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10 Things Every Business Owner Should Know About Cyber Security

10 Things Every Business Owner Should Know About Cyber Security

Have you started business planning for 2024? The last few months of the year can get hectic, between trying to close out the end of the quarter strong and mapping out your plan to ramp things up in the new year. One area that small business owners often skip over when creating their new year strategy is cyber security planning. Cyber security is NOT an IT decision, it’s a business decision. Your company hinges on your ability to keep your data – and your clients’ – safe from cybercriminals. To create a reliable plan for the next year, there are a few cyber security basics that every business owner needs to be aware of to avoid being the next victim of a data breach. Cyber issues are becoming such a regular occurrence that it’s easy to become desensitized to the effects of data breaches, which can leave you vulnerable to an attack. Here are 10 BIG takeaways about cyber security that you should keep in mind. Your security depends on it! 1. No business is too small. Hackers love that small business owners think this way because it makes them an easy target. If you have money or data of any size or amount, you are at risk. Takeaway – Protect your business and consult a cyber security expert on what you need. 2. Your employees are putting you at risk. They are not likely doing it on purpose, but human error is the #1 issue with cybercrime. Whether it’s a bad link that is clicked or a malicious attachment that is downloaded, these small “accidents” can create huge problems for your business. Takeaway – Invest some of your budget in cyber security training for your team. 3. Software needs to be updated when you’re notified about it. This is true for your web browsers too. If you get a notification about an available update, it often means that a bug or a vulnerability needs to be patched. If you don’t patch it, that’s a little hole in your network that hackers can and will find. Takeaway – Have your IT team run automatic updates and always manually update if prompted. 4. Back up your data. Disasters happen, whether natural, like a tornado or flood wiping out your office, or a cybercriminal locking down your network and ransoming you to return it. Having a backup will allow you to reduce downtime and further damage to your business. Takeaway – Have an off-site backup and test it regularly to ensure it works properly. 5. Use a VPN when working outside of the office. If you’re on vacation, working while traveling or even working at the local coffee shop, connecting to public WiFi can put you at risk. Hackers can break into unsecured WiFi or set up fake ones, hoping you will connect to them. Takeaway – Use a VPN, or virtual private network, to keep your network safe from hackers while on the go. 6. Data breaches are expensive. The cost of data breaches puts most small companies that get hacked out of business within six months. These can range from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars, depending on the damage done. Takeaway – Invest in cyber security. Don’t play around and risk everything you worked hard to build. 7. Having cyber insurance doesn’t mean you’re covered if you’re hacked. If you’re hacked, cyber insurance doesn’t automatically cover you. Insurance agents will check to make sure you’ve done everything in your power to prevent the attack. If you haven’t, your claim can be denied. Takeaway – Read the fine print on cyber insurance policies and make sure you’re following all requirements. 8. Compliance doesn’t mean you’re secure. Being compliant means you are fulfilling all the requirements that the government has issued. This does not mean you are 100% secure; it means you have implemented the basics. Takeaway – Consult with a cyber security professional who deals with clients in your industry to make sure that you’re not only compliant but that you have the proper security systems in place to protect your organization. 9. Basic antivirus and firewalls are not enough. These are helpful, but they aren’t enough to keep you secure. Hackers are routinely finding ways to break through this software, so if you’re not implementing other security measures, you’re at risk. Takeaway – Consult with a cyber security professional to find out what you need. It’s often not as expensive as people think and will cost you WAY less if you ever become a victim of a data breach. 10. You’ll be the one who people hold accountable if you’re hacked. When it comes to data breaches, whether you’re at fault or not, you’ll be the one to catch the blame from your customers, employees, attorneys, the media and more, and it will be ugly. Takeaway – You can prevent this by taking a proactive approach to cyber security. Take your security seriously in 2024. We offer a FREE, no-obligation Security Assessment. Even if you already have a cyber security company you work with, it can’t hurt to have a second expert opinion to assess if and where you’re vulnerable to an attack. We have limited spots available and expect to fill up before the holiday break, so if you’re interested, click here to book your assessment with our team now.

