As a small business owner, your business may face various challenges regarding IT support, such as limited resources or lack of experience. This is why it’s essential to have reliable IT systems in place, as they can be valuable allies in solving these challenges. Small businesses may outsource their IT support needs to a team of professionals thanks to managed IT services. These experts have the knowledge and resources necessary to offer complete IT assistance. In addition, by outsourcing to an IT provider, small companies have access to the knowledge and experience of a team of specialists who can help them manage complex challenges. Managed IT services are available to small businesses in several forms. Some of these services include: Monitoring and maintenance – Managed IT service providers can monitor your business devices around the clock, looking for potential issues and performing regular maintenance to keep them running smoothly. Help desk support – Managed IT service providers offer help desk support, providing small businesses with a team of professionals to answer questions and assist when issues arise. Cybersecurity – Small businesses are constantly at risk of cyberattacks, and managed IT services can help protect them by providing comprehensive cybersecurity services such as security assessments, vulnerability testing, and incident response. Cloud services – Managed IT service providers can also help small businesses migrate to the cloud, providing guidance and support. One of the main advantages of working with a managed IT service provider is having access to a team of professionals without recruiting internal IT workers. Small firms that lack the funding or the capacity to hire a full-time IT team may find this to be of particular help. Small businesses can save time and money by utilizing managed IT services because they no longer need to invest in internal IT personnel or resources. Managed IT services can be a useful tool for small firms trying to get above the obstacles posed by a lack of resources and knowledge. Small company owners may obtain the expertise and experience they need to operate their IT systems successfully while saving time and money by outsourcing their IT support requirements to a team of experts.
When cutting costs in your IT department it is important to review all avenues of expenditures. If you begin overlooking certain areas of your IT department, you will be unable to accurately determine total expenses and possible savings. Having a holistic approach will ensure that you are able to properly and efficiently determine what best areas to cut back on and which to leave alone. Reviewing all Operating Costs When it comes to an IT department, there are two umbrellas of operating costs that one must review to ensure optimal savings. Operating expenditures (OPEX) such as Office 365 subscriptions, and capital expenditures (CAPEX) such as Servers and owned computers. Both areas, OPEX, and CAPEX need to be reviewed and understood if you wish to be able to efficiently cut costs in your IT department. Furthermore, it is important that you do not focus on one over the other. If you are to ensure that your IT department can maintain functionality without compromising security to your business, combing through both operating expenditures and capital expenditures is necessary. How Hammett Technologies Assists in Cutting Costs Hammett Technologies is not just your IT department, but also your business partner. All of our services are operating expenditures, ensuring that you are not holding onto depreciating hardware, losing money in the process. Furthermore, as your business partner, Hammett Technologies will work diligently with you to ensure that you are maximizing your profits while maintaining a secure network. We work with your business and budget to ensure you are receiving the best possible service that your money can buy, without hidden fees. When you choose Hammett Technologies you are not only choosing a top-tier IT department, but you are choosing a business partner who wants to see you and your company succeed.
No one ever said that cutting costs would be easy. In fact, it may be one of the most difficult things you will have to do when owning a business. Cutting costs means reduction, and reduction means people are sometimes let go. All of these can lead you to feel regretful, disappointed, and upset at yourself. However, as with any business, it is important that you maintain it so that it can remain healthy and sturdy, and that unfortunately means that costs must be cut at times. However, there is one useful tip to making cutting costs easier. On the First Try When it comes to cutting costs, attempt to do it all on the first try. Many, because of the negative feelings, do not go in as aggressive as they should when cutting costs, resulting in them having to do it repeatedly. Going about it this way ensures that you will never truly get to the root causes of monetary losses in your company, and will also force you to experience troubling, negative emotions more often. Therefore, going in as seriously as you can is vital to ensuring that not only are you saving money, but also avoiding future negative emotions surrounding the topic. Cutting costs is difficult. It is the harsh reality of the business world, but a necessary reality if businesses are to maintain their bottom-line. Do not be afraid of confronting and dealing with these harsh realities in your business. Hammett Technologies as a Partner Hammett Technologies understands that cutting costs can be difficult. As a small, family-owned business, we have had to deal with these harsh realities ourselves. However, through perseverance and patience, we have maintained our status and have proved that we can accomplish any tasks set out before us. We promise, as your business partner, to bring this same perseverance and patience to the table, ensuring that you not only understand our tactics to secure your cyber presence but also trust that we will have your back when you need us most. Hammett Technologies is your partner first, your IT Department second.
