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Category: Business & Cybersecurity Insights

Wake Up Call For Small Business Owners In The Aftermath Of The Solarwinds Cybersecurity Attack

At the end of 2020 a cybersecurity company, FireEye, made a disturbing discovery. Their systems had been infected with malware. Cybercriminals had maintained access to their systems for at least 9 months, completely undetected. It was the beginning of an unfolding story that continues to rock the nation. FireEye is highly reputable cybersecurity company, and they were first alerted to suspicious activity when someone noticed two phones registered to one employee. Their investigation revealed that there was a string of malicious code in their software, Orion, created and maintained by the company, Solarwinds. The software Orion is used by companies and federal agencies to monitor activity on a network. This malicious code allowed hackers a “back door” into each private company and federal agency using the Orion software. Corrupted software update spread massive infection Through a complex process, Russian (alleged) hackers replicated an Orion software update with the addition of 3500 undetectable lines of malicious code. Solarwinds released this altered and corrupted software update to all it’s Orion software clients including private companies and federal agencies. The hackers rented space on domestic US servers to fly under the radar of the federal government’s international cybersecurity watchdog agencies, the National Security Agency (NSA) and the military’s U.S. Cyber Command. Federal agencies and private sector cybersecurity companies are still collaborating on the investigation for how and why this cyberattack happened, and how to prevent future attacks. Experts agree that the hacker’s novel techniques contributed to it’s devastating impact and the federal government recently warned the private sector of increased cybersecurity threats. Complacency is the biggest risk Hackers are continually developing new strategies to gain access to a target’s network, servers, and computers. It’s a constant threat with lucrative rewards that shows no sign of slowing. There are news stories every few days about another cyberattack wreaking havoc on another business or organization. A school district in Missouri fell victim to ransomware and canceled in person learning for the day. A company operating a huge pipeline ceased operation in the past week due to another cyber threat. You can’t help but hear about these stories repeatedly featured on the nightly news. There’s a wakeup call needed for all small business owners in the aftermath of the Solarwinds cyberattack. Complacency is not an option because with cybersecurity it’s not a matter of if an attack will happen, but a matter of when an attack will happen. The Solarwinds cyberattack was simple and ruthless in its delivery through a routine software update. No one saw it coming! Federal government agencies and sophisticated cybersecurity companies were oblivious to what was going on in their own networks. Do you know what is possibly operating on your own network? When was the last time you scanned your network and systems to proactively check your security? What measures do you have in place to protect your network? Do you have a plan in case you have a data breach of sensitive client data or valuable files? It’s tempting to think that these attacks only happen to the “big guys” like Solarwinds, not a small business who has a lot less to steal. In fact, the opposite is true. 95% of all cyberattacks are aimed at small and medium businesses. Complacency is not an option for any small business owner. The good news is that you’re not alone. Every single small business owner is facing a similar uphill battle trying to protect their business from cyberattacks. There’s new cybersecurity solutions being developed for the latest threats and tried and true network and endpoint protections available. The first step is to get a baseline of where you are currently with your cybersecurity, and then make a plan to add any additional layers of protection needed.

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The Dark Reality Of Heartless Cybercriminals Targeting Healthcare & Businesses In 2020

