by Felicien | Mar 19, 2020 | Education
Improving Data Analysis with the IF Function in Microsoft Excel
Have you ever wondered what the IF Function in Microsoft Excel actually does? Here we explore a few top tips for making it save you time while evaluating data.
There’s no doubt that Microsoft Excel is a robust program. Companies all over the globe utilize this application to analyze, track, and otherwise organize data in an easy-to-read format. But how much do you know about it and the various features that are available? And are you taking the right steps to ensure you’re looking at your spreadsheets in the most efficient manner possible? Here are a few of our tips and techniques to help you save time and improve your data analysis by using the IF Function in Microsoft Excel.
Tip #1: Understand What the IF Function Actually Does to Help Your Workflow
The first real step in making sure you’re using Microsoft Excel’s IF Function appropriately is to understand what it actually does. The IF Function tests whether a condition is true or false, and then performs an action. These actions can be calculations, data entry, or something closely related. The function is incredibly useful if you have large data sets or need to make significant changes, as it is a great way to save time in your workflow.
Tip #2: Creating the IF Function is Incredibly Easy
Creating the IF Function effectively starts with knowing the three parts: the logical test and then a value if true and a value if false. From there, all you have to do to make it work with your spreadsheet is to choose the data sets that you want to evaluate and determine what you want the true and false results to be. To do this, use the IF Function on the Insert a Function menu. Click okay and enter the conditions as you are prompted to do so on the screen.
Tip #3: Knowing How to Nest Functions
It is possible to use multiple IF Function formulas at the same time. In some cases, you might have multiple different possibilities or different levels of data that you want to compare. That’s when knowing how to nest multiple IF Functions becomes important. Nesting functions adds the ability to build more comparisons within your formulas instead of having to complete them separately.
Tip #4: Adding AND and OR to Your Functions
You can also add AND and OR to your IF Functions to make the results much more specific. While this is technically part of understanding how to nest functions, knowing how to do this is an effective way of utilizing the IF Function in a more efficient manner. An example of this is comparing two columns of data: one showing the amount of sales and one determining if an employee has completed training. By adding AND or OR to your IF Function, you can show a specific result, such as those employees that hit a specific sales goal and finished the training program you provided. As you can see, this can be a really easy way to get the information you need without having to spend a ton of time scouring through your entire spreadsheet.
Tip #5: Using Range Names to Make Data Easier to Sort
Range names are essentially a stored label that allows you to identify a range of one or more cells. They are incredibly useful for navigation, formulas, and even printing off specific parts of your spreadsheets. For use with the IF Function, you can utilize data ranges to save time when you’re working on a specific block of values as it allows you to use that range name instead of specific cell names. Range names can have letters, numbers, or an underscore, but cannot have spaces. And they are not case-sensitive, but title case is recommended for ease of viewing.
Tip #6: Remembering to Use Quotations with Text Strings in Your IF Function
Using the IF Function is an incredibly easy way to add text to a specific cell when certain criteria are present. However, you do need to remember to use quotations around your text strings in your IF Function formula. Failure to do this can really mess up your data set and make the formula not work correctly. Should you have a problem getting the IF Function to work for you, this is one of the first things you need to check.
Tip #7: Changing Text with Conditional Formatting Based on Your Result
Not only can you add text or insert a formula with the IF Function, but you can also change text visually with conditional formatting based on your result. It can be done automatically and setup within Excel under the Home tab. Examples of this option in use include turning a specific number bold and red if it does not meet the criteria of your IF Function, or highlighting it in yellow if it does meet certain requirements.
Conclusion
Microsoft Excel is a great way to analyze and interpret datasets. The IF Function allows you to do this in an easy-to-read and simple manner while saving you tons of time in the long run. These quick tips are a great way to skip complicated formulas and really make your spreadsheets work for you.
by Felicien | Mar 14, 2020 | Education
Protect Yourself – Use Two-Factor Authentication for Your Business
Learn about what two-factor authentication is and how it works. Once you understand its benefits you will see how helpful it could be for your business.
Two-factor authentication is something every business should be using to protect themselves and their customers. You know the value of adding layers of security to your business. If you have a brick and mortar operation, you probably have a lot more than a simple lock on your front door. Security cameras, alarms, barriers and more are common for most businesses because one layer of security is never enough. The same is true for online security. Two-factor authentication gives your business and customer another layer of protection beyond the standard password – so why not use it to improve your security?
What is Two-Factor Authentication?
You have probably already encountered two-factor authentication as you navigate the internet for personal or business reasons. All the major tech companies like Google and Facebook are using it because it makes sense to do so. The process of two-factor authentication goes something like this:
Input your username and password. Two-factor authentication starts off just like your standard security measures. You input your username and password for the site you are trying to access or the app you are trying to use. This is the first step of the authentication process, the first factor.
