud to back up files instantly from different sources. In many cases, copies of data that employees store on their local drives can pose a threat to data security and create inconsistencies in storage policies. You need to make sure that data storage policies are strictly followed throughout the organization. 3. Increase remote monitoring During remote work, endpoint management and cybersecurity policies are impossible to incorporate without the power of automation. You need a strong remote monitoring solution that manages all your endpoints and helps you adhere to compliance regulations. When you have complete visibility into the entire remote working network, you can minimize vulnerabilities and security threats. 4. Increase employee awareness through training Since human error is extremely likely in all organizations, proper training should be provided to remote-working employees. This training should focus on major issues such as clicking questionable links, being wary of messages from untrusted sources, having strong passwords, implementing multifactor authentication, etc. If your organization falls under specific compliance regulations, you’ll need to provide additional training to data-handling employees regarding the best practices to be followed. 5. Use the right tools and solutions As cybercriminals and their tactics continue to evolve and become more sophisticated, you need to make sure that you are using effective software tools and solutions to combat this threat. In addition to remote monitoring software, you need to use the right antivirus, cloud backup, password manager and more. You also need to make sure that these solutions are properly integrated into a comprehensive platform. What businesses need today Ensuring compliance is a critical task in itself. Doing that while implementing remote working policies and procedures can be overwhelming for organizations. You need to invest in a security solution that allows you to protect your valuable data and meet compliance regulations even in a remote work environment. Check out our checklist to learn more about how you can ensure compliance with security best practices for both traditional and hybrid workforce models. Reach out to us today so we can help you zero in on an effective compliance strategy customized for your needs.

12 Password Best Practices With the business world heavily reliant on digitalization in this day and age, the use of technology in your organization is unavoidable. Although technology can undeniably give your business an advantage in increasingly competitive markets, there are many troublesome areas to keep an eye on. This is why interest in cybersecurity has risen in recent years. Password protection is the best place to start if you want to ramp up your cybersecurity. Setting a password to secure an entity’s data is called password protection. Only those with passwords can access information or accounts once data is password-protected. However, because of the frequent use of passwords, people tend to overlook their significance and make careless mistakes, which could lead to breaches in security. This makes it imperative for businesses to devise strategies to educate employees about best practices when using passwords. 6 Password “Don’ts” Protect the confidentiality of your passwords by following these six password “don’ts”: 1. Don’t write passwords on sticky notes Although you may feel that writing down passwords improves password protection and makes it more difficult for someone to steal your passwords online, it can make it easier for someone to steal your passwords locally. 2. Don’t save passwords to your browser This is because web browsers are terrible at protecting passwords and other sensitive information like your name and credit card number. Web browsers can easily be compromised and a wide range of malware, browser extensions and software can extract sensitive data from them.   3. Don’t iterate your password (for example, PowerWalker1 to PowerWalker2) Although this is a common practice among digital users, it is unlikely to protect against sophisticated cyberthreats. Hackers have become far too intelligent and can crack iterated passwords in the blink of an eye.   4. Don’t use the same password across multiple accounts If you do so, you are handing cybercriminals a golden opportunity to exploit all your accounts.   5. Don’t capitalize the first letter of your password to meet the “one capitalized letter” requirement Out of habit, most of us tend to capitalize the first letter of our passwords to conform with the “one capitalized letter” requirement. However, hackers are aware of this, making it easy for them to guess the capitalized letter’s position.   6. Don’t use “!” to conform with the symbol requirement However, if you must use it, don’t place it at the end of your password. Placing it anywhere else in the sequence makes your password more secure. 6 Passwords “Do’s” Protect the confidentiality of your passwords by following these six password “do’s”: 1. Create long, phrase-based passwords that exchange letters for numbers and symbols For instance, if you choose “Honey, I shrunk the kids,” write it as “h0ney1$hrunkth3k!d$.” This makes your password harder for hackers to crack. 2. Change critical passwords every three months Passwords protecting sensitive data must be handled with caution because there is a lot at stake if they are compromised. If you use a password for a long time, hackers may have enough time to crack it. Therefore, make sure you change your critical passwords every three months. 3. Change less critical passwords every six months This necessitates determining which password is crucial and which is not. In any case, regardless of their criticality, changing your passwords every few months is a good practice. 4. Use multifactor authentication It’s your responsibility to do everything in your power to keep nefarious cybercriminals at bay. One of the best approaches is to barricade them with multiple layers of authentication. 5. Always use passwords that are longer than eight characters and include numbers, letters and symbols The more complicated things are for hackers, the better. 6. Use a password manager A password manager can relieve the burden of remembering a long list of passwords, freeing up time for more productive tasks. Need a password manager? We can help. Adhering to password best practices requires constant vigilance and effort on your part. As a result, it is best to work with an expert managed service provider (MSP) like us who can help you boost your security and put your mind at ease. Contact us for a no-obligation consultation.

