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When it comes to managing your business’s IT infrastructure, there are several options available. One is fully managed IT, where an IT service provider takes care of all aspects of your IT needs, from monitoring and maintenance to troubleshooting and problem resolution. Another option is co-managed IT. Co-managed IT provides supplemental support to your internal IT department. It isn’t meant to replace your in-house IT staff but rather augment their efforts and fill in the gaps. A co-managed IT service provider can help your internal IT team with monitoring, maintenance and troubleshooting so that they can focus on more important projects without worrying about missing a critical patch or incident alert. In this blog, we’ll explain how co-managed IT can benefit your business and highlight a few signs that might indicate your business needs it. Additionally, we dig into four myths about Co-Managed IT to reduce Co-managed IT hesitation. Why your business might need co-managed IT A few signs might indicate that your business needs co-managed IT: Overwhelmed in-house IT staff Your internal IT team is the backbone of your organization and plays a crucial role in the smooth running of your business. However, if you notice your IT staff is constantly overworked and needs help keeping up with the constant demands of your organization, then co-managed IT services may be just what you need. Co-managed IT will help alleviate the pressure on your internal IT team and enable them to focus on more critical tasks. Extensive downtime and disruptions Downtime and disruptions can be costly for any business and can cause great stress for your internal IT team. If your organization experiences a lot of downtime and interruptions, then your internal IT team may need a helping hand to cope. An IT service provider can help by monitoring your systems and proactively identifying and addressing potential issues. This will help your IT team and save your business from the adverse effects of extended downtime and disruptions. Missed project deadlines Your internal IT team is vital to completing your organization’s projects. If your IT team consistently misses project deadlines, it might be a sign that they need additional support. Partnering with an IT service provider can help your internal IT team stay on track by providing the necessary resources and tools. This will help your IT team complete projects on time and help your organization achieve its business objectives. Lack of adequate tools and resources Your internal IT team plays a vital role in keeping your organization’s IT systems running smoothly. If your internal IT team is struggling without adequate tools and resources, consider co-managed IT. An IT service provider can provide your internal IT team with the tools and resources they need to be more effective. This will allow your IT team to work more efficiently, enabling your organization to run smoothly. As a business owner, you may feel that you need to choose between relying on your in-house IT staff or outsourcing technology management to an IT service provider. There is, however, a third option: co-managed IT. This approach combines the advantages and convenience of in-house IT with competent, specialized support from outsourced specialists. It’s a “best of both worlds” approach that can help your business leverage an external IT service provider to fill IT gaps without sourcing, training and retaining qualified, expensive talent. However, misconceptions about co-managed IT can make it difficult to make informed decisions. Myth #1: My business won’t be able to afford co-managed IT. One of the biggest misconceptions about co-managed IT is that it’s too expensive. Co-managed IT is a cost-effective option since you can reduce costs by sharing the workload without sacrificing quality. Additionally, the cost of downtime due to internal IT resources dealing with unexpected issues or disruptions can be much higher than the cost of co-managed IT. Myth #2: My business isn’t big enough to need outsourced co-managed IT. Many business owners believe that only large enterprises benefit from outsourced IT services. However, businesses of all sizes can benefit from co-managed IT. Co-managed service providers can customize services to fill identified gaps and meet specific business goals. Plus, even relatively smaller businesses are not immune to cyberattacks, making the advanced security solutions provided by an IT service provider even more necessary. Myth #3: An outsourced IT specialist is less vested in my business’s success than my internal staff. This is not true. A good IT service provider will strive to provide co-managed IT services that align with business goals and outcomes. Careful vetting will help ensure they are committed to your business and its success. In a co-managed model, the IT service provider becomes an extension of the organization’s team, but the internal team controls the relationship. This ensures that the IT service provider is aligned with your business goals and objectives and is working to help your business succeed. Myth #4: My internal IT staff will lose their jobs. Co-managed services are brought in to supplement existing resources, not replace them. In a co-managed model, internal IT workers and external IT providers each have distinct roles and responsibilities that complement each other. They work closely together toward common business goals and objectives. There will be no layoffs of internal IT staff, but they will have the opportunity to work alongside highly skilled and experienced IT professionals to help your business succeed. By now, you probably have a clear idea that co-managed IT is a good option for businesses looking to bridge the gap between in-house and outsourced IT. However, it’s important to remember that not all IT service providers are created equal. Choosing the right partner can make a massive difference in the success of your co-managed IT strategy. That’s why it’s crucial to partner with an experienced provider who understands the unique needs of your business. As an experienced IT service provider, we understand the importance of a reliable and efficient IT infrastructure for businesses. We offer various services, including fully managed and co-managed IT, to help organizations like yours reduce downtime, improve internal IT processes and drive growth. If you need clarification on whether co-managed IT is the right fit for your business, we’re here to help. We’ll work with you to understand how it can benefit your organization. We offer tools and resources to help your internal IT team become more effective, and our team is dedicated to providing the support you need to succeed.

