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Secure your business printers to avoid getting hackedTo achieve foolproof cybersecurity, you must make sure that every endpoint is protected from threats. That means securing every network, every server, every computer — and every printer. Because they’re easily overlooked, print devices can be exploited by hackers and used as an entry point to steal or modify data. Make sure to follow these […]

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Secure your business printers to avoid getting hacked

To achieve foolproof cybersecurity, you must make sure that every endpoint is protected from threats. That means securing every network, every server, every computer — and every printer. Because they’re easily overlooked, print devices can be exploited by hackers and used as an entry point to steal or modify data. Make sure to follow these steps to keep your printers secure.

What makes business printers vulnerable to cyberattacks?

When assessing network security threats, companies primarily focus on servers and computers not only because they are the most exposed to external threats, but also because they get the bulk of cyberattacks. Printers are often at the bottom of the list since they are not prime targets. What’s more, their functions seem to be internal at first glance, as they don’t interact with external systems.

But it’s exactly because of their primary functions, namely printing and scanning, that make print devices perfect cybercriminal targets. Businesses run important documents such as tax forms, employee information, medical records, and financial statements through print devices, and hackers would definitely love to get their hands on them.

And they can — easily.

Network printers store previous print jobs in their hard drive, sometimes including those that have been canceled. If anyone accesses the printer — even remotely — they may be able to see those documents by hacking into the printer using a specialized tool.

Files can also be intercepted during wireless transmission, as modern printers can now be connected to the web. Not only can hackers exploit printers’ open network ports to view data, but they can also take over vulnerable printers and transmit their own data through the machine.

What can you do to protect your business printers?

Business printers should not be disregarded when planning a cybersecurity strategy. Keep your print devices secure by following these best practices:

  • Monitor your network continuously and promptly install printer software updates and patches. Printer manufacturers often release software support or updates, so regularly check for those.
  • Change the default password and administrator login credentials of printers with web management capabilities.
  • Only allow company-owned devices to connect to your printers.
  • Always connect to your printers using secure connections. Conversely, avoid accessing your printers through a public internet connection.
  • Restrict printer access by using a firewall.
  • If your wireless printer has the feature that requires users to enter a PIN before they can print documents, enable it to prevent unauthorized access.
  • If you don’t use your printer for fax and email, isolate your printer from your main company network and disable out-of-network printing.
  • If you handle classified data, do not connect your printer to any network. Instead, connect it directly to your computer using data cables, or print from a thumb drive.
  • Secure your printouts by enabling manual feed. This setting requires a user to manually input paper (or any material to be printed on), so there are reduced risks of the printed document getting stolen or being left in the printing area.

Another way to secure your printers is by partnering with an IT company that can take care of your printer-related worries. From thwarting attacks to reducing management costs to keeping your printer at optimal functionality, our experts can help.

Are you interested in learning more about cybersecurity? Call us today and discover how our wide array of tech services can safeguard your business.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The post Secure your business printers to avoid getting hacked appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

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Buying antivirus software? Consider the following pointsYou probably didn’t need to worry about antivirus protection before. At the office, the IT department handled it. At home, your personal setup may not contain enough valuable information to warrant industry-strength. But because of the global pandemic forcing most of us to stay indoors, your home is now your office, too. If you’re looking […]

The post Buying antivirus software? Consider the following points appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Buying antivirus software? Consider the following points

You probably didn’t need to worry about antivirus protection before. At the office, the IT department handled it. At home, your personal setup may not contain enough valuable information to warrant industry-strength. But because of the global pandemic forcing most of us to stay indoors, your home is now your office, too. If you’re looking to boost your antivirus software, keep the following in mind.

Not all antivirus software solutions are the same. If you’re considering getting one, you need to identify what you and your company needs. Then do your research among the available options in the market. Here are a few things to consider when you shop for antivirus software.

#1 Cost

There are free-to-use antivirus software products in the market, but they only offer basic protections that seasoned hackers can easily infiltrate. You’ll need to pay in order to upgrade and enjoy full protection. And there’s a danger that the free software contains adware, or that it collects data and sells them to third parties.

Nowadays, nothing’s for free. The good news is that protection need not be expensive. If you partner with a managed IT services provider like us, we’ll figure out the right protection based on your needs and budget.

