How Cybersecurity Training Can Boost Your Business — And Help Prepare For A Crisis

In a time of unprecedented health and safety concerns, there is no doubt that COVID-19 has forced employers across the world to become more dependent on the internet — and with millions of users heading online for work, entertainment and online schooling, cybersecurity is more important than ever.    According to a Forbes report at the end of March, total internet hits have already surged by 50-70%. While issues of server bandwidth and feasibility for remote work-from-home models are prominent, there is an underlying issue created by this surge: as our dependence on virtual operations increases, vulnerability to malware, phishing attempts and cybercrimes follow suit.    Implementing Cybersecurity Training Providing your…

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Supporting An Online Work-From-Home Model During COVID-19

  While businesses across the U.S. are shifting to virtual workplaces due to the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home was already becoming the norm for more and more employees. It’s no secret that employers are turning to a remote work model to help boost productivity and efficiency — according to a 2019 survey by Owl Labs, 91% of workers chose to work remotely for better work-life balance and 79% for increased productivity and better focus. But what happens when, instead of having one or two remote workers on your team, your entire operation has to move online?   This is now the reality of millions of businesses. With cities and…

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Maintaining Collaboration And Protecting Your Data While Working Remote

  As companies are increasingly choosing to protect their employees during the COVID-19 outbreak by moving to a remote workplace, several questions and concerns arise. A work-from-home (WFH) model that is efficient, easily accessible and secure is paramount for both small and large businesses.    While adjusting to a new sense of “normal” in the workplace, it’s crucial that businesses and contractors alike equip themselves with the best tech platforms to make the virtual transition as seamless as possible. The following list of programs and software can help your company stay on track while integrating the WFH model into your day-to-day:    GoTo Meeting  An open line of communication amongst…

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Tech Necessities For Your Start-Up Business

  With everything that is needed to create a successful start-up, it can be easy for things to be forgotten. But your business’ technological needs shouldn’t be one of them. From creating a security plan to making sure your software is up-to-date, technology is a crucial part of protecting your business. Because after all, according to Embroker, only 10% of start-up businesses succeed. Learn more with these simple tips and tricks to making sure your start-up is safe and secure:   Encourage a Formal Security Plan  According to QAT Global, it’s important to ask these simple questions about data security when creating a start-up.  What kind of data is being…

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Three Common Data Security Mistakes To Avoid

Technology has allowed companies, big and small, the ability to access large amounts of customer data. With so much data it can be difficult, costly and, ultimately, overwhelming for companies to ensure that their private information is secure. Here are a few tips to help your company avoid common big data pitfalls and some solutions to prevent mix-ups before they happen:    1. Encrypt Your Emails To encrypt or to not encrypt? Encrypting emails is something that most companies routinely overlook, but can cause problems in the future. Some businesses choose to forgo email encryption because it can be costly and complicated, while others think encryption is insignificant and unimportant.…

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What’s A Vishing Scam

Phishing scams, in which your personal and professional information can be lost in just the click of a button, are most commonly associated with fraudulent emails. But, this type of scam has also expanded to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems and has become so prevalent it has earned its own unique name – voice phishing or vishing.  What’s Vishing In a voice phishing scam, someone pretending to be in a position of authority, such as a bank representative or government official, calls or sends a message requesting confidential information. You are then sent a link where you are asked to enter your personal information. According to Lifewire, phone scams…

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5 Tips To Keep Your Small Business Secure

Small businesses are an obvious target for cyberattackers because their security budgets are usually limited. However, as a business grows, so does its vulnerabilities. Nearly 50% of all cyberattacks target small businesses, and of those small businesses that are victims of a cyberattack, 60% go out of business within six months. Some small business leaders may know already that their IT security systems are lagging behind their competitors, but simply don’t know where to start. Here are five tips for small businesses to keep in mind when establishing a security strategy:    Strengthen and Varying Up Your Passwords   Strong passwords are a must as well as changing your password…

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What You Need To Know About EKANS

A concerning evolution in ransomware is starting to take shape. Recently, researchers have started to warn against “EKANS,” also known as Snake, a type of ransomware that specifically targets industrial control systems (ICS). EKANS first emerged in December 2019, when it was found to be able to hack into Windows systems used in industrial environments. This is the second instance of file-encrypting malware that was designed to target the software used in oil refineries and manufacturing facilities, specifically.     How does EKANS work?  EKANS encrypts files (which are then renamed with a random five-character file extension) and blocks access until the user pays a cryptocurrency ransom. In order to deploy…

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Everything You Need To Know About Office 365 Harvesting

Office 365 software is utilized by more than 150 million active subscribers. But this large number of users also makes Office 365 a major target for hackers. Recently, cybercriminals have been known to use a technique that doesn’t require users to give up their login credentials. While scammers have used similar tactics in the past, what makes this scam even more dangerous is that the URL within the phishing message links to a real Microsoft login page. Learn all about this new phishing scam and how to protect your company from becoming its next victim.    How does it work?  The scam starts with a phishing message that pops up on…

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Public vs. Private Cloud Storage: Which Is Better for Your Business?

With its 30-year history, cloud storage is often viewed by companies as a safe, reliable and secure way to store their data. These services are especially useful for small businesses since they eliminate the need to have an in-house server.  However, the question of whether it is safer to use cloud storage or internal servers is worth asking. Learn more about the specific advantages and disadvantages of cloud storage, including when companies choose to use a combination of public and private storage called the hybrid cloud.    What are the benefits of cloud storage?  The first major benefit of the cloud is not having the expense of running your own…

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