What exactly is a supply chain attack and how does it impact your organization? A supply chain attack is a type of cyberattack that targets an organization’s external suppliers and vendors. This can have significant consequences for the organization, such as financial losses, damage to reputation and costly recovery efforts. The process of identifying and mitigating potential risks to your supply chain is known as cyber supply chain risk management. This includes assessing third-party vendors' security, ensuring that their products and services meet the necessary security standards and putting measures in place to protect against potential cyberattacks. As we navigate through today's competitive business world, it's essential to understand how to manage cyber supply chain risks. Failing to do so could mean the difference between maintaining order within your daily operations and facing the chaos of ruthless cybercriminals. Implementation of best practices can go a long way in minimizing the impact of a supply chain attack and can protect your bottom line. Recommended security practices Prevention is always better than cure, especially when you are managing data, systems, software and networks. By proactively adopting best practices, it is certainly possible to address supply chain risks. Some of these practices include: Having a comprehensive cyber defense strategy This involves taking a proactive and holistic approach to protecting your business from threats that may exist within your supply chain. For that, you need to focus on identifying and assessing potential vulnerabilities, implementing robust security measures to prevent attacks and developing contingency plans in case of a breach. Conducting regular security awareness training You must educate all employees about how even a minor mistake on their part could severely compromise security. Since employees are usually the first line of defense against cyberattacks, they must be trained to identify and avoid potential threats, especially when they come from within your supply chain. Remember that drafting and implementing an effective security awareness training program should not be a one-time affair. It should take place regularly to ensure all stakeholders are on the same page. Implementing access control Enabling an access control gateway allows verified users to access your business data, including those in your supply chain, and helps minimize the risk to sensitive data. Both authentication (verifying the user's identity) and authorization (verifying access to specific data) are crucial in implementing a robust access control strategy. Additionally, you can restrict access and permission for third-party programs. Continuously monitoring for vulnerabilities Continuously monitoring and reviewing the various elements and activities within your supply chain can help identify and address potential security threats or vulnerabilities before a cybercriminal takes advantage of them. This can be achieved with tools and technologies, such as sensors, tracking systems and real-time data analytics. Continuous monitoring can also help you identify and address any bottlenecks or inefficiencies in your supply chain, leading to improved efficiency and cost savings. Installing the latest security patches This practice enhances security by ensuring that all systems and devices are protected against known vulnerabilities and threats. Usually, software updates that fix bugs and other vulnerabilities that hackers might exploit are included in security patches. By installing these patches promptly, you can help safeguard your business against potential attacks or disruptions and reduce the risk of other negative consequences. Developing an incident response strategy An incident response strategy is a plan of action that outlines ways to handle unexpected events or disruptions, including those resulting from a supply chain attack. This strategy helps ensure that your organization is prepared to respond effectively to any potential security breaches or other issues that may arise. Some components of a supply chain incident response strategy may include identifying potential threats and vulnerabilities, establishing clear communication channels and protocols, and identifying key stakeholders who should be involved in the response process. Partnering with an IT business service provider Partnering with an IT business service provider can help reduce supply chain vulnerabilities by providing expert support and guidance in areas such as cybersecurity, data protection and network infrastructure. This can help reduce the risk of data breaches and other cyberthreats and ensure your systems are up to date and secure. There are many benefits digital transformation has brought to businesses like yours, such as easier inventory management and order processing. However, it does make organizations more vulnerable to cyberattacks and data breaches. A breach occurring anywhere in your supply chain could have severe repercussions for your business. So, how can you protect your business from these threats? Deploying security solutions within your organization is a good start, but it isn’t enough. Supply chains have grown vast and complex, making it virtually impossible to pinpoint failure points or totally eliminate risks. It's time to stop thinking of cybersecurity and data protection as merely an IT issue within your organization. It's a problem encompassing people, processes and knowledge/awareness that affects your entire supply chain. As a result, your preventive and corrective measures should consider risks throughout your supply chain. Make supply chain security a part of governance Addressing supply chain risks on an ad hoc basis will only create ambiguity and chaos. Instead, make it a part of your security activities and policies. This way, employees will know how to coordinate with third-party organizations and what kind of security activities are necessary. Take compliance seriously Organizations must comply with various regulations to avoid weak links in their supply chain. For example, the defense industrial base must comply with the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). There are many other compliance regulations, such as GDPR, HIPAA and PCI DSS, for different