by Felicien | Apr 4, 2019 | Education
It’s difficult to scan through any news site and not see mention of yet another cybersecurity breach at an organization, and the devastation that can be caused to that business and the community are significant. Maintaining a robust cybersecurity presence is no different than budgeting for the cost of electricity to keep the lights on or the cost of basic internet — it’s something you simply have to consider. If your organization isn’t keeping cybersecurity top of mind, here are some suggestions for sharing the scale of the potential risk with your decision makers.
All Hail the IoT
We have been hearing a great deal about IoT (Internet of Things) in recent years, but the market may leave people wondering when the actuality will live up to the hype. Experts predict that 2019 will be the year that hackers truly take a shot at connected devices, looking for new and creative ways to infiltrate your networks and data centers. Nothing is sacred, as everything from wearables to connected toys and smart speakers are all potential attack vectors for the next generation of savvy hackers. This type of vulnerability is mostly preventable, as long as you’re actively managing endpoints and connectivity within your organization.
Malicious Mobile
As it turns out, your organization has more to lose from malicious mobile apps than thousands of hours of productivity (although that’s a problem, too!). Mobile attacks are becoming more evident with Symantec recently sharing that more than 24,000 mobile apps are blocked on a daily basis by their software. If your corporate mobile phones are connected to your network in any way and are infected, it could lead attackers directly into your data structures and other applications. It’s crucial that you protect all devices that can possibly connect to your network, or you risk a massive breach. A prime example is the recent hack of popular app My Fitness Pal, which could potentially be integrated into HR to track steps for corporate wellness programs. UnderArmor reported that this particular hack affected more than 150 million users of the app.
Costs of Ransomware
Ransomware is a significant cost for organizations — and it is growing every year. In 2017, the costs of damage to organizations from ransomware expanded to $5 billion — a number which increased a dramatic 15 times the 2015 expenses. Organizations regularly lose access to their records, but are often able to quickly return their business to full operations if they had previously invested in robust backup and disaster recovery solutions. An inability to regain operations within a few days can lead to long-term and drastic damage to the reputation and operations of an organization.
Machine Learning Gone Bad
There are many wonderful applications of machine learning, some of which exist in cybersecurity as engineers “train” systems to identify the hallmarks of an attack to trigger an action or notification. Unfortunately, hackers are also finding that there are opportunities within machine learning and artificial intelligence worlds, creating adversarial machine learning (ML) that will counter the work that these smart programs are meant to accomplish. Today’s hackers are starting to see how information technology professionals are utilizing ML as a defense, and creating countermeasures that will actually allow the cybercriminals egress into sensitive systems.
Carefully Watch Emails
In 2017, experts at Symantec found that the most significant attack vector for business was one that people use hundreds of times a day: emails. Phishing emails are becoming more targeted, as cybercriminals look for specific information about particular individuals on social media or in the news and then leverage that knowledge to create a customized attack. These so-called spear phishing emails often go after individuals at an organization who have access to sensitive data or financial power, such as an individual in the accounting or bookkeeping department. With today’s distributed workforce, it’s not unusual for traveling employees to need an advance on funds or find themselves in some sort of financial bind. Hackers are using this proclivity to create felonious requests — which can become untraceable once the transaction has been completed. Organizations combat these problems by creating an ongoing education program for staff members, especially those in sensitive positions.
How is an organization to survive when you consider all of these various threats, and the massive scale of the risk that is experienced on a daily basis? According to a recent report by Cisco, one of the key problems with an organization’s cybersecurity is having a variety of vendors providing support to the business. When you consolidate your operations with a single technology managed services provider, you’re more likely to incorporate a comprehensive approach to cybersecurity — a crucial step for the longevity of your business.
by Felicien | Apr 3, 2019 | Education
No matter your profession, reusing passwords is a horrible idea. It’s dangerous and insecure. Reusing passwords is especially problematic for those working in fields like law, ones that require confidentiality in one form or another.
Many people already know that reusing passwords is unsafe, but they do it anyway. One recent survey conducted by Lastline revealed that nearly half (around 45%) of information security professionals polled admit to reusing passwords. These people get paid to work in information security, and yet they don’t follow some of the most basic protocols for keeping information safe.
If anyone should understand the dangers here, it would be information security professionals. You’re likely not an information security pro, though, so let’s look in greater detail at why reusing passwords is so bad.
