by Felicien | Oct 23, 2017 | Education
Half of all small businesses suffered a cyber attack in the last year. Is your business ready to recover?
How well is your business prepared to recover quickly from a cyber attack? A recent Ponemon study reported that half of all small businesses had been targeted by malicious hackers within the past year. Sadly, many small- and mid-sized businesses lack a tested recovery plan. These attacks can cripple operations and in the worst cases, put victims out of business permanently. If your excuse for not creating a recovery plan is that your company lacks resources, then you will certainly lack the resources to recover your computer systems.
Five Ways to Prepare for Rapid Recovery From Cyber Attacks
Hopefully, you already have implemented good security software and policies. Nothing can offer your company a 100-percent guarantee against cyber attacks or even accidents that might damage your data and computer systems. If you get hit, you need to make certain that you can bounce back fast.
Consider including these steps in your rapid recovery plan:
Backups
As a start, you should ensure that you have an automatic system to create backups of your data, software, and even computer systems. If the worst happens, you can simply wipe everything clean and start over. It’s not enough to just create backups. You really need to make sure that your recovery software and processes have been tested long before you need to rely on them to keep operating.
If you think that creating a reliable backup and recovery system is beyond the scope of your company’s skill, you may consider investing in a third-party service that will handle the job for you. Having systems and data backups stored offsite also helps to protect your valuable assets against physical threats like fires or storms.
Use Encryption Software for Sensitive Data
Do you store credit card numbers, sensitive patient data, or anything else that would harm you and your customers if it falls into the wrong hands? If so, you should use software that encrypts that data before it transmits it over or outside of your network. Even if hackers steal encrypted data, they shouldn’t be able to make use of it.
Your encryption protection should also include communications, so make certain that your employees use email and text messaging systems that offer encryption security. That could mean limiting the use of personal phones or at least, ensuring that employees use secure apps that you may provide for them.
Monitor Your Network for Suspicious Activity
Really, the best way to detect malicious activity from inside or outside your company is to keep gathering data about how your systems get used. Monitoring software can provide full reports and also send alerts and block suspicious activity. You can use software or even a third-party security service to help you with this task if it falls beyond the scope of your company’s resources.
According to the Ponemon report, these outside security services have become increasingly popular with SMBs because they offer them affordable access to the same kind of expertise and tools that larger companies may already benefit from.
Enforce Good Security Policies
The Ponemon report found that mistakes made by employees and contractors accounted for a good share of issues with digital assets. You may need to work with a consultant to create good IT governance policies to protect your company in this age of cloud computing, phishing scams, and employees’ mobile devices.
After you create those policies, you need to make sure you educate employees about how to adhere to them and how you plan to enforce them. You may also add an extra layer of protection by using a cloud-based gateway service that will control, monitor, and report upon all access attempts. With these services, you can set access rules that will automatically enforce your security policies. If an employee tries to access your accounting system with his mobile phone, the system won’t allow it and will keep a report.
Create Crisis-Ready Alternate Systems for Critical Functions
Instead of waiting for backups to complete, you might have alternative systems setup just in case your primary computers get corrupted. These days, some companies even take the extra step of using multiple cloud providers to store data and software just in case the primary provider has problems.
Having to duplicate your business systems will certainly cost more. However, the assurance of business continuity may make it a great investment if you do suffer from a cyber attack. As recently as this year, Amazon Web Services had problems that impacted some customers for several hours in the middle of the day. Having the luxury of instantly switching to an alternate system can save some companies thousands of dollars.
Why Invest in Rapid Recovery From Cyber Attacks?
Consider the example of a small, Midwestern company that lost its network because an employee accidentally clicked a link in a phishing email. This online retailer found itself infested with ransomware. The ransomware encrypted all of the company’s records and demanded $50,000 in exchange for the decryption key. The company’s owner actually paid the ransom, but perhaps unsurprisingly, the encryption key did not work. The backup systems had not been attended to, and the owner ended up closing the company because he could not afford to rebuild from scratch.
According to a report in the Denver Post, over half of small businesses close within six months of devastating cyber attacks. Those that do survive, lose hundreds of thousands of dollars to lost time, damaging press, and their recovery. Instead of hoping that your business won’t fall victim, you can prepare to recover quickly and minimize damage.
by Felicien | Oct 20, 2017 | Education
Running low on data or headed to an area with no internet connection? Learn how to quickly and easily download articles for offline reading.
