by Felicien | Jun 10, 2019 | Education
The rapid increase in technology use in businesses has affected every industry. Across all businesses, the need to keep up with the competition means paying attention to what technologies are available and incorporating the right tech tools as they become viable. Whatever your business, you know that you need to invest in information technology to excel in your industry. But how much should you invest, exactly? To determine your IT budget, you need to look carefully at your industry, your business goals and most importantly, what you can reasonably expect information technology to do for you on your path towards those goals.
Putting Technology Investment in Context
Depending on what stats you read, it appears that businesses spend anywhere from 3% to 6% of their budget on IT. The average spend on tech is expected to go up in the coming years, but no one is quite sure how much it will increase. It makes sense to expect an increase, of course, given the drastic increase in tech adoption across all facets of daily life and business. But the amount of increase is hard to be certain of because no one is sure exactly what the future holds.
What is clear is that an IT budget is necessary for building and maintaining a business. However, the size of that budget can vary considerably depending on the business and the industry that business is part of. In a study conducted by Deloitte, it was found that banking and securities spent 7.16% of their budget on IT—the most of any industry—while construction spent the least at 1.51%. Other industries spent somewhere in between. Such a large difference in spending is indicative of a spectrum of need for IT that differs significantly depending on the business. Those differences make it impossible to define a one-size-fits-all budget percentage for IT for all businesses. There are simply too many variables to consider.
How to Determine How Much Your Company Should Spend on IT
Guidelines on how to determine your own IT budget can be much more useful than a blanket statement about how much you should spend. By knowing what questions to ask, you can get the answers you need to form your own ideas about what your company needs as far as IT goes.
Some questions you can ask include:
Do we need an IT budget?
The answer to this is an obvious “YES”, but it is worth coming up with your own reasons for having a budget to begin with. The closer you look at your circumstances, the more apparent it will be that IT is simply a part of doing business and an area that you will always have to navigate as a company. And it is not enough to put off IT decisions until you make a split-second purchasing decision financed by extra cash you have lying around—not if you want IT to generate reliable results. For long-term success, you need a specific budget.
What is the budget for?
IT investments should serve to further your business objectives. Pulling a random number out of the air is not going to achieve optimal outcomes. The budget should be set to ensure that you can use the technology you need to achieve the outcomes you desire. Of course, to answer this question, you may need to clarify your business objectives and your IT needs. The CIO, CMO and other business leaders can work together to set guidelines for what needs to be accomplished and the budget can be built from there.
Are we spending more just because?
Knowing that business spending on IT is increasing in many industries is useful, but just because others are doing it does not mean that you need to do it. Increasing spending on IT is not enough on its own to improve your business. That increased spending needs to have a purpose. Maybe you are upgrading important infrastructure. Or, perhaps you know of a new tech tool that is virtually guaranteed to make you more competitive. Just make sure that an increased budget has a purpose.
Is the budget based on current economic conditions?
Some businesses are still stuck in a recession mindset. They try to avoid any extra spending because they think it is a necessity for survival. But if the economy has picked up, it is vital to take advantage of increased revenue to bolster your technology while you can. The better you equip your company to move into the new age now, while you have the resources, the more capable your company will be of weathering any storms to come.
The reality of IT budgets is that they need to be customized to the business using them. Fortunately, the process of determining the IT budget can greatly improve your company’s understanding of where it is, where it is going and how technology will help it get there.
by Felicien | Jun 7, 2019 | Education
More than ever, cybercrime is a reality all businesses in Australia must face. No matter your industry, company size, or level of technology use, it’s up to you to ensure the security of your data and the strength of your security.
Together with the Cyber Security Working Group (CSWG), the Australian Taxation Office has developed 3 key tips to help businesses throughout the country combat cybersecurity. We’ve summarised these tips below.
3 Tips for Better Cyber Security
1. Ensure your system and individual accounts are constantly monitored.
All accounts owned or operated by your company need to be monitored constantly for unusual activity. This may mean hiring a security company to carry out consistent monitoring, but it will also mean checking your company interactions and transactions in-house. On an individual level, instruct your employees to follow the same self-monitoring protocol.
2. Train your employees in best practices for optimal security.
Evidence shows that phishing scams are at the root of most cybercrime activity. A phishing scam is generally conducted by email, but it can be done over the phone or by mail as well.
