Bad outsourcing decisions are often the cause of damaging data breaches, learn how to minimize your company’s risks Arguably, the whole world is aware of the global issues of data breaches, from Wikileaks to Yahoo. The ramifications of once private or encrypted information falling into the public sphere has implications for individuals and businesses around the world. Trustwave, a digital security firm, has found that poor outsourcing decisions leads to at least two-thirds of data breaches. In 2013, the firm released a report linking third-party IT system providers or administrators to 63% of the 450 cases of global data breaches the company was investigating that year. The research points to weaknesses in third party IT support, maintenance and development that have been quickly exploited by computer hackers. This proves the need to make considered and researched decisions when choosing an IT service provider to outsource your business to. Often times businesses fail to fully understand the price of security risks that could impact on their operations, and they aren’t stringent enough in considering how third party suppliers might handle their sensitive data. Instead many consider the most economical provider that can deliver on the bottom line, but this could cause long term issues down the road in terms of protecting digital information. Many large Fortune 500 companies give consideration to digital security risks in their annual reports, but many companies fail to demonstrate this right down to the level of procurement and negotiation. It is also rare that IT security providers and managers are included in negotiation talks when signing off on IT service outsourcing. Most conversations revolve around price and service level agreements (SLAs) and fail to encompass security concerns. This can be improved upon by establishing protection expectations and searching for third party proposals that give consideration to your concerns. Asking critical questions is a great start, but it should be backed up with a full evaluation process that will properly collate information and confirm security claims in acknowledgement of your questions. This should be both backed up by paper-based evidence and conversations to ensure proper accordance to standards. Cutting corners with an IT service provider may seem like a wise short term decision, but in the long run, data breaches could cost vast amounts of time and money in the future. Third party providers do offer the benefit of specialist knowledge and servicing to properly handle your IT solutions, but a certain level of trust should be managed between your provider and your organization. Educating yourself on potential weaknesses will help you establish a preferred mode of working with your provider. Looking for third party verification that your provider is both honest and well informed on security methods is essential. If your organization deals with payments and card systems, your provider should be able to demonstrate evidence of PCI DSS (payment card industry data security standards) compliance by a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA). By understanding your risks and working to minimize breaches through smarter IT service provider selection you can help to safeguard your business from damaging data leaks in the long run.

Making sure you have the best practices in place to better protect your business from cyber attackers is necessary. These are the best practices around that will help you even when attacks change. Cyber security should be a major concern for any business. One of the most common attacks that is found today is ransomware. Ransomware is a type of attach that involves the lock down of files for a ransom. Once the ransom is paid, then the decryption key is provided. The problem is that these attacks is that it is not recommended that you provide any payment for your files and the payment is generally too expensive for companies to manage anyway. Instead, you should work on trying to increase your cyber security and your defenses against all kinds of cyber attacks. Back Up Your Files The best way to prevent these types of attacks from really affecting you is by backing up your data. That way, even if you do fall victim to a ransomware attack, you will still have all of your files available to you in a different and secure location. You will have your second copy and can ignore the attackers. You will not have to find the money to pay for the decryption key. You can simply go on about business as usual. You also need to schedule regular backups. If you have your files backed up but do not regularly back them up, then it will be useless to you. Depending on how often you files change, you may want to back them up weekly, daily, or hourly. Find something that works for your business and schedule regular backups to happen automatically. Educate Your Employees Phishing scams are emails that have infecting links that will allow attackers into your system. While you can put up defenses to keep these kinds of attacks at bay, you also need to take the precaution to educate your employees on what to look for so they can avoid failing victim to these attacks. Tell them what to look for and also educate them when new types of attacks are discovered. Keep Software and Operating Systems Updated While it may seem like it is a waste of time to go through and update your systems when prompted, it is always smart to do that as soon as possible. When systems are updated, it is usually because there is a patch that can help protect your business by fixing the vulnerability in the system. You do not want to leave these vulnerabilities open so encourage all employees to make these updates as soon as possible. Secure Personal Devices If you allow your employees to use personal devices for work, you need to take the time to develop a policy and a way to better protect all data that is used on these devices. You should only allow certain data to be reached and also encrypt the data. You should make sure all devices have a password set on them. You should also try to separate personal and corporate data as much as possible. For more information about how to protect your business in {city}, be sure to contact {company} by calling {phone} or by reaching out via email at {email}.