While much of the country has fast and easy internet access, there are still pockets where connectivity is a challenge. If you’re headed into one of those spots with low access or if your data plan is running low, it’s good to know that you’re able to quickly store the information from an article and read it offline at your leisure. Google announced that more than 45 million web pages have been saved for offline viewing, so clearly there is a big demand for this functionality. The Google Chrome recently simplified the task by allowing you to save an article for offline access with a few taps.
Read-It-Later Apps
Over the past few years, there’s been a significant rise in the number of bookmarking, or “read-it-later” apps. Whether you need this functionality because you’re in the middle of a task and get distracted and want to create a reading list to pick up on later or if you’re headed into a dead zone, millions of Americans have jumped on board this relatively new way to consume content. Instapaper is arguably the most prominent of this type of read-it-later app, as it allows you to aggregate content from a variety of different sources and downloads it efficiently to your mobile device for consumption at a later date and time — regardless of whether you have an active internet connection. Flipboard is another popular app that provides offline access via a “Fetch” functionality. While Flipboard works based off of aggregating content for you based off of topics or brands that you select and the system believes you will appreciate, Instapaper allows you to select the content that you add to your “paper” for later reading via a browser plug-in.
Limited Internet Access
While fast internet access is a given for most people, a current Pew study notes that nearly 30 percent of Americans do not have high-speed internet access at home and nearly 20 percent of Americans have no internet access at home at all. While these numbers continue to drop, they don’t indicate all the spaces between home and their workplace where it can be challenging to find access. Many restaurants now provide free access, making it easier than ever for individuals to connect to the internet for a short period of time and download a number of articles or pages to read offline at a later time when their connection may be more limited.
Reading on the Go
However, it’s the amount of travel — for business and for pleasure — that is most likely to impact our overall lack of or reduced connectivity. Despite the rise of teleconferencing as a valid business communication tool, business travel continues to rise and is expected to hit all-time highs due in large part to the easier transfer of data between geographically disparate organizations. Overseas travel for business is also on the rise, and with the cost of in-flight connections still, high travelers are increasingly looking for ways to stay productive while moving locales. Downloading articles for offline reading can be a great way to catch up with recommended reading from colleagues or superiors even when travelers are on the road.
Saving Content for Offline Viewing
Google has a long history of responding to user needs, and with the massive initial demand for offline content, the search giant looked for ways to simplify the overall user experience and add value to readers. Offline reading access is a relatively new feature for Google, as it only launched in December 2016. Here are the steps required to save articles for offline reading using Google Chrome:
Launch the Chrome browser from your mobile device
Select the URL of the page you wish to download with a long press
You’ll be presented with the option to ‘Download Link”
This feature is also available from the New Tab page for all suggested articles
Additionally, if you’re in a location without internet access and you want to be able to select something to download when you have access again, Google has also made this scenario easier. Hitting a page when you don’t have an active connection brings up a new button, allowing you to “Download page later”.
Reading Your Articles
Once you’ve downloaded the content, viewing the articles is a snap. Opening a new tab in Google Chrome provides you with a list of articles that have been downloaded and are available for offline viewing. You can also navigate to the articles similar to the way you look for content in History or in Bookmarks. It’s good to note that articles saved for offline viewing are only available to the specific device that you selected, not for all devices that are connected to your Google account.
Saving articles for offline reading is only one of the many ways that Google continues to listen to customers and provide the most effective user experience possible. If you’re ready to find ways to reach your customers more efficiently, contact {company} today at {phone} or via email to {email}. We will work with you to optimize operations and ensure that your systems have the necessary security for your business.
by Felicien | Oct 20, 2017 | Education
Accounting firms that move into the cloud become more efficient, more productive, more mobile, and, perhaps more importantly, more profitable. Here are the clear benefits of what to expect when you move your firm into the cloud.
What’s the perfect setup for a football Sunday? Everything within reach from the remote to the recliner and all of the best snacks. Without moving much, you have everything you need to enjoy the big game. Does your accounting firm offer this same type of high-level access? Can you “reach” everything no matter what you need, where you are, or when you need it? You should. It’s essential to today’s profitable and successful accounting firm. It’s time to move your firm into the cloud.