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a warning to hospitals and the healthcare industry about a significant increase in ransomware attacks targeting hospitals and the healthcare industry.  Important Note: This article focuses on ransomware attacks in healthcare, but EVERY industry has a significant risk of attacks by cybercriminals and ransomware! The people behind these attacks aren’t the lone actors we sometimes envision sitting in a dark basement plotting against the world. Cybercriminal rings are organized businesses with financial backing and resources. Their goal is to scale their processes to get as much cash as possible from unsuspecting organizations that fall victim to their ransomware. They heavily invest in the latest malware variants and employ professional teams whose SOLE PURPOSE is to trick you or your team member into clicking a link in an email or downloading a file. These hacking organizations are heartless. They are out to get you. They’re targeting hospitals and the healthcare industry at this critical time during a global pandemic because they know that people are tired and stressed and are much more likely to be tricked by a malicious email phishing attack. I hear stories about healthcare organizations within the St. Louis area losing tens of thousands of dollars due to a ransomware attack. It makes me furious that hackers and cybercriminals are targeting organizations that are trying to HELP SICK PEOPLE! There’s no other way to describe these vile people besides greedy and malicious. Yet, so many people are unaware of the threat lurking in their email inbox. The most talented criminals and villains make it seem like they’re not real threats. They wear a friendly mask and hide amongst the emails from our coworkers, our favorite restaurants, and our messages for everyday work. Right now, I am sure your email inbox is flooded with obvious SPAM messages that most people can easily identify. These are the work of low-grade cybercriminal rings, not the same sophisticated organizations behind the most recent ransomware attacks. The advanced hackers have invested heavily in malware variants and psychological tactics to trick you and your employees. And, their investment has paid off. The evidence of lucrative profits from ransomware is a rapidly growing market. The individual ransom of 1,400 clinics, hospitals, and other healthcare organizations varied from $1,600 to $14 million per attack. People are increasingly paying the ransoms after ransomware infection (CyberEdge report) 2018 – 39% paid the ransom 2019 – 45% paid the ransom 2020 – 58% paid the ransom Healthcare isn’t the only industry being targeted. Every business is at risk! These cybercriminals plot and scheme every possible way to steal money from businesses like yours, trying to make an honest living. Now is the time to rally your team and embrace a call to arms to protect your organization and business’s purpose and mission. Complacency is the commonality that cybercriminals are counting on when strategizing the best way to attack your business and steal your money. You can’t afford to rely on hope as a strategy to keep your business protected! Thankfully, there’s an army of “good guys” working diligently to help keep your business protected. The same next-generation antivirus, email SPAM filtering solutions, and cutting-edge cybersecurity protections used by large enterprises are now available for small and medium businesses. In addition to technology solutions to keep your business protected, every member of your team is a critical part of your overall ransomware protection strategy. A single click on a link in a malicious email can circumvent ALL the security protections in place. So, training and testing every member of your team is critical.

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The 3 Critical Reasons To Only Buy A VoIP Phone System From An IT Company

Why would the owner of an IT company write an article telling you only to buy a VoIP phone system from an IT company? The motivation behind writing this article is NOT to help me sell more VoIP phone systems.  Recently, we had a single week where 3 client’s networks were negatively impacted by the repercussions of VOIP providers making changes or installing new phone systems. My team has been called in many times to correct issues caused by a VoIP phone company after they tried to install a VoIP phone system which they sold to our client. These problems were caused by inexperienced phone technicians trying to make their VOIP phone system work.  In this article, I’ll share one VoIP installation nightmare with you and also detail the exact reasons why it’s in your best interests to only buy a VoIP phone system from an IT company with extensive networking experience. What is a VoIP? VoIP stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol which is a relatively new networking technology used for voice communications. Each VoIP phone is a network device that operates within your computer network alongside all of your other network devices including your firewall, switches, server and computers. Phones and networking technology have converged and the knowledge required to install and support VoIP phone systems is now about 85% networking and 15% phones. Almost every phone system made and sold today is a VoIP phone system and the traditional phone system companies have been thrust into the world of networking and VoIP.  Traditional phone system companies were experts in installing legacy phone systems, which were isolated systems with their own separate wiring.  However, today’s VOIP systems require complicated network configurations which must co-exist with the client’s computer network.  Given their lack of network and IT skills traditional phone system companies are now in well over their heads trying to integrate their VOIP phones with your computer network. A VoIP Installation Nightmare The first sign of trouble for one of my clients was when they called us saying that their VPN’s weren’t working. When we researched the problem, we discovered that we couldn’t communicate with the firewall on their network.  When we asked the client to power cycle their firewall they discovered that there was a different firewall in place.  About an hour earlier, the client had a new VoIP phone system installed by a VoIP phone company who switched out my client’s firewall with a lower quality non-security firewall without telling anyone.  It should be noted that before installing the VoIP phone system, this VoIP company told my client that they wouldn’t change anything with the network. So, the installation technician either was ignorant of the ramifications of removing their firewall or grossly negligent for removing my client’s firewall to suit his phone system’s needs without the client’s permission.  Either way, removing the clients firewall without permission was astonishingly brazen and dangerous to our client as it removed all of the security which was provided by their newly removed firewall.  And, all of the other functionality of the firewall, such as the VPN, were also lost.  This was a major disruption to our client’s business just because the phone system vendor wanted to install a firewall that they could make work with their phone system. Here’s the three reasons to choose an IT company over a VoIP phone company to recommend, install and support your new VoIP phone system. VoIP phone systems require specific network configurations One of the biggest reasons for VoIP failure, poor sound quality and dropped calls is that the VoIP phone system is not configured properly to take into account your company’s firewall, routers, network traffic or internet speed. Managing the traffic for VoIP phones can also require creating a VLAN which is a more advanced networking concept. Phone vendors simply don’t understand many details like this because there’s no requirement that they know advanced networking skills. They’ve always sold phones and they still sell phones, but now the VoIP phones are completely different. Improper installation causes VoIP and network issues When it comes to installing a VoIP phone system a VoIP phone company will install with the singular goal of making their phones work. They will ignore the client’s more advanced networking settings and install their phone system the way that they think is best. On the other hand, when an IT company installs a VoIP phone system, they know the intricacies of the network and install and configure the VoIP phones within the network to have ALL the network devices work, not just the phones. The worst offense by a VoIP phone company is after they install the VoIP phones and discover that they don’t work as promised in the business’s specific network environment, they blame the problems on the client’s network. Ironically, the issues are generally caused because the VOIP phone company doesn’t understand networking.  This generally leads them to contact the actual VOIP provider who will then work with the client’s IT Company to actually configure the network properly.  The introduction of this third vendor is the “Bermuda Triangle Of VoIP Phone Support.” Maintain the integrity and security of your network Installing and supporting a computer network today is very complicated compared to 10-15 years ago. Your computer network is the backbone of your business and having a properly functioning network not only keeps your team and business productive but it also protects your company’s data and client information from cyberattacks and other malicious cyberthreats. Your firewall, switches, VPN’s, server and computers are all configured in a very specific way and advanced networking knowledge is required to correctly add a new network device such as a VoIP phone. Additionally, the security risks introduced by incorrect network settings could be disastrous. If you are considering replacing your phone system with a new VOIP system be sure that the VOIP phone company you choose will at the very least work closely with your IT provider.  Ideally, you will purchase your VOIP phone system from