#2 Speed and performance

Not long ago, antivirus software consumed a lot of computer memory and slowed down devices. But thanks to new technology, the problem of speed has been addressed. Still, antivirus performance should take precedence over speed. What’s the point of a fast computer if it’s vulnerable to hackers and malware?

#3 Compatibility with multiple devices

These days, most people use or own more than one device, such as smartphones and tablets. Look for antivirus software that can protect all your devices, regardless of software version or date of purchase. It’ll be inconvenient and expensive to have different security software per device.

#4 Comprehensive protection

Your antivirus should protect your devices from a wide variety of threats. These should include popular malware and phishing attacks, as well as malicious downloads, denial-of-service (DoS) attacks, cryptojacking, and other damaging threats.

#5 Customer support and service

Take some time to learn more about the antivirus software manufacturer. Does the company have a solid reputation? Are they at the forefront of developing solutions against looming threats? Are they responsive to the changing cyberthreat landscape? And are they customer-driven? If they tick all the boxes, you’re sure that their products and services are worth your investment.

Cybersecurity is not a luxury but a necessity for all businesses. If you’re looking for the right antivirus protection, then let our experts help you. We’ll provide you with the robust security your devices and network need.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Cybersecurity tips for working remotelyRemote work policies have become a necessity not just because of the current coronavirus crisis, but also for the ways they improve a company’s bottom line and efficiency. Yet despite remote work’s benefits, it leaves you and your company exposed to online scams and other cybersecurity threats. To defend your company and your remote workers, […]

The post Cybersecurity tips for working remotely appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Cybersecurity tips for working remotely

Remote work policies have become a necessity not just because of the current coronavirus crisis, but also for the ways they improve a company’s bottom line and efficiency. Yet despite remote work’s benefits, it leaves you and your company exposed to online scams and other cybersecurity threats. To defend your company and your remote workers, make sure to heed the following tips.

Fortify user accounts

When everyone is working remotely, user accounts must be properly secured. One way to achieve this is by setting at least 12-character long passwords with numbers and special characters mixed in to make them more difficult to guess. More importantly, these passwords must be unique to each account, to minimize the damage if hackers do manage to compromise one set of credentials. If you find it difficult to generate and remember login details for all your accounts, consider password managers like LastPass, Dashlane, and Keeper.

To further strengthen your accounts, however, you’ll also need to enable multifactor authentication (MFA). This adds another layer of identity verification — like fingerprint scans or one-time activation codes generated by SMS — to make it more difficult for cybercriminals to hijack your accounts.

Use a virtual private network (VPN)

VPNs are primarily known for circumventing geographic restrictions on location-specific websites and streaming services, but they’re also a crucial tool for remote workers. A reliable VPN creates secure connections between devices and networks by encrypting internet traffic. This hides web activity from prying eyes, protecting your employees’ online privacy, and mitigating the risk of hackers stealing company information.

Patch your software regularly

Although installing software updates can be a major nuisance, they cover critical weaknesses and protect your systems from the latest threats. Most apps now offer an automatic update feature so you don’t have to manually patch your software.

Another option for your business is patch management software. These track patches on employee devices and distribute the most recent updates on a company-wide scale.

Set up firewalls and antivirus software

Make sure to enable firewalls in your operating systems and hardware. These provide a strong layer of protection between your device and the internet, preventing malicious programs and other network threats from reaching your device. Your managed IT services provider (MSP) may also provide third-party firewalls in case your computers don’t have any built in by default.

In addition to firewalls, you’ll also want to implement antivirus software to detect and remove any malicious programs that do manage to find their way onto your device. Just remember to constantly update the software so it can effectively detect the newest malware.

Secure home routers

Home Wi-Fi routers are not as thoroughly secured as their business counterparts so take extra precautions to safeguard them. For starters, change your router password as soon as possible because hackers can easily break into them once they know the router model. You should also install the latest firmware updates to eliminate any security vulnerabilities.

Finally, check whether your router has Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) encryption settings to secure inbound and outbound traffic. If your router doesn’t have this setting, you’re overdue for an upgrade.

Back up your data

Important files must be backed up regularly in the cloud and your external hard drive. This way, you’ll always have a copy of your files in case of a major data loss incident like ransomware or a power outage.

Watch out for online scams

The biggest threat remote workers face is online scams. Phishing emails may entice you with free coronavirus test kits in exchange for personal information. Some cybercriminals may even masquerade as legitimate companies, CEOs, or friends to trick you into clicking on dangerous links and attachments.