Why Your Firm Needs to Embrace the Cloud
Many accounting firms have heard a great deal about the “cloud.” Don’t view it as an ominous, overbearing object in the sky. It’s actually an investment you’ll make and then wonder why you waited so long to make your move. When you embrace the cloud and move your accounting firm into it, you’ll gain incredible connectivity and mobility. This generally leads to a highly effective way of managing your business, growing your clientele, and eventually, scaling.
All of this comes from one, specific benefit of the cloud. It frees your firm from all physical location limitations when operating any component of the business. Imagine, for a moment what this may mean. Your company’s staff connects through the cloud to all stored data and components of your business. This creates several benefits.
First, you and your staff can work anywhere. You can connect with your clients at their office. You can pull up files from last year in the middle of the night to soothe the worries of a client. It’s possible to network with others over the span of space to communicate in real time about actual information and funds. Everything is within reach no matter where you, your client, or your staff is located.
Next, recognize the benefits this has on the day-to-day operations of your organization. You can reduce the number of physical offices you have. It’s no longer necessary to have numerous locations across the state. You can meet with your clients at their office, connect over the cloud, and share information.
Your staff no longer needs to work from multiple local offices. Instead, resources are poured into just one location. This saves you significantly. There’s less of a workforce to manage, pay, and provide benefits too. And, you have your most talented professionals to work with on a routine basis. You also need to spend less on servers, one of the more costly components of business operations. All of this cost-savings directly impact your business’s bottom line.
It sounds so good, but is it really that easy and clear?
Going back to that football Sunday example, think for a moment about what goes into the process. You still need to put some time and hard work into creating that man cave. You still need to invest in the equipment including a big screen TV and the most comfortable of recliners. You also need to set up your technology, buy the food, invest in the right layout, and so on. In other words, yes, there’s work to be done to set up the cloud, and it is not always simplistic or fast.
Moving to the Cloud Is a Big Step, But a Worthwhile One
There is an element of patience and a bit of an actual investment in the move into the cloud. The set-up process is not complex, especially when managed by a company with significant experience. The biggest challenge comes from overcoming the fear of change. Many accounting firms and their employees hesitate to make this transition for fear of what it will do to the day-to-day operations.
The change your firm experiences will be in moving what’s on your servers right now to the cloud. This must be done in a very systemic way to ensure it functions properly. Your software will be integrated. Your functions will work in the same manner. This doesn’t amount to a significant amount of change in the way your team will operate in terms of inputting data, making calculations, and compiling reports.
Here’s the Bottom Line: Why You Need to Move
Where are the core benefits of moving to the cloud? Here’s what every accounting firm needs to know.
It makes your firm more efficient. Every component of operations is done in the most efficient manner. That saves you money.
It saves you time. You spend less time navigating software and moving from place-to-place. You need fewer labor hours to accomplish the same tasks.
There’s better realization of data within reach. You can quickly calculate what your client needs to know. You can then use this information to provide advice and guidance.
It provides an opportunity to build revenue. You can cross-sell services more efficiently. You can handle more clients without adding more staff or operational cost.
The accounting firm gains insight into key areas of opportunity. You provide a better level of service to your clients.
Accounting firms that move to the cloud become better capable of meeting their clients’ specific needs. They also become problem solvers that are fast and efficient. Your business is impressive. All compliance requirements are met. All IRS components are handled in a streamlined manner.
The key to achieving this goal is to work with a provider that’s capable of helping you to create the best football Sunday. It’s incredibly easy to see these benefits and to move your firm into the cloud. Not doing so gives your competitors the opportunity to achieve more and to do so faster.
by Felicien | Oct 20, 2017 | Education
Is Your Charitable Organization at Risk?
If tomorrow’s headlines read your non-profit organization’s data and donor info was breached, what would be the ramifications? Are you taking enough appropriate steps to stop cybersecurity threats?
Is Your Charitable Organization at Risk? Cybersecurity Tips for Non-Profits
Almost weekly, we hear about an internet or computer security breach at a large retailer, bank, or recently, a major credit reporting service. These breaches create problems for not only the companies involved but for their customers. Personal information is often exposed, and the carefully crafted reputation a company may have built for years or decades can be destroyed.