As businesses become more and more connected to the internet, the threat of a data breach only increases. A study conducting by the University of Maryland in 2017 discovered that, on average, computers with internet access are attacked every 39 seconds. While this figure may be worrisome, this should come as no surprise to most. As technology continues to progress, becoming more and more a part of not only businesses but individual’s lives as well, criminals will try harder and faster to obtain access to confidential information. These attacks are not cheap either. A study conducted by IBM found that on average, a cyberattack can cost $3.86 million. This number does not just reflect the damage the breach cost, but it also factors in loss of business, time spent on recovering, and damage to reputation. Taking steps to prevent an attack from happening is imperative. One must have the proper equipment and policies set in place in order to counter cyberattacks. However, attackers are becoming smarter, more resourceful, faster, more aggressive. Many of them are also playing the long game as well. Lying dormant in a companies, or individual’s computers or server, waiting for the perfect moment to attack. While cyber security specialists are doing there best to stay 1-step ahead of criminals, there is only so much that can be done. Therefore, instead of playing a game of cat and mouse with attackers, cyber security specialists should be turning their attention towards using machine learning and AI to aid them in this constantly evolving battle. Why Machine Learning and AI Should Be Recruited Cybersecurity usually relies on methods of created static rules and policies that act as barriers to attackers. These barriers, regardless of how strongly built, are susceptible to cracks and leaks, allowing for unwanted guests to enter. This creates a constant game of catch up, rather than enforcing constant protection. This is especially true since cyber criminals are constantly evolving their viruses, making them stronger and harder to detect. If rules are not kept up to date, and scheduled maintenance is not regularly done, disaster can strike at any moment. Machine learning and AI can help level the playing field. Even though cyber security specialists will remain as the last line of defense against attacks, AI and machine learning can be used as the first line of defense. AI and machine learning are constantly updating and learning, feeding off information from databases about cybersecurity and networking, as well as information from its experiences while deployed. AI and machine learning add automation to your cybersecurity team, aiding them in evolving and keeping your data safe from criminals. Hammett Technologies is specialized in cybersecurity, using only the latest cybersecurity software and hardware to keep your data safe. When you partner with Hammett Technologies, you hire a partner who learns your employees, your business, and your process.
When it comes to saving money, it is vital that you have an overview of all your company’s expenses. While this may seem obvious to some, there are many who believe they already have a good idea of their company’s expenses. We cannot stress enough, no matter how much of an idea you believe to have of your organization’s expenses, consult with your financial partner. You may be surprised with how much money your organization actually spends. Consulting with Your Financial Partner Even though you may feel certain that you have a good idea of how much money your organization is spending, it is important to ensure that you are accurate in your estimates. By consulting with your business’s financial partner, you can ensure that your company’s funds are being spent accordingly and efficiently, without leaving anything up in the air. When getting the big picture of your company’s expenses, leave no stone unturned. Review all expenses, making sure you know exactly how much money is being spent and which areas need to be focused on the most in order to save the most money. By doing this, you can ensure your company can remain in good financial standing, without the worry of unnecessary expenses. Hammett Technologies is Your Company’s IT Department As we have stated multiple times before, when it comes to understanding cybersecurity and technology, Hammett Technologies is the expert. Our team has worked with numerous organizations, from government contracts to small, family-owned, businesses. We understand how important it is to balance the budget to ensure that a company, regardless of size, is able to operate efficiently and securely. Therefore, by choosing Hammett Technologies, you not only gain a powerful cybersecurity team and IT support, but you also gain a partner who is conscious of your business budget and will work with you to obtain the best materials that are within your price range.