Most often, a criminal on the other end of the scam will send an unsolicited email to one or more employees in your company. The email will likely appear from a legitimate source, such as a bank, credit card company, security manager, or higher-up in the company. A key feature of a phishing email is the request to:
Reply with more information (usually personal or sensitive information such as a login or account number)
Login to an account you possess via a link the provided in the email
Click on a link for some other reason (to retrieve a prize you’ve won, for example)
In order to avoid phishing scams from affecting your company, the only truly effective measure is to train your employees in common cyber scam activity. Teach them how to avoid such scams. It’s important to teach your employees to:
Never click on links from or reply to suspicious emails.
Avoid providing sensitive information (logins, passwords, account numbers, access codes, etc.) when prompted by email. When in doubt, double check with the sender by calling them directly or speaking to them face-to-face to see if the initial message was real.
Never open attachments or programs from unknown sources.
Never leave their open or logged in computers or terminals unattended.
Watch your social media presence carefully. Not everything (meaning, sensitive details) should be shared on public accounts like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as hackers may come back to use this information with malicious intent. Make sure whoever is managing your social media accounts is aware of this.
3. Be wary of conducting business on public Wi-Fi connections.
Public Wi-Fi can be a tricky Internet connection to safely use because it’s not always secure from corruption by nearby hackers. This certainly goes for individuals on a personal level as individuals can easily be hacked via their bank account logins or by email, but it always goes for business conducted on company laptops or through company websites or cloud accounts.
This is often an issue “on the road.” Many businesses will send employees on company trips, during which they may want to use public Wi-Fi (at an airport, hotel, or restaurant, for example). In general, this should be avoided whenever possible, or, if it is absolutely necessary, only general, non-sensitive business should be conducted when connected to public Wi-Fi.
Is Cybercrime on the Rise in Australia?
Yes. Top businesses and the Australian government strive to attain optimal cyber defence capabilities. However, even as awareness of cybercrime grows, there are still mounting incidents of cybercriminals getting away with their crimes. This is partly because hackers can commit their misdeeds internationally — and most do. This makes them much harder to track as they often route their hacks through a variety of countries.
The best way to combat this type of criminal activity is to follow the directives listed above. Only thorough and attentive security monitoring and diligent training of employees can stop the threat of cybercrime to your company.
by Felicien | Jun 6, 2019 | Education
Spam emails can be incredibly annoying. Not only that, it can be downright dangerous, considering the phishing schemes and other email scams that are prevalent today. We can’t avoid spam completely and hope to have any kind of digital life, because so many services require an email address as part of the sign-up process. These can tend to clutter our inboxes with (technically not spam) promotional emails, and the less scrupulous of these may send real spam. That’s not to mention the frequency with which these companies’ databases are breached, creating a whole new layer of spam potential.
How to Avoid Seeing Spam
All of the most prevalent email services offer some degree of spam protection. Great spam protection is one of the reasons Gmail rose to such prominence a decade ago. Most services enable spam filtering by default, but check your email service’s settings to ensure that this setting is turned on.
If you’re still seeing a lot of spam, or if you’re using a service that doesn’t offer much in the way of spam filtering, here are some other suggestions.
Create Filters or Rules
You can create your own rudimentary spam filter by setting a filter or a rule. The terminology varies based on your email service, but you should find something by a similar name. You can create rules that auto-route email based on certain characteristics. For example, you can create a rule that sends any message containing NSFW language straight to the trash. Simply insert all those explicit terms in the field “message contains” and select “move to trash” as the action that is taken.
You can use filters or rules to move less important messages to a folder, too. If you still want to know about the latest sales at a few retailers, but you don’t want to be inundated right alongside emails that are actually important, create a rule that sends these emails to a “Retail” folder that you can check when you get the shopping urge.
Block Addresses
In the same area of settings, you should also have the option to block specific email addresses or even all addresses from a particular domain. Granted, it’s rare these days for spammers to frequently reuse the same address, but this function can still help with overly persistent individuals as well as companies or domains that refuse to take you off their mailing lists.
How to Stop Spam from Ever Arriving
There are other tools available to stop spam from ever showing up in your inbox.