A Broken System
First, cut yourself a little slack. The internet password system is inherently broken. Most people have well over a hundred digital accounts. These range from the seemingly trivial (paying a utility bill, “store insider” loyalty programs, and the like) to the vitally important (banking, proprietary business accounts, and so on). Each one requires a username and a password. To make things worse, many sites require a mix of characters (capital and lowercase letters, at least one number, and at least one symbol). Some sites won’t accept all the special characters, and various sites won’t even agree about which special characters are acceptable!
Cheating Ensues
Most people can’t easily memorize one hundred or so unique sets of site plus username plus password, so they cheat. Either they write all their passwords down in a notebook or they reuse the same password across multiple sites. Even worse, they may do both!
The Frequency of Reusing Passwords
How widespread is reusing passwords, really? A massive study from researchers at Virginia Tech found that the problem is quite severe. They analyzed 61.5 million passwords spread out over 28.8 million users and found that over half (52%) reused passwords wholesale. That doesn’t even account for people reusing the same basic word or phrase and just switching out a few characters or adding a new one to the end.
The Problem with Password Reuse
Here’s the problem with password reuse: credentials have a habit of being stolen. Companies frequently experience hacks where customer data is exposed. You may not consider it such a big deal if hackers got ahold of your username and password for Bargains ’R’ Us. You don’t shop there often and you don’t have any credit card info stored on their website. Is it really a big deal?
On its own, it’s likely not a very big deal. But if you reused the same username and password for, say, your bank or your credit card, it’s suddenly a very big deal!
The same goes for the sticky-note users out there. If you’ve ever written down your “go-to” password on a sticky note or in a notebook, consider who all has had access to that information. Family? Friends? Coworkers? The cleaning crew or service technicians? How easy would it be for someone to snag a quick picture of your password list? If you reuse your passwords, this problem escalates quickly.
One more problem worth noting is messaging or emailing passwords. Many of us have had the experience of texting, emailing, or messaging a password to a spouse or significant other. Those communications aren’t always secure, though, and often they stick around for a while. If someone gained access to your email, would they also gain access to sensitive passwords?
The Ubiquity of Data Breaches
Data breaches are happening all over the place, and some of them are huge. Yahoo had every single one of its 3 billion accounts breached. If you had a Yahoo account at the time of the breach, even an old dead one you never check, hackers may now have your sign-in info. If you used your go-to password on that account, then every other account you’re using that password for is now at risk. This is a big deal.
Solutions to the Password Problem
Passwords are a mess, and not reusing passwords is difficult. Here are some solutions that can help you clean up the mess and reduce frustration.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication Wherever Possible
Many websites offer two-factor authentication (2FA), which is much more secure. With 2FA, a one-time code is sent in a text message or email after logging in with username and password. Enable 2FA wherever possible.
Use a Password Manager
Password managers solve the problem of memorizing hundreds of unique passwords. They store all your passwords in an encrypted vault that you secure with one strong master password. We recommend using a good password manager. Doing so makes strong password security easy.
Conclusion
Understanding the danger behind reusing passwords is an important first step in securing your digital life. For help securing your workplace against digital threats, enlist the help of professionals like us. Contact us today to learn how we can help keep your systems secure.
by Felicien | Apr 3, 2019 | Education
Businesses owners need to know important dates for personal and corporate tax filings with protection plans from any tax-related identity theft. Knowing how income is produced is smart for business leaders and the generation of income also goes with a reporting process. The income produced may be posted to personal tax returns and the best planning of generated income will go smartly with the protection of personal credit and finances. In 2016, $21 billion in tax refunds was stolen from the American population as a result of identity theft. Protection of assets, profits, employee records, and income are smart areas of focus for business leaders. What are the best ways to avoid tax-related identity theft? A priority for management is to protect company profits and personal data such as Social Security Numbers. Implementing the best procedures for employees and tax reporting is helpful with worker compensation reporting and considerations for any independent contractors. Correct planning throughout all of this can help you avoid any tax identify theft as another part of effective leadership.
High-Level Reviews for Companies and Business Leaders
Organizing your corporate books and reporting throughout the year can help you float easier through tax season with filing dates and proactive planning for the reporting process. A review of the business structure may be part of an evaluation for a company and business leaders. The business structure may determine the type of tax returns being filed. Working with an attorney or a CPA is a smart way of being prepared to discuss the appropriate business structure that works best for a company. Growth plans, employee numbers, income allocations, and tax reporting are considerations for some business leaders. Profit projections with possible international growth plans are additional considerations for some businesses and the structure should support the best ways to operate a business with protection and risk mitigation. Technology solutions should support the best corporate structure with management reporting and accounting procedures. Tax identity theft is avoided throughout the payroll process and the costs to reduce all risks can be simplified with smart planning and policies.