As technology continues to advance, so do those who aim to use it to exploit others. According to Accenture, when a business suffers a cybersecurity attack, an estimated $2.4 million is spent on recovery, and it takes an estimated 50 days to recover from the attack entirely. On a global scale, the average business can expect to spend on recovery is estimated to be as high as $3.86 million, with another attack within 24 hours with a 27.9% chance (via 2018 Ponemon Report). It is essential that businesses understand this threat, and that investing in preventative measures, such as automation, is important to maintaining a business’s security. What is a Data Breach? According to the 2018 Cost of a Data Breach Study, to classify an event as a “data breach” an individual’s medical record, financial record, and/or debit card information must be placed at risk. This type of information can become exposed due to malicious or criminal attack, system glitch, and even human error. How Does a Business Avoid Data Breaches? In order to prevent a data breach from occurring, a business must invest in a strong cybersecurity team. With the support of a robust cybersecurity team, a business has a better chance of staying ahead of malicious hackers. Furthermore, extensive pressure testing can also aid in prevention. Pressure testing a businesses network environment can reveal vulnerabilities, as well as aid in innovation, keeping your cybersecurity ahead of the attackers. However, one of the most important defenses a business can invest in is automation. What is Automation and How Can It Improve Cyber Defense? When it comes to cybersecurity, automation is your best defender. According to 2019 Study on the Cyber Resilient Organization, automation, in the cybersecurity field, refers to investing and enabling in cybersecurity technologies that assist or replace human intervention in the identification and containment of cyber exploits or breaches. Furthermore, for these technologies to function correctly and efficiently, artificial intelligence and machine learning, must be appropriately implemented. Automation creates a symbiotic relationship with businesses cyber resilience. It reduced the chances a business has of encountering a data breach, as well as the frequency of them occurring. Investing in automation allows for a business to feel more confident in its ability to track, prevent, and contain potential cybersecurity incident. However, while automation does remove humans from the identification and containment procedure, it does not mean that cybersecurity professionals are irrelevant. A business should keep a full staffed cybersecurity team to assist in training, as well as regular maintenance of the automation processes. Furthermore, a fully staffed cybersecurity team can develop a Computer Security Incident Response Plan (CSIRP), which significantly assists in detection and containment. Automation is a necessary part of a company this wished to keep their client’s information save and save money. According to the 2018 Cost of a Data Breach Study, on average, the losses of a company that has fully and effectively implemented automation to their cybersecurity defense, are $2.88 million, while a company that has decided to skip on automation suffers $4.43 million in losses. Automation is an essential tool for any business looking to improve its cybersecurity and cyber resilience. What Other Steps Should a Business Take to Continually Improve its Cyber Resilience? Automation is a crucial component to any businesses cybersecurity detail, but businesses cannot overlook other key personnel and details either. Security intelligence systems can save a company as much as $3.7 million. Companies that take full advantage of encryption and effectively use it can save as much as $1.4 million annually. Properly implementation of a firewall can prevent 2.5 million in losses yearly as well. Perhaps the most often overlooked factor is maintaining a sufficient budget for cybersecurity, which can save a company $2.8 million annually when appropriately maintained. As stated earlier, keeping a fully staffed cybersecurity team crucial to maintaining the network, leading to $2.1 million in savings for the company; however, no team is without its leader. Hiring a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) can further improve security, as well as save a company $2 million yearly. Lastly, and an added measure as to what automation cannot accomplish is proper training and cybersecurity awareness meetings. Training and informing employees on cybersecurity not only helps to prevent human error, but it also saves a company $1.5 million every year. Automation is crucial, but implementing other cybersecurity personnel and details in equally important in maintaining a proper network. As technology continues to progress, the threats do as well. Therefore, it is up to businesses and cybersecurity teams to implement the proper tools necessary to defend against attacks that can wreak havoc and cause data breaches. At Hammett Technologies we understand the importance and can help evaluate and develop a plan to help train employees and prevent data breaches, ensuring your company’s data remains secure.
If you have an Nvidia graphics card, it is within your best interest to make sure your drivers are up to date. On May 9, Nvidia released a statement stating that they have patched security holes within their display drivers that could have led to a denial of service attacks, or could leave your personal information exposed for hackers. Drive update 430.64 was released on May 9 and remedies the security holes outlined below. Vulnerability CVE-2019-5675 is an issue within the kernel of the GPU, which is used to handle only trusted windows files. This issue can be exploited and used to launch denial of service attacks (DoS) and allow hackers administrative privileges over your system. Lastly, vulnerability CVE-2019-5677, another issue within the kernel, can lead to denial of service attacks (DoS). It is important that you update your cards immediately to avoid falling victim to any of these vulnerabilities. The newest driver update, released May 9, 2019, corrects each of the vulnerabilities listed above.
The most recent breach of Facebook, resulting in 50 million accounts hacked, has the corporation in the spotlight once again and for the wrong reasons. To help those who fear they may have been hacked, the Fox 45 Morning News team asked our Owner and CEO, Charles Hammett, to come on and provide his expert knowledge concerning cyber security and help explain to viewers what they can do in order to prevent these attacks from happening. Watch the video below to find out more! At Hammett Technologies the security of our client is our number one concern. With help from our certified team, you can have faith that your company’s users and data are kept safe and secure.