Use “Report Spam” Button
The spam filters from email services like Gmail aren’t static. They can actually learn from you. When a spam message leaks through, you can help the spam filter learn. Look at the menu options available on the message. You should see one that looks like a stop sign with an exclamation point. Click this button to report to Gmail that the message is spam, and you should never see a similar message again.
If Gmail recognizes that your spam message is actually from a mailing list, it will try to unsubscribe for you if you click that option.
Set Up a Spam or Throwaway Account
Another savvy way to avoid spam is to set up a “spam account” that you use only for email signups, website logins, and the like. Give your main email address only to those personal and professional contacts you actually want to hear from, and sign up for everything else using your “spam account.”
If your current account is beyond hope, turn it into your spam account. Create a new main account, and let all your real-life contacts know about the switch.
These tips should help cut down on the chaos in your inbox. Got your own tips? Let us know!
by Felicien | Jun 6, 2019 | Education
Sign In With Apple…Should You Use It?
Apple recently reported that its new “Sign in with Apple” feature will be part of the iOS 13 release in the fall of 2019. It promises to protect your privacy, and authentication experts say it could have an enormous impact on data privacy.
What Is Sign In With Apple?
With Sign In With Apple, you’ll be able to log into your applications. It offers a single-sign-on functionality, much like other sign-in buttons such as Facebook’s, Google’s and Twitter’s.
What Are The Benefits Of Using Apple’s Sign In?
When you sign onto apps, Apple will mask your personal information and email address. But the application will still be able to contact you.
Unlike with Google, Facebook and Twitter, your email won’t be passed on to the developer. You can opt not to allow this, but you won’t be able to use their sign-in service. If you do choose to let Google, Facebook or Twitter track your email, they will also be able to see the applications you use.
Aaron Peck from Oauth explains:
“The way most “sign in with [blank]” systems work is that the app you’re signing in to will get your username on that service and likely also your email address,” he explained. “These apps can sell your email address to advertisers, or correlate your activity between unrelated applications by matching your username.”
Apple solved this problem with its single-use anonymous email address. You’ll be able to share the information you choose with the application. Apple creates a random, anonymous, single-use email address for each application. Apple then forwards emails sent to that address on to you. You have the option of deactivating the single-use email address whenever you want.
By using Sign in with Apple and the single-use email address, your true email address won’t be tracked. Apple is offering this to provide a more private option for use. And they are offering developers a way to provide a fast one-step login without forwarding their user’s data to another company. Apple’s button will also work on websites.
Can You Use Apple’s Sign In With Any Application?
No… only applications that integrate their systems with Apple’s Sign In button. Some may opt not to because they won’t be about to use your information for marketing purposes.
What Phones Can Use iOS 13 & Sign In with Apple?
These are the devices that will be able to use iOS 13:
iPhone XS
iPhone XS Max
iPhone XR
iPhone X
iPhone 8
iPhone 8 Plus
iPhone 7
iPhone 7 Plus
iPhone 6s
iPhone 6s Plus
iPhone SE
iPod touch (7th generation)
Is There Anything Else To Consider When Using Sign in with Apple?
If you are a developer, there may be. There are some concerns surrounding Apple’s terms and conditions for application developers. If they offer Google, Facebook or Twitter’s sign in, they must also offer Sign in with Apple.
And there’s more. According to Reuters:
Apple will expect developers to place their login button above Google’s or Facebook’s.
Apple Inc will ask developers to position a new “Sign on with Apple” button in iPhone and iPad apps above rival buttons from Alphabet Inc’s Google and Facebook Inc, according to design guidelines released this week.
The move to give Apple prime placement is significant because users often select the default or top option on apps […]
Apple’s suggestion to developers to place its login button above rival buttons is part of its “Human Interface Guidelines,” which are not formal requirements to pass App Store review. But many developers believe that following them is the surest way to gain approval.
This means that some app developers won’t have an incentive to actually add the Sign in with Apple feature. But Apple is getting around this by mandating that if developers what to place their app in the Apple App Store, and they already offer a third-party sign in, they must offer Apple’s.
Apple’s terms and conditions don’t require this for applications with a dedicated login system, and those that don’t use third-party buttons from Google or Facebook.
What’s The Benefit For Apple?
Sign in with Apple will improve users’ privacy and provide a far better experience than others.