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The Danger Of Holiday Phishing Scams: How To Recognize And Avoid Them To Stay Safe This Holiday Season

The Danger Of Holiday Phishing Scams: How To Recognize And Avoid Them To Stay Safe This Holiday Season

The holiday season is in full swing, which means so are the cybercriminals! While you’re making holiday gift lists, they’re plotting and scheming new ways to take advantage of unsuspecting online shoppers. Holiday phishing scams have become an all-too-common threat, targeting customers to steal personal information, financial data and even identities. To help reduce the chances that a cybercriminal will ruin your much-deserved holiday fun, we’ve outlined a few of the most common and dangerous scams that you should be on the lookout for, how they work and tips to help you avoid becoming their next victim. Understanding Holiday Phishing Scams: Phishing is a deceptive technique cybercriminals use to trick individuals into sharing sensitive information such as passwords, credit card details or Social Security numbers. During the holiday season, these scams often take on a festive disguise, tricking victims with holiday-themed e-mails, messages and websites. Whether you’re ordering gifts for clients or friends and family, here are some common tactics used by holiday phishing scammers to be aware of: Holiday-Themed E-mails: Scammers send e-mails that appear to be from trusted sources like your favorite retailers or even beloved charities. These e-mails look legit and usually offer fake exclusive holiday deals, order confirmations or requests for donations. Inside the e-mail, there is usually a link that leads to a fake website designed to steal your information or your money, or even install dangerous malware on your computer. Fake Promotions: Cybercriminals create fake holiday promotions and discounts that seem too good to be true. Unsuspecting victims see a great deal from a spoof e-mail account and are enticed to click on links or download attachments that can contain malware or lead to phishing websites. Sometimes cybercriminals aren’t looking to install malware but instead hoping to steal your money. They’ll duplicate popular retailer websites or set up their own, so when you make a purchase, they’ll collect the money, but you’ll never receive your order. These sites are often difficult to track, making it hard to get your money back. Delivery Notifications: With the increase in online shopping during the holidays, scammers send fake delivery notifications, claiming that a package is on its way or that there’s a problem with an order. These e-mails may prompt recipients to click on links or download attachments containing malicious software. Social Engineering: Scammers may impersonate friends or family members via e-mail or social media, asking for money or personal information under the guise of a holiday emergency or gift exchange. This is a common scam against seniors – who might not realize that the profile requesting money from them that was made “three days ago” isn’t actually their granddaughter – and young teenagers who don’t know fake profiles are an issue. Recognizing and Avoiding Holiday Phishing Scams: Now that we understand how holiday phishing scams operate, it’s essential to know how to recognize and avoid falling victim to them. Verify The Sender: Always check the sender’s e-mail address or domain. Be cautious of misspelled or suspicious e-mail addresses. Legitimate companies and organizations use official domains for their communication. Don’t Click On Suspicious Links: Hover your mouse over links to see the actual URL they lead to. Be wary of shortened links or URLs that don’t match the sender’s domain. If in doubt, visit the website directly by typing the URL into your browser. Beware Of Urgency And Pressure: Scammers often create a sense of urgency, claiming limited-time offers or imminent problems. Take your time to verify the authenticity of any claims before taking action. Double-Check Websites: Before entering personal or financial information on a website, ensure it’s secure. Look for “https://” in the URL, a padlock icon in the address bar and a valid SSL certificate. Use Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Enable 2FA wherever possible, especially for online shopping and banking accounts. This provides an extra layer of security, even if your password is compromised. Educate Yourself And Others: Stay informed about current phishing tactics and share this knowledge with friends and family. The more people are aware, the harder it becomes for scammers to succeed. Protect Personal Information: Avoid sharing sensitive information via e-mail or text messages, even if the request seems legitimate. Use secure channels for such communication. While the holiday season is a time for celebration and togetherness, it’s crucial to remain vigilant against holiday phishing scams. Cybercriminals prey on the festive spirit and increased online activity during this time. By recognizing the signs of phishing attempts and following best practices for online security, you can protect yourself and ensure a safe and joyous holiday season for you and your loved ones. Business owners: If your staff will be ordering gifts online for clients, make sure they know how to spot a phishing attack and that your network is properly secured in case something slips through the cracks. You don’t want your organization to be negatively impacted by extending holiday goodwill. If you aren’t sure if you’re protected, please give us a call or schedule a 10-minute discovery session with our team. We can help give you peace of mind this holiday season. Click here to book now, and happy holidays!

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10 Tasks You Didn’t Know Your IT Team Could Do For You