How does a business protect personal credit and finances?
Appropriate planning to calculate taxes, file returns, and make payments if necessary can help you avoid penalties and interest costs. Plans should include smart procedures for protecting personal data. Protection may consist of a thorough review to make sure there are no unauthorized loans, credit cards or other amounts using a false identity. Eliminating risks includes protection to ensure there is no need to freeze credit when tax-related identity theft occurs. Closely monitoring credit card charges, user accounts, and personal information is a smart choice for reducing any risks of tax-identity theft involved with a business. Two areas of focus will help reduce risks:
Employee record keeping and protection of personal data
Tax Reporting and protecting personal data from tax-identity fraud
Preparations include plans to know how technology is an answer to feeling confident about filing during tax season and steps to take for employee data protection. Business executives understand planning and organizing for operations, sales, and technology implementations. Technology reviews are important for data protection and security planning is smart business.
Protection Planning and Important Tax Dates
When is protection planning important for personal data such as Social Security Numbers? Business leaders that are preparing smartly for tax season also know to have policies and procedures to support protection of personal data for all employees. Technology systems, such as accounting and payroll software, should be checked often to eliminate any security breaches or digital data hacks. Also, the process of employee withholdings and reporting payments made to independent contractors are considerations with protection and tax dates. The following are some dates to consider for tax reasons.
January 31, 2019 is a deadline for sending out W-2 for your employees and filing with the IRS.
February 15th, 2019 is the deadline for issuing 1099s to independent contractors that received payments in 2018.
February 28, 2019 is important for businesses filing reports on 1099s for 2018.
April 1, 2019 is a date to know for filing 1099s electronically. If you are not filing electronically, the deadline is February 28th.
Knowing the 2019 tax dates can help you plan ahead and minimize the risk of any fraud or tax-identity issues. Data protection makes sure no thieves are filing fraudulent returns before the real taxpayers file their legitimate ones. Business executives can be applauded and look prepared when communication of risk prevention strategies are confirmed as optimized. The tax planning process may include work with a CPA or accounting firm. Confirming the due dates for the year is smart planning and having enough lead-time to file the tax documents should also include proactive procedures to protect credit and finances.
Payroll, Systems, and Processes
Payroll can be part of the reporting and tax planning. A planned out system to process payroll efficiently can help with tax reporting. Tax tables and employee records are part of the planning process with considerations, such as salaries, hourly rates, benefit payments, and tax withholdings. Companies with employees in multiple states may have different withholdings for taxes. Also, income withholdings for city and local taxes may be part of calculating gross and net pay. For many reasons, some companies choose to save costs and time by outsourcing payroll functions to a third party firm. The benefits of proper planning can be to develop better processes for making estimated quarterly tax payments. Important considerations include hiring and paying full-time employees and independent contractors. Organizing the best way can save money and time for busy company executives and managers. Correct planning may help with payroll processing, tax reporting, and determining the best technology solutions for business. Protection of your employee personal data should be a priority with communication to any involved third-party firms.
Eliminate expenses and time wasters of being forced into working with creditors and credit reporting agencies to clear any fraudulent activity and tax-related identity theft. Employee personal data should also be protected with a smart focus and strength as an employer. Victims of tax-identity theft may need to report it to both the IRS and the Federal Trade Commission. Other suggestions outlined in this guide https://www.thesimpledollar.com/protect-yourself-from-tax-identity-theft/ include applying for an identity protection PIN, a six-digit IRS number that will be used to confirm identity on all filings and tax returns. Employers should consider important policies for the protection of employee data. Business executives should understand the protection of credit and finances, and know how this applies to best practices throughout the organization. Tax-related identity theft should never trace back to a business that has smartly focused on data security plans.
by Felicien | Apr 2, 2019 | Education
Communication is essential for any business today. Being able to connect with colleagues and customers is critical for getting work done.
That means having a reliable, features-packed phone system that lets you communicate effectively while in and out of the office. Without a powerful business phone solution, you’re at a competitive disadvantage.
Below is a closer look at some of the advantages of having a reliable phone system for your business.
How Can A New Business Phone System Save Us Money?