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Technology & Remote Work Expand Business Owner’s Options During Hiring Shortage

For the first time since January 2020, the number of job openings exceeds the number of job seekers. As of July 2021, there are over 10 million job openings but only around 8.4 million unemployed people actively looking for work. We’re in the middle of a hiring shortage, and it’s a job seeker’s market. Business owners are feeling the pressure of not being able to find people they need. Industries are affected differently, but no one is immune to feeling the pains of this hiring shortage. Savvy business owners and managers are thinking outside the box and realizing the numerous advantages that remote team members represent. There are several advantages for a business when considering having remote workers as part of the team. Out of all the job openings you currently have in your business, how many can be performed remotely? Have you fully considered the benefits of adding remote workers to your team? Benefits of Embracing Remote Workers Larger Pool of Applicants When you’re looking for the right person, it’s a benefit to cast your net into an ocean of people instead of a small pond. When you open your job search to include remote workers, you’ve automatically increased the number of applicants who will apply, making it more likely that you will find the right person to add to your team. Specialized Knowledge Are you looking for specific experience or specialized skills with your open position?  Casting a wide net to a much larger pool of possible candidates is sure to yield a much larger response of applicants who have the specific skills your position needs. Less Overhead Cost For each team member that you add to your onsite team you will need more office space.  And, as we know, office space can be extremely expensive.  Large and small companies have found that they can realize significant cost savings by reducing the amount of office space required when their team members work remotely. With today’s competitive market, you need to make strategic decisions for hiring and technology. This gives you an edge over the competition when adding new people to your team. The smallest decisions for your technology can make a huge difference in how your team functions in a hybrid or remote work setting. Thankfully there is a lot more technology available that can make it seem like a remote employee is just down the hall in their own office. These technologies include: Zoom or other video-based collaboration tools Cloud-based VoIP phone systems Microsoft Teams – cloud-based collaboration Cloud-based email – Microsoft 365 Cloud-based file sharing – OneDrive, SharePoint I haven’t shared any new or earth-shattering information in this article. You’ve likely read similar advice in many other places, especially after the rush to remote work environments with the pandemic. The technology solutions that allow remote workers to be as productive (if not more efficient) than office workers have been around for a few years. Many of our clients have embraced the remote-working trend which was catapulted to the forefront during the beginning of the pandemic. At first, many of our clients sent employees who worked in the office home strictly for health reasons.  Now, many employees are back in the office, but some have made the permanent switch to remote work.  One of our clients saved over $10,000 per month in rent with a smaller office for only a few people after transitioning their team of 25 to a mostly remote work environment. The strategic use of technology can help not only streamline your operations but enable an environment where remote work can solve many other business challenges.  We are well versed in all of the technologies necessary to enable your business or organization to strategically leverage the new remote work phenomenon.  If you would like to explore the possibility of adding remote members to your team we can provide all of the technology solutions to allow for efficient remote work.

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