The largest breach in history was just discovered by Yahoo. While it is scary, these are the details you need to know and how you should move forward. Cyber attacks happen on a regular basis and we usually do not hear about them unless they are big or have affected many people in the process. Well, the biggest breach in history just happened to Yahoo. It is possible that up to one billion user accounts were affected, which is unprecedented. The Reveal of the Breach Yahoo revealed the breach on December 14th via Tumblr. They said that they believe the breach occurred in August of 2013. This is not the first time that Yahoo has experienced a breach. In fact, they had a data breach in 2014 but they believe that the two breaches are unrelated. Yahoo revealed the 2014 breach in September of this year and that breach is thought to only have affected 500 million accounts, half of what is expected with this latest breach. The discover of the 2014 breach did lead the company to discover this breach as part of the investigation. Yahoo believes that the attackers accessed their proprietary code and learned how to forge cookies so they could gain access to the system. The Information Believed to Have Been Taken There is a lot of information that can be placed in Yahoo accounts but the chief information security officer, Bob Lord, says he believes that quite a bit was taken during this breach. So far, they have been able to confirm that names, telephone numbers, email addresses, dates of birth, and even hashed passwords were taken. They have even found that it is possible that encrypted and unencrypted security questions and answers were accessed. The company does think that bank account information as well as payment data was not accessed because it is not stored within the same system. It is stored on its own separate system. What You Should Do Now Yahoo is contacting all of the affected account holders that they are aware of. However, even if you are not contacted by Yahoo, there are a few steps you should take to ensure your security. First, you should change your password on your Yahoo account and any other accounts that may have similar passwords. You should also update your security questions and answers on your Yahoo account and any others that may use the same ones. Keep an eye on all of your accounts for any suspicious activity. You should also beware of any communications that you have not initiated. They may come as an email, phone call, social media message, or other channel. If you do get unsolicited emails with links in them, do not click the links. You should never download any attachments unless you are 100 percent sure they are secure and you know where they are coming from. This is the biggest breach we have ever seen and we will likely see more large breaches as cyber attackers become more savvy and start reaching for larger corporate targets. For more information about how you can protect yourself from cyber attacks, be sure to contact {company} in {city} by calling them at {phone} or reaching out via email at {email}.

Best wishes for a happy holiday season and our sincere thanks for your loyalty and goodwill throughout the year.

Every successful IT operation has one thing in common: strategy. Years of working with multiple organizations across several industries have taught our team one thing – no two businesses are alike. That means you need an IT plan that is strategically aligned with your distinct requirements to help you achieve real success in business.

Educate your employees about online threats and how to protect your business’s data, including safe use of social networking sites.  Depending on the nature of your business, employees might be introducing competitors to sensitive details about your firm’s internal business. Employees should be informed about how to post online in a way that does not reveal any trade secrets to the public or competing businesses.  Hold employees accountable to the business’s Internet security policies and procedures.

Ransomware has caused such a furor in the world of business computing (and especially in certain industries), to the point that many organizations are sparing no expense in getting tip-top network security measures in place. There have been ransomware removal tools available designed for specific ransomware exploits, but now there’s a tool that will allow PC owners and business enterprisers to be able to run a simulation that tests how ransomware-ready their system/network is. And, the attacks are getting more vicious with every variant to come down the pike. Graham Cluley was the first to report on a new Locky ransomware phishing attack where the emails claim to be “credit card suspended” and “suspicious money movement” warnings. Cluley said: “In the last few days there have been a spate of spammed-out attacks using similar techniques to dupe unwary internet users into clicking on an attachment that will lead to their Windows PC being infected with the notorious Locky ransomware.” This attack is now using threats claiming that there have been “suspicious movements” of funds out of your bank account and/or that your credit card account has been suspended. Here is an example of the suspicious money movement social engineering tactic: Attached to the email is a ZIP file containing a malicious Javascript file (.JS), that, if the employee opens it, downloads the most recent version of the Locky ransomware from a remote server from one of five different URLs. Next, the ransomware is executed without any further user interaction. Some anti-virus products detect the malicious Javascript as Trojan.JS.Downloader.GXW, but that changes on a regular basis. Here’s an example of the credit card suspension email: The Locky cybercriminals are well-organized and highly automated. They change the names and contact details used in these phishing emails so you cannot rely on them being the same. Ransomware is cybercrime’s most successful business model, so count on these attacks increasing in the future. It is highly recommended by IT security experts that you have your defense-in-depth fully in place, have weapons-grade backups, and step your users through new-school security awareness training which includes frequent simulated phishing attacks to keep them on their toes with security top of mind. How to Get the Free Ransomware Simulator Tool However vulnerable your network is to ransomware attacks, there is hope. Bad guys are constantly coming out with new versions of ransomware strains to evade detection, but there are also new tools to get rid of it. Is your network effective in blocking ransomware when employees fall for social engineering attacks? KnowBe4’s Ransomware Simulator “RanSim” gives you a quick assessment of the effectiveness of your existing network protection. RanSim will simulate five ransomware infection scenarios and show you if a workstation is vulnerable to infection. The RanSim program works in the following ways: It’s a 100% harmless simulation of a real ransomware infection. It does not use any of your own files. It tests 10 types of infection scenarios. Just download the install and run it. You get results in a just few minutes. Get a No-Hassle Network Security Evaluation  {company} is a leader in providing responsive IT security tools and technology. Get a no-obligation evaluation of your computer network security now, by calling a friendly representative at {phone}, or by emailing us at {email} for more information.