industries and focus areas. Organizations usually have to undergo detailed assessments, produce different reports and documentation, and implement best practices to prove and maintain compliance. By making compliance with these regulations mandatory for your vendors, you can ensure your organization meets all the requirements. Complying with applicable regulations is crucial. It will not only improve your cybersecurity and data protection but also ensure that everyone on your team follows the same standards. These regulations are often updated, so it's necessary to keep up with the latest industry standards. Deploy comprehensive and layered security systems It's nearly impossible to predict threats when you have multiple third-party vendors. There are too many possible attack vectors. That's why comprehensive, layered security is essential. Layered security is a more holistic approach that protects each layer of your IT infrastructure with a different solution or method. So, even if one solution fails, you have others in place to fill the void. Layered security, of course, is only as good as the people who maintain it. That is why your employees must be trained and tested on a regular basis. They need to be able to identify potential threats and take appropriate action. Adopt and enforce international IT and data security standards Because modern supply chains are so interconnected, you must interact and collaborate with your vendors. This means vast amounts of data are exchanged, including sensitive customer information such as medical records, Personal Identifiable Information and financial data. Such data must be stored securely (with continuous monitoring and real-time alerting) and only have regulated access. But how do you guarantee this? By adopting and enforcing international IT and data security standards such as GDPR and HIPAA. These standards ensure organizations keep track of the sensitive data they acquire, are able to produce thorough documentation when challenged, and have implemented adequate measures to secure data. Besides that, when selecting a software-as-a-service (SaaS) vendor, you should find out if they are SOC 2 or ISO27001 compliant. This indicates that the vendor is securing information as per industry standards. The best way forward With supply chains becoming smarter and more interconnected, now is the time to identify and secure weak links in your supply chain. This requires a lot of dedicated time and effort, so don’t worry if you don’t have the time or resources to do this on your own. An IT service provider like us can help. We can help deploy layered security and secure your data while maintaining compliance with regulations. Feel free to reach out to us for a consultation. Still not convinced there are Supply Chain Risks in your workplace? Supply chain attacks are a primary concern for businesses nowadays. With technology becoming increasingly advanced, businesses like yours must ensure there are no vulnerabilities in the supply chain. By being aware of these misconceptions and taking proactive steps to tackle them, you can help protect your business and customers from the risks posed by your supply chain network. Keep an eye out for these misconceptions Misconception #1 Supply chain attacks only pose a risk to large corporations, and smaller businesses don’t need to be concerned. Fact Supply chain attacks pose a severe threat to businesses of all sizes — not just large enterprises with significantly valuable assets. Most supply chain attacks involve hackers infiltrating a single supplier in the supply chain and impacting multiple businesses, including smaller ones. In fact, smaller companies may be more vulnerable to these attacks due to limited resources for securing their systems. Even if a small business lacks large amounts of valuable data, it can serve as an entry point for hackers targeting larger organizations with which it collaborates. Businesses of all sizes must prioritize supply chain security to protect against these deceptive attacks. Misconception #2 Standard cyber defenses are enough to protect against supply chain attacks. Fact Supply chain attacks frequently target the trust between an organization and its suppliers. It’s easier for attackers to gain access to sensitive information or systems by exploiting the trust factor. These attacks can be challenging to protect against, and standard security measures may not be adequate. Organizations must implement comprehensive risk management strategies that consider the unique challenges posed by these types of threats to defend against them. This may include measures such as regularly reviewing and updating supplier agreements, implementing robust security protocols and conducting regular assessments of all suppliers' security posture. Misconception #3 Vendors and suppliers have security measures in place to protect their systems and data. Fact While some of your vendors and suppliers may have measures in place, it's not enough to blindly assume that they have everything under control. You can't know what security practices and policies are in place unless you have a thorough and consistent vetting process. Keep in mind that when it comes to supply chain risk management, the vulnerabilities within your supply chain network can directly impact your business and its bottom line. For example, if one of your suppliers experiences a data breach, it could have severe consequences for your organization. That's why it's crucial to understand the security measures that your vendors and suppliers have in place. Don't leave your security to chance — thoroughly vet your supply chain to ensure a secure network. Collaborate for success If you’re not sure how to protect your supply chain without taking more time away from your packed schedule, don’t worry. Working with an IT service provider like us can help protect your business from supply chain misconceptions and risks. From protecting against supply chain attacks and implementing comprehensive risk management strategies to thoroughly vetting your supply chain network, we can provide the expertise and resources necessary to ensure the security of your business. To learn more about achieving supply chain risk management and compliance send us a message or give us a call.