Will LaSala, director of security services and security evangelist at OneSpan, tells us more:
Apple is going one step further than traditional single sign-on, they are forcing their users to use stronger authentication, such as Apple’s FaceID and TouchID,” he said, noting that Sign in with Apple will ask mobile app users to use the biometrics functions.
The use of adaptive authentication is what should be celebrated – the ability to prevent login tracking or protect a user’s information is a secondary benefit. Any way that we can get users to move to adaptive authentication that is easy and portable across many sites and platforms is a security win for the internet.
Apple is positioning themselves as the privacy provider. So when we want more privacy, Apple hopes we’ll choose to use their technology. It’s a great marketing strategy…something that Apple excels at. We think many people will want to use Sign in with Apple due to its privacy features.
by Felicien | Jun 6, 2019 | Education
Are you prepared for disaster to strike your business, whether natural or manmade? Many businesses aren’t. They either have no business disaster recovery plan, or the one they have is wholly insufficient.
Is this really a big deal for your local business? Yes, it is. Forbes reports FEMA statistics that over 40% of businesses affected by a disaster never reopen at all. Those that do reopen often deal with the aftermath of lost data, revenue, and stability for years (or until bankruptcy).
You can’t prevent all risk to your local business associated with disaster, but you can mitigate a lot of that risk. You need a comprehensive IT disaster recovery plan. We’ll get you started with x steps that should be part of your plan.
1. Know What Equipment You Need to Stay Operational
This step starts with creating an inventory of every piece of equipment that you can’t operate without. This isn’t a full inventory (though you should have one of those, too). This is a list of what’s mission critical.
2. Create a Timeline for Recovery
Now that you know what you need to remain operational, craft a timeline for recovery. This should be a realistic timeline, taking into account how long it will physically take to get the critical equipment as well as how long you can afford to be dark before your business’s existence is threatened.
Consider both how long it will take you to recover and what point in time you can recover to. The latter relates to your backups, which we’ll cover in step 4.
3. Communicate This Information Far and Wide
An inventory and timeline that only you know about will not be effective. Consider that you may be incapacitated in the disaster, or you may be unable to get to the disaster site. Do others know what to do if you’re not around? Communicate your mission-critical inventory and your recovery timeline to stakeholders throughout your organization.
4. Back Up Data (and Review Your Backup Providers)
Getting the equipment you need up and running is one aspect of recovery. The other is restoring the most recent data you have available. Backing up your data is an essential part of a disaster recovery plan.
If you’re already backing up your data, that’s good. Take time regularly to inventory your backups. Are they running on schedule? Are the backup files useable? Also, be aware that on-site backups have their purpose, but in the event of a disaster like flood or fire, your on-site backups are most likely destroyed. Consider adding cloud backups or off-site backups to your IT arsenal to better protect yourself against risk.
5. Procure a Generator
In the event of a natural disaster, power outages could be widespread. You may end up in a situation where your infrastructure is either undamaged or already rebuilt, but the city hasn’t restored power to you yet. Having a generator on site can allow you to resume critical functions sooner.
6. Evaluate Costs
Knowing where to procure replacement equipment is important, but so is having a plan for paying for that equipment. If that’s a daunting suggestion for your local business, you might consider looking into catastrophe insurance. Avoid the threat of a massive bill for replacing equipment by paying a lower and consistent amount for insurance.
7. Limit the Chance of Unnatural Disasters
You can’t control natural disasters, but you can limit the chance of an unnatural one. Take steps to lower your exposure to human threats like cyberattacks, data breaches, and equipment sabotage. One practical step is to audit who has access to what. Give employees and vendors access to only those files and systems they need to do their work. We also recommend regularly providing training on detecting scam emails and phishing schemes.
This step is a tough one to manage yourself. Consider partnering with a managed service provider (MSP) to help you step up your cybersecurity efforts and to train your staff accordingly.
8. Test Your Plan
Just like your backups, your plan as a whole can’t be good if it doesn’t actually work. Test your plan at regular intervals to make sure you’ve not left any gaps. If you discover problems you can’t solve, work with an MSP to find solutions.
9. Don’t Go It Alone
We’ll be blunt. All this is too much for most local businesses to handle alone. You need a quality MSP to help in the process. If you’re ready for help with your disaster recovery plan, contact us today.