Most older private branch exchange (PBX) phone systems are simply not built for today’s business needs. With PBX phones, you’re sending signals via older telephone lines and paying for each incoming and outgoing call. These per-call costs add up. Instead, a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) solution provides you with predictable monthly rates and unlimited call volume. You’ll also no longer have to pay to maintain and manage your phone equipment stored on location. Instead, users connect via an internet connection with cloud-based reliability and call clarity. PBX phone users typically pay for each line and any carrier costs or contractual change orders. If your power goes out, you also lose your phone system until the power is restored.
What Is Different About VoIP Systems?
There are many advantages to installing a VoIP system, including:
Call Clarity. With VoIP, your calls are transmitted via a high-speed internet connection, resulting in better call clarity and reliability.
Technical Support. Use a managed IT partner to oversee your cloud-based VoIP phone system, and you’ll have access to remote support, on-site support and maintenance, vendor management and asset tracking.
Comprehensive Security. With a trusted technology partner helping to implement and maintain your VoIP solution, you’ll know that a comprehensive approach to security is in place. The security measures may include:
Automated installation patches and updates
Network security
Monitoring 24/7 of all routers and switches
Traffic control and prioritization based on company-set policies
Non-compliant call detection and alerts
Toll fraud detection
Scalability. As your business grows, you need a phone system that can expand accordingly. VoIP systems allow for easy addition or removal of users, extension changes and other administrative changes from an intuitive dashboard interface.
Simple Set-Up. Transitioning to a new cloud-based phone system is a process with little to no user disruption. An adaptor can convert most existing desktop phones, which can then be plugged directly into your office internet connection. Both desk phone s and smartphones can access new features without the need for additional hardware purchases or installation.
What Are Some of the New Features VoIP Provides?
VoIP systems provide great features that will improve the way your team communications. Here’s a look at some of the most popular:
Unified Messaging. You’ll be able to access voicemails from any device when the messages are forwarded to your email account. You can retrieve the messages, listen to them and forward to the appropriate party no matter what device you’re using or where you are.
Find Me, Follow Me. If you want to be accessible no matter where you are, use this feature to have calls “follow” you from device to device. A caller may ring you first at your office and then have the call routed to your smartphone, your home office phone line or your hotel room while on the road. Providing this level of availability lets you serve your customers well with always-available access and connectivity. – your calls can ring at your office, then your cell phone, then your home office or hotel room while traveling – always maintaining the appearance that you are available to your clients.
Conference calling. Connect multiple parties internally and externally.
Connectivity. VoIP gives your company the ability to record phone calls and conferences. These files can be emailed to those who were unable to attend the session.
Automated phone attendants. Staff managing your phones will be able to manage incoming calls, see who is available and route calls as needed.
Desk-to-desk calling. Connect with colleagues in multiple locations by directly dialing extensions.
How Does VoIP Affect Smartphone Users?
Your phone system capabilities extend to mobile users using different devices and operating systems. You can use mobile applications to leverage many of the capabilities of your VoIP system, giving remote or traveling employees to connect easily to colleagues no matter where they are.
Choosing the right phone system is an essential decision for businesses of all sizes. Cloud-based phone systems give you the best options for today’s business needs.
by Felicien | Apr 1, 2019 | Education
Close to a million Michiganders are finding that their healthcare information may not be as secure as they thought it was, according to Michigan’s Attorney General Dana Nessel. Unfortunately, the personal health and financial information of these individuals were part of a massive ransomware attack on a third-party subcontractor who prints and mails bills for healthcare organizations in the area. While the attack happened back in September 2018, the far-reaching repercussions are still being identified over six months after the breach occurred. These unlucky individuals are discovering that a vast array of information was impacted, including social security numbers, dates of birth, personal addresses, names, medical information, phone numbers and even information about their insurance contracts. It took nearly three weeks for the contractor, Wolverine Solutions Group, to regain access to their data after the ransomware attack.
Healthcare Organizations Are Often Targeted by Hackers
Due to the high volume of personal, financial and health information available, healthcare practices and associated organizations such as Wolverine Solutions Group are often the targets of cyberterrorists. The information that is stored within the vaults of these companies is extremely attractive, both for the data points and the perception that healthcare organizations will pay handsomely to regain access to their crucial healthcare data in the event of a ransomware attack. Ransomware costs American small businesses more than $75 billion per year according to Datto, a staggering sum when you consider that this downtime can result in costs upwards of $8,500 per hour. Ransomware is increasingly becoming a part of the technology landscape, as cybercriminals perceive it to be a relatively easy and untraceable payday due to the rise of anonymous digital currency such as bitcoin.
Was the Record Encryption Strong Enough?