We are all aware of the term “use by date.” It is regularly used when talking about food and medications and refers to the date after which the product is no longer safe to consume. However, did you know that your software and hardware can expire too? This is because technology is constantly evolving and advancing. What was once cutting-edge can become obsolete in the blink of an eye. While many people may not think twice about using outdated technology, it has security and privacy implications for your business. Obsolete technology is often less secure than newer versions because it doesn’t receive modern security features or patches from the manufacturer’s support team. This can leave your device and your data less impervious to attacks. Plus, outdated technology may not be compliant with current privacy regulations, meaning your data could be at risk. So, what does this mean for you and your organization? Staying up to date with the latest software programs and hardware is crucial. To protect your business from the downfall of outdated technology, you need a plan for when your systems reach their expiration date. The Dangers of Running Outdated Software Your software is only as good as its last patch. Reaching End of Life (EoL) or End of Service (EoS) means critical patches and updates are no longer available, leaving you vulnerable to various problems. Some make the mistake of not rushing to upgrade the software because it is still functional. However, outdated software can lead to security risks, data loss, compliance issues and more. Implications of using outdated software The implications of running outdated software can be divided into three categories: Security implications Using outdated software can have severe security implications, such as: You no longer receive security patches from the vendor, leaving your system vulnerable to known exploits. · Threat actors may have already reverse-engineered the software and developed exploit code, making it easier for them to compromise your system. · Running outdated software may cause compatibility issues with other software and hardware, leading to data loss or corruption. · Using outdated software may violate your organization's security policies, hindering a secure future and operational excellence. Privacy implications Privacy implications of using outdated software can be severe. If the software is no longer supported by its vendor and contains sensitive information, you could be at risk of receiving a data privacy fine. For example, in the United States, the Federal Trade Commission is taking action against Chegg Inc. for failing to patch vulnerabilities that exposed sensitive information about millions of its customers and employees, such as Social Security numbers, email addresses and passwords. Chegg allegedly couldn’t address problems despite four security breaches over a five-year period. According to the FTC's proposed order, the company must immediately address vulnerabilities and take additional steps, such as limiting the amount of data it can collect and retain, providing users with multifactor authentication to secure their accounts, and allowing users to access and delete their data.* Productivity implications Outdated software can have severe productivity implications for a business. For example, if the software runs slowly, crashes frequently or is otherwise difficult to use, it can frustrate employees and disrupt workflows. This can, in turn, lead to a poor customer experience, damaging a company's reputation and bottom line. Therefore, it is important to keep software up to date to avoid these problems. 4 Practical Steps to Take When Hardware and Software Expire When a software or hardware product reaches its End of Life (EoL) or End of Service (EoS), it's no longer supported by the manufacturer. This can be a cause of concern for organizations like yours because unsupported technologies have no routine internal security measures or support from the manufacturer. The good news is that there are steps you can take to mitigate the risks that come with EoL software/hardware and protect your business. Read on further to learn about them or give our IT specialist a call today. Practical steps Although there may be a sufficiently large list of practical steps, the four most impactful ones are: Prioritize security Organizations need to prioritize security immediately after identifying EoL software/hardware. Work with a reputable vendor who can provide essential security protocols and tools to keep your data safe. Also, create a plan to keep any potential security risks at a minimum. This might include implementing additional security measures, such as two-factor authentication or increased monitoring of high-risk areas. By taking these precautions, you can ensure your organization's data is protected against threats. Measure productivity As your software/hardware nears the end of its life, it’s crucial to measure its productivity so that your organization doesn’t suffer. Here are a few things you can do to minimize any negative impact on your organization: · Keep track of the software/hardware performance. This will help you identify if any issues escalate. · Ensure employees who use it are aware of its status. This will help them be more receptive if there are any problems. · Have a contingency plan in case the software/hardware completely fails. This will help you avoid any major disruptions to your organization. Evaluate long-term needs When planning for the future, it’s critical to consider the long-term viability of your essential systems. What are your objectives, and which systems are crucial to achieving them? Evaluating the risks