Clinch the deal with the right follow-up email at the right time Successful cold email campaigns ideally begin with an attention-getting, well-crafted email aimed to pique the interest of a specific target audience. However, the follow-up email is where most sales are made or lost, so pay close attention to the quality of your second contact — it’s your best chance to show the value of the product or service you’re offering and to engage the customer in meaningful dialog. If you’re a good salesperson, you already know that persistence pays off because it demonstrates to potential customers that you really believe in what you’re selling, but what other strategies are likely to lead to a healthy conversation rate? Following is a tried-and-true formula for using follow-up emails to your best advantage. Pitch the Product and Solve a Problem The follow-up email is your second opportunity to pitch the product or service. The email should be short, sweet, and to-the-point while highlighting your product’s benefits. Value-oriented messages in an assertive but nonetheless polite tone have the best impact. Think of a problem that your product solves and incorporate that into your main message. To show recipients that you’re ready to stand behind what you’re selling, offer them a free trial for a short period of time, a money-back guarantee, or other teaser designed to demonstrate value. At the end of the email, provide recipients with two options. Be direct, and ask them if they’d like to opt out of further offers. The other option is, of course, to take advantage of a trial offer or to outright purchase the product or service. Timing Matters Send your follow-up email in the morning so it will be at the top of recipients’ inboxes and one of the first things they spot when they begin their day. Because you want your email to appear as if it were sent by a friend, don’t choose the top of the hour — sent it at 8:06, for instance, instead of 8:00 sharp. Also, keep your target audience in mind when determining the best time to send the email. The days of the week that work best for sending follow-up emails are the ones in the middle. Emails may be overlooked on busy Mondays, and those that arrive on Friday may be ineffective if they reach those who are thinking more about their weekend plans than about business at hand. Those employed by large corporations are best reached the earlier the better during normal business hours, but if you’re targeting entrepreneurs, you’ve got significantly more leeway. Sunday evenings, for instance, are actually a good time to target those who are self employed because they may have more time to read emails than during the week. Also, keep the intended recipients’ individual time zones in mind when sending follow-up emails. To optimize your chances of positive responses, test several different times to find that particular sweet spot. Time your messages so that they’re at least two days apart to avoid being seen as a scammer. Plan for your email campaign to last several weeks rather than trying to cram it into a one-week period. Also, keep in mind that when dealing with large companies, the best strategy may be to ask for referrals to the person or department that makes the purchasing decisions relevant to your particular product or service. Please feel free to contact {company} in {city} at your earliest convenience {phone} or {email} for more information on crafting the perfect killer follow-up email and getting the timing just right.