Provide a second factor to authenticate yourself. Here is where two-factor authentication becomes special. It asks for you to provide a second factor that is much harder for hackers to mimic. For example, it might ask to send an authorization code to your smartphone or ask for your fingerprint to verify your identity. Hackers are much less likely to have these available to mimic you and try to access your account.
You have definitely encountered the older way to verify your identity – security questions. But security questions have become less and less effective at protecting your information than they used to be. Most security question answers can be found on your social media account, after all. Hackers can spend just a little time doing some research to find all the answers they need, particularly if they have already stolen your password from another site through their cybercrime efforts.
How to Use 2FA in Your Business
You can easily implement two-factor authentication or 2FA into your current business security efforts – both for your employees and your customers. There are multiple ways you can use two-factor authentication, including:
Text Messages (SMS). Most people prefer to use SMS to verify their identities over the other methods listed below because it is so easy to check your text messages and access the authorization code. All the user needs to do is log in with their username and password, then receive the code through SMS and type the code into the verification box. The only drawback to this method is that if the user loses their phone they can’t authenticate.
Email. You can also allow users to send their verification code to their email. They need to be able to access their email – which usually isn’t a problem – but if they can’t this method would not work. The other problem that can come up with emails is that they can sometimes get caught in spam filters and never arrive at the person’s inbox.
Phone Call. While this option is not used nearly as often as the two above, it is a possibility depending on the system you are using. The user can choose to get a phone call which will use text to speech to deliver the code they need to log in.
Tokens. Some companies find it easiest to give employees tokens, either hardware tokens like key fobs or software tokens through apps, that can then be used to provide the second factor in the authentication process.
Push Notifications. It is possible to get an app that will allow users to receive push notifications so that they can authenticate their accounts. They get the notification and then click yes or no to authenticate.
2FA is possible using a variety of methods – the most important thing is that you start using it to begin with. Whichever authentication method you choose, your business and your customers will be more secure as a result.
by Felicien | Mar 10, 2020 | Education
Has Your Business Fallen Behind In Its Incident Response Strategy?
Incident Response plans are proving to be a key element in data breach recovery. That’s why proactive industry leaders are adding and updating these strategies.
Entrepreneurs and other decision-makers are acutely aware that doing business in the digital age requires robust cybersecurity. Most companies employ standard anti-virus scans, firewalls, and other commonplace measures to protect valuable data. But we are all just as keenly aware that the number of debilitating data breaches suffered continues to uptick despite business leaders’ best efforts.
From 2017 to 2018, the number of exposed records increased from 197 million to more than 446 million, according to reports. Cybercriminals will ultimately continue their efforts to come up with increasingly deceptive ways to penetrate business networks and leverage personal identity files, financial records, and other information that can be ransomed or sold on the dark web. How your organization responds to a breach could have lasting implications about business sustainability. That’s why companies now need an Incident Response plan embedded into their cybersecurity strategy.
What Does An Incident Response Plan Entail?
Proactive business leaders are enlisting the help of cybersecurity experts to create a viable response to an otherwise debilitating breach. These plans are crafted with input from key stakeholders to be ready to identify, contain, mitigate, and make a full recovery from a cyber-attack.
What many industry professionals may not realize — until it’s too late — is that recovery from data and financial loss could be the least of your problems. When employees, shareholders, and other businesses are impacted due to a hack of your network, you could be facing civil litigation. With that goes the industry reputation you worked so hard to develop. To truly recover from a systems hack, industry leaders are pulling together their resources to implement a six-phase Incident Response plan.
How To Develop A 6-Phase Incident Response Plan
It’s imperative that decision-makers understand that a robust Incident Response plan is not a set-it-and-forget-it endeavor. As part of your overarching cybersecurity strategy, it will need to be revisited regularly. That’s mostly because digital bandits are ceaselessly finding innovative ways to penetrate business defenses. Regardless of their criminal activity, a deftly implemented Incident Response plan delivers results. These are the six necessary phases.
Preparedness: This phase calls for your valued team members to be trained to manage their clearly outlined responsibilities in the event of a cyber-attack. Common strategies for readiness include running mock breaches and ongoing education.
Threat Identification: A hacker can attempt to breach your system in a variety of ways. Targeting endpoint devices and convincing an unsuspecting employee to log in or click on a malicious link is among the most prevalent. Having the ability to identify threats and breach entry points promptly reduces response time.
Damage Containment: From the moment a breach or cybersecurity incident occurs, your ability to deter the spread of malicious software or the removal of data ranks among the most crucial ways to control the damage. Hackers may decide to destroy files after their theft to erase digital fingerprints. It’s in your best interest to have methods in place to swiftly regain control.