As of yet, we haven’t heard of any major breaches at a non-profit organization. The key words are “as of yet.” Non-profits often store a significant amount of data about their board members, employees, volunteers, donors, corporate supporters, and more. A security breach for a non-profit will not only be embarrassing but it could have significant adverse effects on future funding. These are some of the reasons non-profits should be proactive in taking steps to button up computers and online security. Here are nine cybersecurity tips of which non-profits should take note.
Increase the difficulty of your passwords and change them at least quarterly. If your organization is using simple passwords because it is “easier”, you should keep in mind it also makes it easier for others to gain access. Many experts agree that the most secure passwords should be a random series of eight letters and numbers with at least two capital letters included in the sequence. With the frequent turnover in staff members and volunteers, passwords should be changed at least every three months. Don’t allow staff to write their passwords on Post-It notes attached to their computers. It happens.
Set security protocols for staff and volunteers in writing. Don’t assume those around you know about phishing and spear phishing and the dangers lurking behind pop-up ads and downloads. Many non-profit organizations have older volunteers who may not be aware of the latest dangers and tactics being used to gain access to data. Having staff and volunteers sign off on a one-sheeter acknowledging they understand basic security guidelines can demonstrate they are aware of the potential problems.
Upgrade security software. Of course, non-profit budgets are tight but they will get much tighter if there is a breach in your data and donors feel their information is not secure. Make it a point to get security software from a major supplier that you can feel comfortable with and keep it updated. Providing a secure firewall or malware protection after experiencing a cybersecurity attack will do little to build confidence in your organization.
Upgrade computers and hardware. The older your equipment is, the more likely it is susceptible to a cybersecurity threat. Board of directors may not be willing to invest in new computer systems just because of the bells and whistles they include. If the security of their sponsor and donor data is at risk, however, it may get their attention and provide support for new equipment. If your non-profit has not looked into TechSoup for deep discounts on software and hardware, it should. The application process can be a bit tedious but the savings are significant.
Make sure your online donation processing is impregnable. It is critical your donors have absolute confidence when making online donations. While services like PayPal are simple and relatively easy to set up, they may not instill the confidence of a more robust payment system. Giving donors payment options can also help facilitate more and more frequent donations.
Limit access to important files and data. One of the benefits of working for a non-profit is that there is often a team atmosphere, with staff and volunteers working toward a common goal. Unfortunately, this can lead to sloppy security and over-sharing of files and data. Computers may be left unlocked when not in use and unnecessary personnel may have access to sensitive files. Limiting access will not only protect your information in-house but will help in limiting external access.
Back up data on an external drive. How quickly can your organization restore current data and software if you had a significant hard drive crash? Computers are generally more stable than ever, but this can lead to a false sense of security and even complacency about backing up data. Make sure data is backed up regularly and frequently and the back up is kept off-site. This can be done in the cloud, on a CD or on an external hard drive. If the hard drive on your computer or server were to irretrievably crash today, what would the ramifications be? If you don’t know or if the word “disaster” comes to mind, create an off-site backup and restoration plan.
Get professional assistance. If you are not confident in the steps you are taking in keeping your organization’s data secure from threats, get the advice of someone experienced in the field. Discuss cybersecurity with other profit and non-profit organizations you may come in contact with and ask for recommendations. Cybersecurity doesn’t have to be that complicated when it is made a priority but if you are not comfortable taking it on, get the help of an expert.
Document the steps your organization takes to protect the security of its data. In the event of a cybersecurity attack, it won’t take long for fingers to be pointed and blame to be placed. This is why it is important to have a security plan in place and document what is being done. This can demonstrate, even after the fact, that your organization was aware of the possibility and was taking proactive steps to keep its computers and data safe. This should include how your social media is handled and who is responsible for it.
Make cybersecurity a priority, get everyone involved, and document your plan and processes. Greater awareness can go a long way in protecting the data of your non-profit organization.
by Felicien | Oct 20, 2017 | Education
You have probably seen and benefited from a Google featured snippet. It’s the box at the top of the search results which contain the exact information you need. Question is, how can your business score this great marketing opportunity?