of using EoL systems is a vital step when deciding whether to upgrade. What are the consequences of continuing to use an outdated system? What are the chances the consequences will happen, and how severe would they be? Taking these factors into account can assist you in making the best decision for your organization, ensuring you have the right systems in place to support your goals. Test compatibility before migration The EoL date for a system can be months or years in the future; however, planning for the migration should begin well before that date. By doing so, you can avoid any disruptions that may occur during the migration process. Testing compatibility is one of the first steps in migrating to a new system. You must ensure all your data and applications can be transferred to the new system. Setting up a test environment and running some tests is the best way to accomplish this. Collaborate for success It must be clear by now that EoL/EoS software and hardware can pose several risks to your organization. Implementing all the practical steps listed above to avoid these risks can be overwhelming if you don't have assistance. This is where an IT service provider like us can come in handy. We can use our experience and skills to show you the right way to secure your business and provide you with the necessary tools so you won’t be caught off guard by outdated software or hardware. To learn more, feel free to contact us today. Source: * www.ftc.gov

As a business owner, you’re probably already aware of the threats looming over data security in today’s digital environment. The irretrievable loss of critical data could drive your business to ruins. Apart from the financial fallout directly associated with data loss, it could also damage your reputation. While backups can help your business recover after a disaster, you must understand that backups can also fail. The last thing you need after a catastrophic data loss is to find out that your backups have also bit the dust. For backups to work perfectly, they must be tested regularly to ensure that your critical data is accurately preserved and can be retrieved when required. In addition to the obvious benefit of business continuity following a disaster, regular backup testing can also help you save a great deal of time, money and energy. Let’s find out how. Components of effective backups There are typically three backup components that organizations must incorporate as part of their backup strategy. By adopting these measures, you can ensure consistency in your backup tasks and implement a foolproof system to combat unexpected backup failures. · Creating a backup schedule: Many businesses don’t follow a consistent backup schedule. In some cases, the schedule can also be insufficient. For instance, if data is the lifeline of your business, backing it up once a week may not be an adequate protective measure. If data loss happens even a day before the scheduled backup date, you will lose a week’s worth of data. You need to make sure that the schedule you create compliments your business requirements. · Monitoring backups: The next critical step in your data backup strategy involves monitoring your backups. Monitoring helps you identify data failure at an early stage before it becomes completely irrecoverable. It could also help you identify the reason behind the failure so you can implement necessary fixes. · Testing your backups: Imagine consistently backing up your data without fail but not being able to retrieve it when you need it. It would be a waste of storage space, time, money and effort. You need to periodically test your full restoration capability as per your requirement (weekly or monthly). If critical data is involved, you need to test restoration more frequently. By comprehensively testing your recoverability, you can rest assured that your backups will ensure business continuity even under dire circumstances. Benefits of regular backup testing Regular backup testing is an essential part of your disaster recovery readiness. However, it also comes with a few other benefits. Here is a list of reasons why regular backup testing should be a part of your backup strategy: · Disaster recovery readiness: The most important benefit of testing is the most obvious one – readiness. By regularly testing your backups, you can be fully prepared to deal with an unexpected disaster when it strikes. Since you already have experience restoring all your backups, you can get your business operations up and running within a reasonable time and prevent massive financial loss. · Compliance adherence: Testing is a mandatory part of various compliance regulations. According to most of these regulations, a disaster recovery plan has no value if it does not work when required. The testing requirements, however, may differ from one regulatory standard to another. · Deduplication avoidance: Duplication of backups may not sound like a major issue, but it can waste your limited resources on unwanted storage. When there are multiple duplicate backups, it takes up a lot of resources and forces you to spend more time processing it. You need to perform deduplication periodically to ensure that you have backed up only the essential data that is critical to your requirements. · Optimized data: With proper testing, you can organize your critical data and manage it effectively. This is an essential requirement for organizations of all sizes. By organizing your data better, you will get an idea of where everything is stored and recover the right information when needed. This helps you streamline the backup process and ensure proper restoration. · Understanding your infrastructure: Implementing backup testing will help companies get a better understanding of their data storage infrastructure. For instance, you can get a high-level view of your infrastructure and understand the different components associated with the backup process. · Commitment to stakeholders: Having a solid backup strategy indicates that you are committed to the security of your customer data. Testing your backups regularly is a better way to show your customers and other stakeholders that you are doing everything in your power to ensure business continuity. Making Sure Your Backups Are Ready Backups play a critical role in any data protection strategy. However, if you are entirely dependent on your backups for disaster recovery and business continuity, unexpected backup failures can prove disastrous for your business. When backups are scheduled automatically, you risk falling victim to media failure, software issues, cyberattacks or even a simple human error. Fortunately, you can avoid backup failure to a great extent through consistent monitoring and frequent testing. This will ensure proper data restoration when disaster strikes. Here we will explain the step-by-step process involved in monitoring your backups, testing them and ensuring proper restoration during an unexpected disaster. Backup status monitoring Most businesses that rely on data for everyday operations have a consistent schedule to back up their generated data. Depending on the criticality of the data, the schedule may vary from hourly to weekly or longer. However, if your backup fails at some point, you might lose your data till the point of the last successful backup. By identifying these weaknesses early, you can mitigate your overall losses and fix the issues. This is why backup status monitoring is crucial. Failing to monitor your backups might result in a snowball effect that could continue unabated until it gets detected. The dilemma By now, it’s clear that you need to make backup monitoring part of your backup strategy. However, while monitoring is essential, most businesses cannot afford to perform it every day. The solution The frequency of monitoring can be based on your recoverability objectives. For instance, you could set up weekly monitoring if you deal with critical data essential to your business. This will help you identify any problems instantly and allow you to fix them without affecting your backup goals. Backup monitoring for the scattered workforce Implementing a backup system for all devices can be challenging when employees work from different locations. However, this doesn’t mean you can compromise on the safety of your data. This is where you need the cloud to be a part of your backup strategy. More specifically, a 3-2-1 strategy is ideal where you have at least three copies of your data — two on different platforms and one at an offsite location (cloud). With a centralized remote monitoring and management tool, you can get complete visibility into your backup tasks and remotely monitor and validate them. Spot-checking for accuracy and quality This is a relatively simple approach used in backup testing. Once you’ve backed up everything in your environment, you can go to the backup drive or cloud to ensure that the files or folders are available. If you are unable to access any of the files, you might have a problem with your backups. In this case, you need to check your backup configuration and drives to ensure everything is functional. You should perform these backups in multiple areas to ensure everything runs smoothly. Full restore testing This is more advanced than spot-checking and tests your ability to recover from complete data loss after a disaster. To perform this, you should prioritize critical files essential to your immediate recovery and test them successfully. Prioritizing files and folders for testing When prioritizing data for testing, you need to begin with data, applications or systems that have a low Recovery Time Objective (RTO), which refers to the maximum allowable time or duration within which a business process must be restored. Determine the testing approach There are various aspects to consider when testing your backups. For instance, you can create individual scenarios of virtual machines and test their ability to recover a system. You could also consider a disaster recovery approach in testing that focuses on simulating the entire environment and performing various scenario-based recovery tests. Here, the ultimate goal of testing is to verify the integrity of the backups you have created. You need to choose a testing approach suitable for your business and your IT environment. Frequency of testing How often should you test the integrity of your backups? To answer that question, you need to consider various factors like workload, applications, systems and more in your environment and come up with a testing schedule that works for you. In addition, you need to consider your Recovery Point Objective (RPO), which is the maximum duration your business can survive after a disaster. Always ensure that the testing frequency is well within your RPO if you wish to conform to the business continuity parameters. For instance, if your RPO is 24 hours, you need to test your backups at least once a day to ensure a good copy of data is available to recover from a loss. Making all this happen will require continued effort and may seem like a difficult task, but with the right partner by your side, you can ensure your backup data is tested and your recovery strategy is solid. We welcome the opportunity to show you how we can transform, protect and support your business IT needs. Our IT experts are here to help.