One of the questions that cybersecurity professionals are attempting to answer is whether or not the encryption that was applied to the records was enough to protect the records from the cybercriminals. In the case of ransomware, Wolverine Solutions lost access to their data for a period of approximately three weeks. During that period, it’s still unclear whether the cybercriminals attempted to break the data encryption — and if they were ultimately successful, where that data might have been shared with others or sold on the dark web. While a security firm brought into investigate initially felt that the attack was strictly focused on gaining ransom money, that has yet to be independently corroborated.
Patient Notification and Next Steps
Patients who were potentially affected are being notified by Wolverine Solutions Group, an expensive and time-consuming process as it requires multiple contact methods and a great deal of support. The organization is also providing complimentary credit monitoring and identity protection services for the affected patients, an additional cost that must be considered a part of the loss. These services will all be provided for the period of a year, while patients worry and wait — wondering if their personal health and financial information is in the hands of cybercriminals somewhere in the world. While Wolverine Solutions Group technology leaders note that they are taking steps to ensure that this type of attack doesn’t happen again, this negative publicity has likely affected their business in ways that will continue to be seen for years to come.
While it’s nearly impossible to create a system that cannot be breached, this instance illustrates the importance of having proactive, advanced backup and data protection processes in place. Cybercrime is rampant throughout the world, and there are no businesses that are truly immune from the effects of a major attack. Wolverine Solutions Group is merely the latest in a string of healthcare organizations that suffered from this type of aggressive ransomware attack and join Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center and other large healthcare organizations in the growing list of targets.
by Felicien | Apr 1, 2019 | Education
Technology is continually changing, and keeping up with the updates to your crucial infrastructure and software can feel like an overwhelming task. Many organizations begin to look for an IT managed services provider as they start to scale, but how can you know who to trust? You’re placing your mission-critical systems and devices in the hands of a technology partner. Here are some key questions that you should ask any new IT services provider to determine if they will offer you the impressive level of service that your business deserves.
1. Your IT Services Provider Should Listen
While there are similarities between businesses in the same vertical, no company is exactly the same as any others. Your IT managed services professional should take the time to listen to your concerns instead of immediately offering cookie-cutter responses to the problem that they assume you have in your organization. A true partner will listen to your needs and then slot in their proficiencies to make your organization stronger and more resilient.
2. Have Availability That Meets Your Business Needs
Are all of your problems going to occur during working hours? Probably not — and your IT managed services provider (MSP) should have qualified resources available around the clock so your customers and staff aren’t left waiting in the event of a service outage. Carefully read through any offering contracts or service agreements to be sure that the response times meet the needs of your business before you make your final vendor selection.
3. Provide Recommendations for Key Strategies
Whether that means budgeting or disaster recovery planning, a true technology partner will always be on the lookout for ways that they could save you money or help improve the efficiency of your business. This could come during the budgeting cycle, when they let you know that some of your hardware could be replaced in the coming year. Another time that your IT managed services partner should help your business is by leveraging their knowledge of various industries to share best practices in backup and disaster recovery.
4. Retain Security Experts on Staff
Cybersecurity is a constantly changing realm, and it would be very challenging for a single staff member to keep up-to-date with security advances as they’re made available. Keeping software patched and hardware updated is also a very time-consuming task, making these two ideal ways to leverage your managed services provider. You should be able to feel confident that your MSP is regularly running security tests and actively monitoring for hacks.
5. Proactively Update and Test Your Systems
The time when you could rely on reactive technology management to maintain the security of your systems and data is gone. Instead of waiting for something to break, your services provider should be actively seeking upcoming updates and creating a schedule for an application that is consistent with the needs of your business. This will help your business stay on the right track for reliable growth in the future.
6. Help Appropriately Scale Your Business Infrastructure
Making a single wrong decision early in a technology build-out can have disastrous consequences down the line. Your IT managed services provider should have the experience with businesses similar to yours that allows them to peek into the future and curtail any decisions that might cause your business to be less flexible or scalable in the future. While customizations are nearly inevitable when it comes to technology, a truly remarkable services provider will look for and recommend tools that are an exceptional fit for your business first — before they recommend expensive platform changes.
Finding the best IT managed services provider requires time and trust on both sides, but everything starts with open dialog. Your team must be able to detail your current needs as well as how your business is expected to scale in the future as well as a rough timeline. Your IT services provider should be able to tease these details from your project team so you have a shared understanding of how to move forward in lockstep. From a deep understanding of cybersecurity to a willingness to listen to your needs: an awesome IT managed services provider is not a mythical creature!