To avoid these threats, you must be critical of everything you see online. Look for any suspicious links and attachments, grammatical errors in the email body, and misspelled email addresses. Plus, never give out sensitive information to an unsolicited email, text message, or phone call.

Working from home poses many cybersecurity challenges for businesses, but you don’t have to address them alone. If you need guidance with setting up firewalls, avoiding scams, and even enabling MFA, we can provide the IT support you need in this difficult time. Call us now.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The post Cybersecurity tips for working remotely appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

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Cybersecurity tips for working remotelyRemote work policies have become a necessity not just because of the current coronavirus crisis, but also for the ways they improve a company’s bottom line and efficiency. Yet despite remote work’s benefits, it leaves you and your company exposed to online scams and other cybersecurity threats. To defend your company and your remote workers, […]

The post Cybersecurity tips for working remotely appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Cybersecurity tips for working remotely

Remote work policies have become a necessity not just because of the current coronavirus crisis, but also for the ways they improve a company’s bottom line and efficiency. Yet despite remote work’s benefits, it leaves you and your company exposed to online scams and other cybersecurity threats. To defend your company and your remote workers, make sure to heed the following tips.

Fortify user accounts

When everyone is working remotely, user accounts must be properly secured. One way to achieve this is by setting at least 12-character long passwords with numbers and special characters mixed in to make them more difficult to guess. More importantly, these passwords must be unique to each account, to minimize the damage if hackers do manage to compromise one set of credentials. If you find it difficult to generate and remember login details for all your accounts, consider password managers like LastPass, Dashlane, and Keeper.

To further strengthen your accounts, however, you’ll also need to enable multifactor authentication (MFA). This adds another layer of identity verification — like fingerprint scans or one-time activation codes generated by SMS — to make it more difficult for cybercriminals to hijack your accounts.

Use a virtual private network (VPN)

VPNs are primarily known for circumventing geographic restrictions on location-specific websites and streaming services, but they’re also a crucial tool for remote workers. A reliable VPN creates secure connections between devices and networks by encrypting internet traffic. This hides web activity from prying eyes, protecting your employees’ online privacy, and mitigating the risk of hackers stealing company information.

Patch your software regularly

Although installing software updates can be a major nuisance, they cover critical weaknesses and protect your systems from the latest threats. Most apps now offer an automatic update feature so you don’t have to manually patch your software.

Another option for your business is patch management software. These track patches on employee devices and distribute the most recent updates on a company-wide scale.

Set up firewalls and antivirus software

Make sure to enable firewalls in your operating systems and hardware. These provide a strong layer of protection between your device and the internet, preventing malicious programs and other network threats from reaching your device. Your managed IT services provider (MSP) may also provide third-party firewalls in case your computers don’t have any built in by default.

In addition to firewalls, you’ll also want to implement antivirus software to detect and remove any malicious programs that do manage to find their way onto your device. Just remember to constantly update the software so it can effectively detect the newest malware.

Secure home routers

Home Wi-Fi routers are not as thoroughly secured as their business counterparts so take extra precautions to safeguard them. For starters, change your router password as soon as possible because hackers can easily break into them once they know the router model. You should also install the latest firmware updates to eliminate any security vulnerabilities.

Finally, check whether your router has Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) encryption settings to secure inbound and outbound traffic. If your router doesn’t have this setting, you’re overdue for an upgrade.

Back up your data

Important files must be backed up regularly in the cloud and your external hard drive. This way, you’ll always have a copy of your files in case of a major data loss incident like ransomware or a power outage.

Watch out for online scams

The biggest threat remote workers face is online scams. Phishing emails may entice you with free coronavirus test kits in exchange for personal information. Some cybercriminals may even masquerade as legitimate companies, CEOs, or friends to trick you into clicking on dangerous links and attachments.

To avoid these threats, you must be critical of everything you see online. Look for any suspicious links and attachments, grammatical errors in the email body, and misspelled email addresses. Plus, never give out sensitive information to an unsolicited email, text message, or phone call.

Working from home poses many cybersecurity challenges for businesses, but you don’t have to address them alone. If you need guidance with setting up firewalls, avoiding scams, and even enabling MFA, we can provide the IT support you need in this difficult time. Call us now.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The post Cybersecurity tips for working remotely appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Read More