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 provide IT Support to boost your security and put your mind at ease. Contact us for a no-obligation consultation. Syndicated article curated and used by permission.

Cybercriminals work round the clock to detect and exploit vulnerabilities in your business’ network for nefarious gains. The only way to counter these hackers is by deploying a robust cybersecurity posture that’s built using comprehensive security solutions. However, while you’re caught up doing this, there is a possibility you may overlook mitigating the weakest link in your fight against cybercriminals — your employees. With remote work gaining traction and decentralized workspaces becoming the new norm, businesses like yours must strengthen their cybersecurity strategies to counter human errors and data breaches perpetrated by malicious insiders. All employees, irrespective of their designation/rank, can expose your business vulnerabilities to cybercriminals. Implementing routine security awareness training for employees can help you prevent a vulnerability from escalating into a disaster. As the first line of defense against cyberattacks, your employees must be thoroughly and regularly trained to identify and deflate potential cyberthreats. Why Employees Pose a Risk to Businesses? According to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report 2020, 23 percent of data breaches in an organization occurred because of human error. An untrained employee can compromise your business’ security in multiple ways. Some of the most common errors committed by employees include: 1. Falling for phishing scams: With the onset of COVID-19, hackers masquerading as the World Health Organization (WHO) tricked people into clicking on malicious links and sharing sensitive information. Cybercriminals are using improved techniques, like spoofed emails and text messages, to propagate the ongoing scam. Your employees must be well-trained to counter it. 2. Bad password hygiene: A section of your employees might reuse the same password or a set of passwords for multiple accounts (business and personal), which is a dangerous habit that allows cybercriminals to crack your business’ network security. 3. Misdelivery: Even slight carelessness can lead to an employee sending sensitive, business-critical information to a hacker. Such an act can cause lasting damage to your business, which is why you must be prepared to counter it. 4. Inept patch management: Often, employees can delay the deployment of a security patch sent to their device, which can lead to security vulnerabilities in your business’ IT security left unaddressed. The bottom line is that with cybercriminals upgrading their arsenal every day and exploring a plethora of options to trap your employees, security awareness training has become more important than ever before. Security Awareness Training: An Essential Investment A one-time training program will neither help your employees repel cyberthreats nor help your business develop a security culture. To deal with the growing threat landscape, your employees need thorough and regular security awareness training. You must never back out of providing continual security awareness training to your employees just because of the time and money you need to invest in it. The return on investment will be visible in the form of better decision-making employees who efficiently respond in the face of adversity, ultimately saving your business from data breaches, damage to reputation and potentially expensive lawsuits. The following statistics highlight why you must deploy regular security awareness training and consider it a necessary investment: · Eighty percent of organizations experience at least one compromised account threat per month. 1 · Sixty-seven percent of data breaches result from human error, credential theft or social attack. 2 · Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, phishing attacks have gone up by 67 percent. 3 Expecting your employees to train themselves on how to detect and respond to cyberthreats certainly isn’t the best way to deal with an ever-evolving threat landscape. You must take on the responsibility of providing regular training to your employees to ensure you adequately prepare them to identify and ward off potential cyberattacks. Every employee must realize that even a minor mistake can snowball into a terrible security disaster for the company. They need to understand that your business’ cybersecurity is also their responsibility. You can transform your business’ biggest cybersecurity risk – your employees – into its prime defense against threats by developing a security culture that emphasizes adequate and regular security awareness training. Making all this happen will require continued effort and may seem like an uphill climb, but with the right partner by your side, you can easily integrate security awareness training into your business’ cybersecurity strategy. We welcome the opportunity to show you how we can transform, protect and support your business IT needs. Our IT security experts are here to help. Contact Us Feel free to get in touch anytime! Sources: 1. McAfee Cloud Adoption & Risk Report 2. Verizon 2020 Data Breach Investigations Report 3. Security Magazine Verizon Data Breach Digest