Many businesses are making the switch from reactive IT support services to proactive IT support, which comes primarily in the form of managed IT services. Why is this happening? Well, it seems the “break-fix” approach just isn’t working for most SMB enterprises anymore. A great many of those SMBs are opting instead for proactive IT support for many reasons, which we’ll outlay for you below. Reactive IT support is more costly. Managed services, which offer proactive support, streamline and economize the costs of IT support, as opposed to reactive support. Proactive IT support, a.k.a. managed IT services, present a fixed, predictable billing rate, as opposed to billing you for each support call individually. This allows business owners to budget sensibly rather than dealing with unexpected bills when tech problems arise. This also benefits enterprisers by not having to send out engineers and technicians on-site. Reactive support, on the other hand, hits you with unexpected bills, and sometimes including unexpected fees. Reactive support is less convenient. Proactive support runs 24/7/365, whereas reactive support is not ongoing, or continuous in nature. Reactive response time following a network fault takes time. This lag in response time can hold back your workplace productivity. Also, the break-fix approach only responds to the most severe problems first, and focuses on one issue at a time. This makes the process much slower and harder to get ahead on things of lesser importance in the chain, but which are still relevant. The proactive model recognizes all issues first, then assigns bigger problems to more high-skilled resources. This creates a more fluid, scalable system where resolution can be quickly achieved on a wide variety of issues. Proactive support can also fix multiple problems simultaneously in this way. With multiple levels of on-site and remote IT support available, proactive wins in responsiveness and convenience. Reactive support is unpredictable and, ultimately, unreliable. By taking the reactive approach, it’s never completely clear how reliable the help you’re going to get is. You can spend a lot of money fixing your broken computer, only to have it break again. So, you call up another IT specialist and go through the process all over again. And if you want to hire or train your own IT staff member, that can break your budget. With the proactive approach, you are provided support developed from extensive experience and knowledge which is guaranteed to perform efficiently every time a problem arises. Get Proactive IT Support Now If you are concerned that you and your enterprise aren’t getting the level of IT support you deserve, then contact an IT consultant with {company}, which is a leader in proactive, managed IT services. Call {phone} or email us at {email}, and we will be happy to answer any of your questions or provide you with a comprehensive IT consultation.

New Popcorn Time Ransomware Demands Cash Unless Infected User Agrees to Spread the Virus to Friends We’re Urging Local Individuals and Businesses to be Informed about Latest and Most Sophisticated Cyber Scam The need for cyber security has been on the radar and in the playbooks of serious companies and their executives for some years. However, recent advancements in a particularly virulent strain of software called “ransomware” has made even forward-thinking CIOs sit up and take notice. Ransomware attacks are hitting individuals, institutions and businesses hard, right here in {city}. Ransomware attacks are defined by their demand for incredibly high ransom fees simply to restore access to information and reinstate productivity. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the newest form of diabolical ransomware floating around the internet is through a software called Popcorn Time. Popcorn Time is deviously named after but unrelated to the bittorent piracy app and quickly infects a user’s machine and demands a 1 bitcoin ransom (over $700), to reinstate access to data held hostage. However, the particularly daunting aspect of this strain of ransomware is the alternative escape option it offers. If an infected user can’t afford the bitcoin payment, they can have their files released for free on one condition: send the malicious link to two friends, have them download the infection and pay the ransom. Reminiscent of a B-rated Hollywood horror film or a bad pyramid scheme, this new method of spreading the virus and seeking out more victims is incredibly hard to track, prevent and slow down. The frightening new software was discovered by cyber-security researchers, MalwareHunterTeam, and the malicious program is still in development. However, researchers claim that if left to develop fully, the innovative method of distribution could make Popcorn Time one of the most dangerous and wide-spread cyber-scams on the internet. So what can individuals do to stay protected? And what does one do when they find themselves faced with paying a ransom or selling out their friends? The cyber-security experts at {company} want to make sure {city} individuals and businesses are well-versed in how to proactively keep data protected before nasty ransomware like this takes hold of data. The most important point of defense is securing reliable back-up solutions where an emergency copy of all important data is stored and protected on a separate machine or in the cloud. Through proactive and strategic planning and preparedness, the {company} team is committed to ensuring that their client base is equipped with comprehensive back-ups in case of attack or disaster. Because of this foresight, {company} clients wouldn’t have to pay the ransom to retrieve their files in the case of an attack, nor would they have to consider selling out colleagues or friends to avoid the bitcoin payment. Even with backups in place, damage-control and restoration time to get business back on track can be costly. Though the {company} team is equipped to help clients recover from disaster quickly, there is a cost associated for the man hours needed to restore data. Not to mention the lost productivity and wage expenses that businesses suffer because their employees are unable to work for a certain amount of time. Furthermore, ransomware attacks like Popcorn Time are getting increasingly sophisticated and malicious and can manifest in ever-evolving ways. Therefore, it’s critical to have a variety of cyber-security measures in place to ensure protection. Investing in the correct preparation and protection mechanisms may seem time consuming or costly, however, the cost pales in comparison to the potential damages that a ransomware attack can cause. As the prevalence and sophistication of ransomware continues to rise, the potential cost and productivity savings of enlisting IT support is becoming increasingly evident. If you’d like to connect your business-minded audience with more information about this nasty new strain of Ransomware, other daunting cyber-security threats and tips for staying informed and protected, please don’t hesitate to reach out to {company} at {phone} or email us at {email}. Keeping the masses informed is the first and most important step against beating cyber criminals.