Has your organization been hit with a data breach or ransomware recently? This happens more often than you might think to businesses of all sizes. Given the frequency, complexity, and increasing number of threats, a multi-level, agile, and cutting-edge cybersecurity strategy is the only response that will protect businesses from massive losses. Fortunately, managed IT services providers (MSPs) are filling this gap with solutions and expertise that even small businesses can afford.

The numbers

According to the Ponemon Institute’s 2018 State of Cybersecurity in Small & Medium Size Businesses (SMBs) survey, cyber attacks on SMBs have increased from 61 percent in 2017 to 67 percent in 2018. Only 28 percent of these SMBs evaluated their ability to mitigate threats, vulnerabilities, and attacks as highly effective. 58 percent of SMBs in the study experienced a data breach in the last year.
Most SMBs in Ponemon’s research said attacks against their companies had severe financial consequences. For instance, the report cited that many of them spent an average of $1.43 million because of the damage or breach of IT resources, a 33 percent increase from 2017. Disruption to operations also cost an average of $1.56 million, a 25 percent increase from 2017.

The attacks

So what types of cyberattacks on SMBs were prevalent last 2018? According to the study, the order from most to least common are as follows: phishing/social engineering, web-based attacks, general malware, compromised/stolen devices, denial of services, advanced malware/zero day attacks, SQL injection, malicious insider, cross-site scripting, and uncategorized attacks.

Why managed services?

Partnering with MSPs is the most effective way to prevent attacks and protect your business from these malicious threats. They include a full range of proactive IT support that focuses on advanced security, such as around the clock monitoring, data encryption and backup, real-time threat prevention and elimination, network and firewall protection, security awareness training, and more.
Not only that, but because managed services are designed to identify and fix weak spots in your IT infrastructure, you’ll optimize the digital backbone of your business processes. You’ll have faster network performance, a business continuity and disaster recovery strategy, as well as minimal downtime. One of the best things about managed services is that you get a dedicated team of IT professionals ready to assist you for any technology problems you may encounter. This is much more effective and budget-friendly than having in-house personnel handling all your IT issues.

Being proactive when it comes to cybersecurity is the only way to protect what you’ve worked hard to build. If you’d like to know more about how managed services can benefit your business, just give us a call, we’re sure to help.

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Even to this day, many people doubt the cloud's security.. However, experts argue that it's almost always better than that of local area networks (LANs). So whether you’re considering a cloud web server or internet-based productivity software, take a minute to learn why the cloud might just be your best option.

Hands-on management

Unless you have an overinflated budget, relying on local copies of data and software means your IT staff is forced to spread themselves across a bevy of different technologies. For example, one or two in-house tech support employees can’t become experts in one service or solution without sacrificing others. If they focus on just cybersecurity, the quality of hardware maintenance and help desk service are going to take a nosedive.

However, cloud service providers (CSPs) benefit from economies of scale. CSPs maintain tens, sometimes thousands, of servers and hire technicians who specialize in every subset of cloud technology.

Fewer vulnerabilities

Cloud security isn’t superior just because more technicians are watching over servers. When all the facets of your business’s IT are in one place, your technology is more susceptible to a slew of cyber incidents.

For example, a server sitting on the same network as workstations could be compromised by an employee downloading malware-infested files. And this exposure extends to physical security as well. The more employees you have who aren’t properly trained in cybersecurity, the more likely it is that one of them will leave a server room unlocked or unsecured.

CSPs exist solely to provide their clients with cloud services. There are no untrained employees and there are significantly fewer access points to the network.

Business continuity

The same technology that allows you to access data from anywhere in the world also allows you to erect a wall between your local network and your data backups. Most modern iterations of malware are programmed to aggressively replicate themselves, and the best way to combat this is by storing backups in the cloud. In the cybersecurity world, this is commonly referred to as data redundancy, and nowhere is it as easy to achieve as in the cloud.

The cloud doesn’t only keep your data safe from the spread of malware; it also keeps data safe from natural and man-made disasters. When data is stored in the cloud, employees will still have access to it in the event that your local workstations or servers go down.

The cloud has come a long way over the years. It’s not just the security that has gotten better; customized software, platforms, and half a dozen other services can be delivered via the cloud. Whatever it is you need, we can secure and manage it for you. Call us today!

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According to this article, more people are relying on their smartphones for tasks such as surfing the internet, booking a taxi or an airline ticket, playing games, and ordering food. While you cannot predict if your Android device will be stolen or lost, the following tools will protect your personal information and give you peace of mind.

Set a strong screen lock

The single most important thing any smartphone owner can do is use a strong, unique passcode or swipe pattern to prevent unwanted access to their device. Avoid using obvious codes such as your birthday or pet’s name; instead, use alphanumeric combinations that are much harder to crack.

To enable a screen lock, simply head over to Settings > Security. Select Screen Lock and pick your preferred password lock type and set Automatic Lock after a certain period of time. From then on, you will need to enter your passcode or swipe pattern each time you try to access your phone.

Use alternative unlocking methods

Newer Android devices have advanced security tools for extra layers of protection. These include features like fingerprint authentication, iris scanning, and facial recognition. To see what features can be enabled on your phone, go to Settings > Security.

In addition, if you are a Google Nexus or Pixel user, your device is equipped with a range of Smart Lock options that, when activated, keeps your phone unlocked when it’s detected to be on your body or near a trusted Bluetooth device. These settings can also be found under Security.

Enable Find My Device

Google’s Find My Device is a locator service that lets you track or wipe data from a lost or stolen Android phone, tablet, or wearable. All you need to do is add your Google account to your Android device and turn on the location feature to enable the service.

To locate your device remotely, install the Find My Device app or access it via a web browser. Once you’re logged in, a dashboard will show an approximate location of your phone and provide you with four options: locate your device, play sound, lock your device (and add a short note), or erase device that permanently deletes all data stored.

Revisit your app permissions

Does that photo-editing app you just downloaded really need access to your Contact list? If you sometimes wonder why some apps need so many permissions or why they request to access data unrelated to their purpose, then you are asking the right questions.

Remember to take control of the features that you allow your apps to access, especially from dubious developers who might steal your information. If you have Marshmallow or later versions of Android, go to Settings > Apps and then select the app. Click on Permissions and revoke all those permissions you’re uncomfortable with.

Encrypt your phone

Device encryption protects your data by converting it into a format that prevents unauthorized individuals from accessing it without the key. This is particularly important if someone manages to find a way around your lock screen and pull data from your device.

Android handsets running on Lollipop or higher have full encryption enabled by default. But if you’re using an older device, encryption options can also be found under Security.

It never hurts to take extra steps to make sure your information is protected. Some of these might take time, but trust us, it’s totally worth the extra minutes. If you need more tips to secure your personal or even your company’s files, email, or data, we’ll be happy to help. Security is what we do best, so give us a call today!

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