Instead of just typing a few keywords into your Google search, such as hotels in Hartford or restaurants in Raleigh, you phrase your inquiry more in the form of a question. This is a practice known as a long-tail query. Along with the standard million hits generated on your Search Engine Results Page, or SERP, a miracle occurs when the exact information you need appears on top of the organic results, along with a handy link to the pertinent website. At first, you’re simply happy that you have the answer you need, but then you wonder if you can do the same for your business.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have your website magically propelled to the top of Google search results? Through your innocent search, you have stumbled onto a result called the Google featured snippet. The question now is whether you can take advantage of this opportunity to help market your own business to a wider audience. It is possible if you pay a little more attention to how you construct and present information on your web pages.
What Is a Google Featured Snippet?
The basic type of Google snippet, or rich snippet, is what you see included under each listing. This is a brief description provided by content authors to help make their page more searchable. But a Google featured snippet, or answer box is a block right at the top of the page that includes a summary of the answer to an inquiry, which has been extracted from a web page. It also provides an easy link to the page, the page title, and URL. Most searchers will go immediately to this website because it looks like they will be able to find more information that is pertinent to their search.
To generate its search listings, Google “crawls” the web, looking at websites and analyzing their content. It is programmed to look for key information that searchers might require. The summary provided is extracted from content provided on the web page. The difference with a featured snippet is that it is enhanced and prominently positioned in the results. When the Google user asks a particular question, the search engine looks for pages that can provide the answer and then displays the result as a featured snippet. The amazing thing is that the company itself might only be in the top ten of the normal search results, and doesn’t necessarily have to be at the top. But, their ability to provide content in the desired format can yield a highly desirable result.
Is There a Secret Way to Generate a Google Featured Snippet?
You can’t necessarily include anything behind the scenes in your website to garner the top snippet spot, but you can structure your content in such a way that it increases the likelihood of Google recognizing that your website can provide the answer to a specific search inquiry. You want to start with making sure your website is formatted properly so that it already appears high up in search results, and then you can add certain touches to reach for the snippet spot.
There are certain basics which help attract Google’s attention to your website. The first is your on-page SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, which you can generate through keywords, internal links, proper page formatting, timely content, and a quality user experience. Off-page SEO is garnered when other sites link to yours because of the perceived quality of your content. Getting more backlinks increases the authority and credibility of your site.
Once the fundamentals are in place, you can analyze your content to try to score the featured spot. There are three basic strategies which can help you get closer to this goal:
Think in snippet terms.
Optimize headings.
Provide quality data.
Think in snippet terms: Look at your keywords or subject matter, and think about how your customers and prospects might word a question to find what you have. Then study your content to see how you might be able to structure it to provide strong answers to those questions. For example, instead of just searching for “widget,” a potential customer might search something like, “What are the top benefits of using steel widgets to connect parts?” If your website has content that actually lists the benefits of using steel widgets to connect parts, its got a good chance of becoming a featured snippet. The key here is to focus on user intent and create responsive content.
Optimize headings: The next step is to look at the headlines you use on your page content and blogs. Google’s crawlers are likely to skim over most of your content and focus on the headlines you provide. Make sure you use headlines that answer key customer queries and put them in H2 format to be sure they stand out on the page. Using H2 tags with answers to specific questions helps the search engine focus its efforts, and increases the chances of the content becoming a featured snippet.
Provide quality data: The third component is to use structured data to provide clues to the search engine. This helps Google to better classify your page content. With a craft project, for example, the structured data would include the materials needed, steps in the process, and estimated completion time. This gives Google the idea that it is looking at a craft page, and helps bring it to the front when it receives queries about a particular craft.
Structured data is best provided through a JavaScript notation, which is embedded in the page head or body. This is done behind the scenes of your page content and is not seen by your visitors. This involves a bit more knowledge than simply writing copy. Behind the scenes, you have to provide data in a certain format that might list key concepts inside of quotation marks, followed by a colon, and link or answer information also enclosed in quotation marks and separated by a comma. There are tools available which can make this process much easier.
Even if you don’t manage to score the coveted snippet spot, taking this approach to website and content design will definitely help you create a website that is more specific to the needs of your visitors. You’ll be providing more of the types of information they want in a format that makes it easier to use. Instead of having a website that is all about your business, it becomes all about how your business helps customers fulfill their needs and wants.
You don’t have to sit idly by and wait for Google to find your website. Structure it carefully, and then submit your URL information through Google+ or a search console. We provide technical guidance and information technology support to small businesses. Contact {company} today at {phone} or {email} if you have IT questions, or need further insights on scoring Google featured snippets.