10 Tasks You Didn’t Know Your IT Team Could Do For You

When you run your own business, it feels like there are never enough hours in the day. Even when you start early and end late, there’s always something else, another e-mail or task, nagging for your attention. If you want to be productive, and ultimately successful, it’s important to prioritize what tasks you’ll allow to fill your schedule. Not everything needs to be or should be done by you. Easier said than done. One of the issues we frequently see business owners struggle with is to delegate the tasks they don’t need to be doing. “It’s faster if I just do it” and “They won’t do it like I do” are two statements we often hear. For some tasks, that’s probably true, and those should stay on your plate, but when it comes to IT and technology, there are always several tasks business owners are doing themselves that they could and should hand off to someone else. Some are obvious, like security. Quality cyber security requires 24/7 monitoring, and it’s unrealistic for busy business owners to be able to handle that effectively. They simply have too much to do! Another mistake is when they hand it off to an employee, family member or friend to do for them. These people are typically not qualified to protect you correctly. However, there are dozens of other to-dos that you might not realize you can hand off to your IT team Here are 10 tasks you can delegate to your IT team so you can focus on running your business. Fix or Optimize Wi-Fi – Whether your Wi-Fi is down, you need to extend coverage area or something else, you don’t have to crawl around unplugging and plugging your router. Your IT team can handle it. Install and Set Up Microsoft Teams – If you’re using tools like Zoom, Slack and project management software, moving to Microsoft Teams can enhance productivity. It facilitates direct communication, project management and collaboration and has over 1,900 applications you can use. IT professionals can set all this up for you and train your team how to use it properly. Manage User Access Permissions and Credentials – Your IT team can handle getting new employees their correct user access, immediately revoking access for fired employees or those who quit and everything in between. Procuring and Provisioning Devices – If you need laptops, desktops, tablets, mobile devices, etc., sourced for the best price and configured for use, that’s a tech team task. Providing Tech Support To Employees – No more troubleshooting questions for you! Your team can submit tech tickets for a quick, efficient response from support. Set Up Dual Monitors – Want to increase productivity and efficiency? IT can set up dual monitors, correctly hooking everything up, so your team can come in and start working instead of trying to DIY it. Speed Up Computers To Run Efficiently – If your computer is running slow, don’t go to Google looking for tips. Call your IT team. They can help you improve your computer speed. Install E-mail/Spam Protection – No more filtering out dangerous or annoying spam e-mails; IT will do it for you. Configure Office Equipment – New printer? No problem. IT can help set it up. Employee Screen Monitoring – Are your employees working when they say they are? We can help you find out by setting up software to track activity. And the list goes on. IT providers can also aid with HIPAA, CMMC and PCI compliance, file sharing for external/remote access users, data loss recovery plans, office relocation, cabling and so much more. Most business owners we consult with are surprised by the number of responsibilities a tech team can take on beyond cyber security. The best thing to do is book a FREE Network Assessment. During this assessment, our team will look at your entire system for areas of opportunity and improvement. We’ll conduct a full audit, provide you with a plan of action to optimize your business for productivity, efficiency and security, and answer any questions you have. Click here to book your Assessment now.

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Strengthening Small Businesses & Cybersecurity Awareness Month

  October is not just about the shifting into autumn or prepping for Halloween; it’s also Cyber Security Awareness Month. As the owner of an IT company, I’ve witnessed firsthand the unique challenges small businesses face in the cyber realm. Our local communities are brimming with innovative businesses, and with innovation comes an increasing need for robust cybersecurity measures. While large enterprises might have an army of IT professionals at their disposal, small businesses often work with limited resources, making them enticing targets for cyber threats. However, there’s good news. Many risks can be substantially minimized with good habits, especially around something as fundamental as password behavior. Passwords: The Unsung Hero of Small Business Cybersecurity As an entrepreneur, I understand what it’s like to invest everything into building and growing a business. Time, money, passion, and dreams. With so much on the line, protecting digital assets becomes paramount. Believe it or not, the humble password often serves as the first (and sometimes only) line of defense against cyber intrusions. Complexity is Key: As an IT professional, I can’t stress this enough. The digital age requires digital resilience. A robust password isn’t just about length—it’s about the mix. Use a combination of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and special characters to keep attackers guessing. Be Unique and Unpredictable: Your business is unique; your passwords should be too. Stay clear of birthdays, family names, or anything easily associated with your business. Create a password that’s as unique as your enterprise. Sharing Isn’t Always Caring: It’s tempting to share passwords for ease, especially in a close-knit team. Resist the urge. Keep passwords confidential to reduce vulnerability. And always use different passwords for different accounts. Level Up with Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): MFA is like a digital bouncer for your business. It’s an added layer that confirms the user’s identity. Implementing MFA can drastically reduce unauthorized access risks. An IT Company Owner’s Take on Small Business Cybersecurity Navigating the landscape of cybersecurity can be daunting for any small business owner. But as someone deeply entrenched in the IT world of small business owners, I can attest to the wealth of resources and solutions tailored specifically for our small business community. Each time a small business is fortified against cyber threats, our communities grows stronger. Cyber Security Awareness Month serves as a reminder, but the principles of cybersecurity should be woven into the daily fabric of our operations. If you’re a small business owner concerned about cybersecurity issues, remember you’re not alone. Reach out, educate yourself, and leverage local expertise. And always, always prioritize good password behavior. In the digital age, we need to be as protective of our cyber assets as we are of our physical ones. As the owner of an IT company, I’m committed to ensuring small businesses are not just aware but empowered to defend against cyber threats. Stay safe and stay secure this Cybersecurity Awareness Month!

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