Eliminate Threat: Once you have secured control over your data, eliminating the threat must be decisive. The cause may be malicious software or login and password penetration. Whatever allowed the cybercriminal into your business system, it must be stamped out immediately.
Begin Recovery: Once you are satisfied that the threat has been eliminated, the team members tasked with restoring systems and data can do their job. Having an actionable Incident Response plan likely helped save essential data and shortened the time your operation was offline. If you believe other parties could be impacted, notify them promptly.
Post-Mortem Analysis: In the aftermath of a cyber-attack, specific team members should be designated to gather information and create a report to share with key stakeholders. There are valuable lessons to be learned that can make your organization better prepared the next time.
Although every business wants to be ready to defend against a cyberthreat, The Third Annual Study on the Cyber Resilient Organization indicates that upwards of 77 percent do not have a clearly articulated Incident Response plan in place. If your organization has not implemented an Incident Response strategy, we would like input about enhancing an existing one. It may be in your best interest to enlist a third-party cybersecurity consultant.
![[Video] What Is Ransomware?](https://compnetsys.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Screen-Shot-2020-03-08-at-10.21.06-AM-1080x675.png)
by Felicien | Mar 8, 2020 | Education
What Is Ransomware: 5 Tips To Protect Your Business
Ransomware can damage and take a heavy financial toll on your business. What is ransomware and 5 tips you can take to protect your business today?
For businesses and organizations of all types, the Internet represents great promise and risk, with risk in the form of cyberattacks. Of the different kinds of cyber attacks, ransomware, in particular, can be very damaging exacting a heavy financial toll on you and your business.
What is ransomware?
Ransomware is a type of malicious software designed to block access to your system until a ransom is paid. The reason they are dangerous and damaging is that even if you pay, there is no guarantee that you will get your system back. There are many stories of organizations paying their ransom, receiving nothing in return, and dealing with the loss of their data.
What happens in a ransomware attack?
In a ransomware attack, hackers gain access to your system through a malicious link or vulnerability attacking your network and backup files. Their mission is to render your back up files and folders useless so that you cannot gain access to your system files. Once incapacitated, the hackers contact you demanding a ransom, often in the form of cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin, believing that they are protected behind a shield of anonymity.
What types of organizations are targeted?
One would think that the organizations most vulnerable to a ransomware attack are small to medium-sized. The truth is that any organization that is not taking its cybersecurity seriously is at risk of a ransomware attack. Cybersecurity, for many, is often an afterthought until it happens to them. This includes businesses, non-profits, and government agencies of all sizes.
How can I protect my business from ransomware attacks?
While there are things you can do to minimize the chance that you will be a victim of a ransomware attack, the risk cannot be entirely eliminated. However, there are steps you can take to minimize the risk of an attack. If ever you needed a reason to take action, consider that ransomware prevention is a fraction of the cost to recover from a ransomware attack. Never mind the financial cost. Consider that for most businesses, their IT system is the brains and nerve center of their operation storing customer lists, financial information, and everything else.
Some of the things that you can do to prepare for a ransomware attack include:
Having a business continuity plan
A business continuity plan consists of daily backups of all of your data, both locally, and to the cloud.
Invest in the best tools and equipment
You don’t want to cut corners when it comes to your cybersecurity. For that reason, you want to invest in the best tools and equipment. This includes anti-virus software, anti-malware, DNS filtering, and very strong firewalls.
Never click an unknown without knowing the sender
The average office worker receives 121 emails per day. As a result, it is easy to see how you or an employee can overlook a malicious email. While most people would click a link or download a file without a second thought, never open an attachment or click a link without verifying the authenticity of the sender. If you have any reservations about an email or sender, delete the email.
Keep up on your training
Cybersecurity is evolving quickly. Unfortunately, so are the hackers. As a result, you and your staff need to keep on top of your cybersecurity awareness training to stay ahead of the curve.
Work with a competent IT company
Make sure that your IT services company knows what they are doing. Many companies are marketing themselves as cybersecurity experts. As a result, you need to do your research to assess their cybersecurity skills.
There are more things that you can be doing to protect yourself from ransomware attacks. However, this is a good start for what you can do today. The other thing is to contact us to discuss a personalized ransomware prevention program for your business.
![[VIDEO] COVID-19 (Corona Virus): Business Continuity Plan Ready?](https://compnetsys.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Screen-Shot-2020-03-05-at-8.24.39-AM-1080x675.png)
by Felicien | Mar 5, 2020 | Education
Coronavirus Spreading: Make Sure Your Business Continuity Plan Is Ready
The spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus) has taken root across the country. More and more locations are starting to report cases and this number continues to raise alarm bells throughout the medical profession, and unsurprisingly, across businesses everywhere.