The basic premise of search engine reputation management is to use the following three strategies to accomplish the goal of creating a completely positive first page of search engine results for a specific term Mobile apps have already penetrated every sphere of our lives and every imaginable business niche. Naturally, the appeal of mobile apps for its market potential cannot fade away anytime soon, at least until another great technology can replace mobile apps. But surprisingly, only a handful of apps in every niche really become successful and only a handful of apps across all niches really make it a phenomenal success. So, what about the failure of other apps? What are the key factors responsible for the failure of millions of apps? Well, apart from the ill-conceived app idea and development and design flaws many apps simply fail because of their pre-launch and post-launch shortcomings. In today’s world, mobile apps are the most important aspect of any business. In today’s world, mobile apps are the most important aspect of any business. If you want to find success, your app must meet your customer’s needs and be highly rated. It’s critical to understand what it takes to make a successful mobile app. Mobile apps have already penetrated every sphere of our lives and every imaginable business niche. Naturally, the appeal of mobile apps for its market potential cannot fade away anytime soon, at least until another great technology can replace mobile apps. But surprisingly, only a handful of apps in every niche really become successful and only a handful of apps across all niches really make it a phenomenal success. So, what about the failure of other apps? What are the key factors responsible for the failure of millions of apps? Well, apart from the ill-conceived app idea and development and design flaws many apps simply fail because of their pre-launch and post-launch shortcomings. Missing On A Pre-Launch Campaign The basic premise of search engine reputation management is to use the following three strategies to accomplish the goal of creating a completely positive first page of search engine results for a specific term

What is Organizational Agility? It’s hard to predict the future. Just think of all that has happened in the world in the last two years. From the COVID-19 pandemic to supply chain issues to inflation and war, no one could have predicted these events early enough to be adequately prepared. These challenges make it more difficult for companies to succeed and achieve their long-term objectives. When the needs of your employees, customers and the market change suddenly, you must be ready to make the necessary shift. Proactive small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) can achieve this by practicing organizational agility. Organizational agility is the flexibility and coordinated effort to quickly address rapidly changing market conditions. It empowers your people, processes and technologies to change direction quickly as needed, avoiding extended downtime and revenue loss. Importance of organizational agility Agility-focused businesses can manage their growth flexibly, independently and productively. This improves their efficiency and reduces costs. With this approach, you don’t predetermine the path forward. Instead, you make iterative changes based on feedback loops generated throughout the growth process, such as from employees and other key stakeholders. Once you’ve made changes to accommodate all the constructive recommendations, you can prepare to make additional changes based on future suggestions. Since your clients are also part of the process, you can use their feedback to identify priorities and make changes. What is the difference between agility and scalability? Scalability is the ability to increase or decrease your resources to meet critical needs. On the other hand, agility is the ability to react quickly to a situation, adjust with minimal downtime or loss, and keep moving forward indefinitely or permanently. In simple terms, scalability refers to the ability to scale up and down in response to changing circumstances, while agility is all about the ability to move left or right to avoid a stumbling block. To ensure that your growth story is blemish-free as a growing company, you’ll need to be scalable and agile. To achieve that, you need to take care of a few things*: Thoroughly define your target audience Delivering value to your customers on a consistent basis is critical. Make every effort to establish trust and transparency with them. Gain a better understanding of the factors that influence value Although many businesses have identified their core customer base, they don’t fully comprehend what motivates people to buy. Give customers prototypes and samples, then observe what they do to get a better picture. Continuously evaluate and record their preferences. Approach growth in an iterative manner In a highly unpredictable business world, where an unpleasant surprise can occur at any moment, it’s better to grow iteratively. This allows you to learn as you go and adapt your business accordingly. Develop self-managing, integrated teams Create small, self-managed teams with all the skills and knowledge your organization will most likely require. Cross-train members so they can adapt to the needs of each iteration and figure out the best way to organize themselves to get the job done quickly. Create a culture of constant improvement Setbacks and challenges are common in business, but what matters is that you pick your business up after each fall and try to improve without hesitation. Developing organizational agility may demand significantly more time and effort from you than you can devote. If that’s something that worries you, simplify your journey toward organizational agility by partnering with an expert managed service provider (MSP) like us. Contact us today to schedule a no-obligation consultation. To help you understand the concept better, we created an infographic titled “Considerations for Achieving Organizational Agility,” which you can download for free by clicking here.