Business Continuity During Crisis
In the video above, We shared with you the importance of making sure your business continuity strategies are in place and ready to go. Many of the largest global enterprises to local small businesses have begun to exercise and test business continuity strategies in the event that their offices and factories are shut down due to the spread of this virus – forcing staff members to work remotely to keep the business functioning.
Are you prepared in the event that your employees need to stay home due to quarantine or a similar occurrence? If not, we urge you to reach out to us to talk about setting up:
Remote access solutions that let your team work from home with access to data, applications, and systems.
Communication solutions that enable anytime, anywhere communication via the internet from any device or location.
Cybersecurity solutions for office and home computers that keep you safe against cybercriminals leveraging this major headline as a mechanism of social engineering.
Emergency procedures that outline how to recover equipment, emergency contact information for employees, and more.
Virtual private network (VPN) technology to ensure your employees are using a secure, encrypted connection at home to access corporate information.
Systems MUST be in place for employees working from home as they’re using their own computers to access corporate resources. It’s up to you to make sure those computers are clean from viruses or other security issues.
Our team is more than familiar with creating proven contingency plans for situations like this. You don’t have to handle this difficult situation alone. We can help you get prepared and make sure your employees are accessing corporate information in a safe and secure manner.
Reach out to us right away over the phone, by email or by visiting our website.
by Felicien | Mar 5, 2020 | Education
Know and Protect Your Network From These Malware Threats
Every day, new malware is discovered that threatens U.S. business and individual security. Continue reading to learn about six of the most recent named and dangerous malware threats.
Back in 2018, U.S. Cyber Command was restructured to become an officially unified combatant command–meaning that it now acts as its unit organized under its commander who reports directly to the Defense Secretary. This critical change became necessary following an increasing amount of sophisticated cyber attacks. Hackers are constantly evolving, constantly upping the ante, and the U.S. Cyber Command is now one of our frontline defenses against those attacks. One way they have assisted the entire country is by diagnosing and alerting the general public of new malware. This is critical information that every business owner and the tech-savvy individual should keep up-to-date on to protect their assets and data.
Know Digital Threats: 6 Dangerous Malware & How to Stop Them
The Basics of Malware
The word malware is a mash-up of malicious software. It is thereby defined as any software that is malevolently used to steal data, compromise computer functionalities, bypass admin controls, or otherwise cause an issue with another person or organization’s computer. As you might expect, malware is a broad umbrella term that encompasses different types of attacks, such as viruses, adware, and Trojan horses.
The 6 New Dangerous Malware Named by the U.S. Cyber Company
There are always new types of malware being created and deployed by malevolent forces. The six new dangerous types of malware announced by the U.S. Cyber Company are ones discovered to have been used by a government-backed North Korean hacking group. These six types of malware have been unleashed against various U.S. targets, but it is yet unknown the scale of those attacks, or all who were targeted. This is why all businesses and professionals need to keep abreast of the latest digital security news.,
The six new dangerous malware named were as follows:
Bistromath. This is a variety of trojan horse that features full remote access to allow the hacker to perform file uploads and downloads, system surveys, process and command executions, and, very worryingly, monitor microphones, screens, and clipboards.
Slickshoes. This is a form of dropper malware that can load information onto a computer but cannot execute.
Hotcroissant. This is a full-featured becoming implant that, once it finds its way into a host computer network, will perform many of the same functions as the Bistromath.
Artfulpie. This is another implant malware that will download into a host network and then load its memory to execute dangerous DLL files.
Buttetline. Another implant, this one utilizes a faux HTTPS scheme that makes it incredibly hard for many malware-detection security systems to detect.
Crowdedflouder. This type of malware executes via Windows to unpack and enable a remote access trojan within the computer’s memory system.
Essential Tips for Preventing Malware Infection From Impacting You & Your Business
The hackers may be getting more sophisticated every year, but so are the good guys. Your browsers, plugins, applications, and software all have teams of tech gurus working on them to make them safer and more resilient to outside attacks continually. The following is a look at a few tips and ways to leverage those assets and be smart to prevent a malware infection:
Update all of your browsers, operating system, plugins, applications regularly, and whenever prompted. Ask for a schedule by your tech team if applicable.
Never click on any email links or download attachments from unknown or untrusted sources. If you manage a business, make this a company-wide policy. Be wary of any phishing emails from firms you might otherwise trust (such as your financial institution). Always use a separate tab to log into such sources.
Practice creating strong passwords and change them at least once every four months.
Contact Our Team for More Information
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