Ferrum Technology Services Blog

With the explosive popularity of social networking, the Internet seems to be a less private place than ever. With both communication and cyber crime rising in commonality, online privacy seems to be turning into a less attainable goal than ever. However, for this week’s tip, we’ll review some of the tools out there that can help you fight for your right to privacy.

Technology has revolutionized business. However, along with all the advantages and benefits technology affords us, it comes with a few risks and vulnerabilities that some businesses are still struggling to come to terms with. For example, storing records electronically makes them easier to organize and locate when they’re needed. It also makes them vulnerable to hacker and cyber-attacks. Still, most SMBs are working toward mitigating risks as opposed to abandoning the use of technology in their business operations - and a current assessment of the situation does show improvement over past years.

Network security is equally important for businesses of all sizes. Ensuring that your infrastructure remains firm is one of the most crucial tasks in managing a business. You don’t have to do it alone, though. There are enterprise-level tools available that can give small businesses the same security standards as larger organizations, and it all starts with a Unified Threat Management (UTM) solution.

Security is an incredibly important part of running any business, but unless you’re a professional IT technician, you may run into a couple of roadblocks while implementing a solution. Chief among these is not knowing exactly what you’re protecting your business from. Keep the following tips in mind to reinforce your security strategy and preserve your business infrastructure’s integrity.

Chances are that you, like most business owners, have assembled your staff very carefully, looking for people who are the best-in-class, willing to work their hardest for the good of the company. However, this staff will be made up of humans, and will therefore make mistakes. As such, you need to make sure that your data is managed in a way that keeps it safe.

Encryption is one of the most effective ways to secure a file, and even the average user can take full advantage of it on their Windows PC. In essence, you can arrange for your files to appear as random numbers, letters, and special characters in the event that an unauthorized user accesses them.You might be surprised to learn that even your  Windows PC has encryption options so that you can protect your sensitive information if so desired.

Every user on your network adds an additional level of risk, whether it be risk of user error, making a mistake that causes a data breach, or worse. One would assume that a company’s biggest risk would come from an untrained employee that disregards security policies, but surprisingly, that’s not always the case. Research has shown that a company’s CEO along with the rest of its C-level executives are the greatest security risk.

On May 11, 2017, the WannaCry ransomware spread around the globe like wildfire and disabled computing infrastructures belonging to organizations of all shapes and sizes. As the world watched the news unfold, it seemed as if practically no business was immune to this ultra-powerful ransomware. Yet, many quick-thinking organizations were. All because they had the foresight to follow IT best practices.

Run your Windows Updates and be very skeptical about opening unsolicited emails. Failure to do so may result in a very dangerous strain of ransomware that could infect your entire network and spread to your clients, partners, and prospects.

The popularity of security software has required malware distributors to be clever with their delivery methods. This is why rogue security software exists, and why you need to be absolutely certain that your network doesn’t have these fraudulent programs installed.

One of the best ways to progress in business is by looking at what doesn’t work, and learning from it. Nowhere is this more true than in the realm of cybersecurity. You can find out how best to protect your network by looking at what has happened in the past, as well as what cyber attacks other organizations have suffered from.

Cars aren’t as simple as they used to be, particularly in regard to the technology that’s inside them. Nowadays, you’d be hard-pressed to find a new vehicle that isn’t vulnerable in some way to threats like malware or cyber attacks. The researchers at Kaspersky have proven that many apps that are connected to smart cars aren’t as secure as drivers expect them to be.

Despite cash having been king for centuries, many businesses today have elected to implement cashless payment options as their customers increasingly rely on the mobile payment technologies that their personal devices allow. These businesses are the ones making the smart choice, as there are many factors that encourage the adoption of alternative payment technologies.

When you get an email from a big name brand or a trusted vendor, how often do you question the authenticity of it? Thanks to threats like email spoofing, you can’t afford to be as trusting of others as you might like. When all it takes is clicking the wrong link or opening the wrong attachment to set something terrible in motion, you need to be very cautious.

One of the biggest fears of every smartphone user is having their phone stolen. Compounding this fear is the additional risk of the thief accessing the contents of the device and doing with it as they please. To help reduce the injury that comes from the insult of a stolen phone, security developers have come up with several clever solutions.

Did you know that many webcams are infested with RATs? Not unlike their furry counterparts, RATs (or Remote Access Tools) are a nuisance that can cross the line into hazardous. This form of software allows a non-user to spy on a computer, giving them the ability to steal information or even record you and your environment with a PC’s webcam.

One major advantage of the cloud is that it allows users to easily share files. Although, due to just how easy it is to share files, this advantage may also prove to be a disadvantage, especially when inexperienced users are the ones doing the sharing. The next time your business shares a file with a cloud-based file sharing service, be sure to account for these three risks.

Data security is arguably one of the most important parts of running a business, especially when personally identifiable or confidential information is being shared across your network. Yet, some businesses continue to ignore security in favor of a “more convenient” approach which doesn’t hinder operations. When implemented properly, your security not only augments operations, but secures your organization’s data infrastructure.

While online shopping is great for finding exactly what you need, you still need to remember that cybercrime is a major problem and that you need to be careful of where you plug in your financial information. Here are some best practices that can help to keep you safe this holiday season while bargain-hunting.

Doing business on the Internet is a dangerous gambit, and not one which should be taken lightly. Every small business uses some kind of sensitive information that is valuable to hackers. Most think that preventative measures are enough to ensure their security, but the fact remains that only through threat detection and elimination can you guarantee that all issues are promptly handled.

The threats to your organization’s infrastructure are numerous and plentiful, and while some will make themselves known immediately, others will hide in plain sight. These threats are designed to either leak information or provide new outlets for hacking attacks. Regardless, it’s important to identify attacks that have weaseled their way through your defenses before they have been around long enough to cause damage.

Breaches are Inevitable
To truly understand how threat detection is just as important as threat prevention, you need to come to grips with the worst-case scenario. It’s not an uncertainty that you’ll be hacked at some point--in fact, it’s very likely, and as such, you need to make sure that you’re prepared for any and all situations, including a data breach. Even large organizations and enterprises that pride themselves on security can experience data breaches. Consider the high-profile hacks of Sony and the United States Office of Personnel, as well as the health care provider Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. If these organizations had anticipated data breaches, perhaps they may have been able to prevent them--or at least mitigate the damage.

This is why you absolutely need to expect the worst in order to keep it from happening. While preventative solutions can help, it’s also imperative that you implement ways to detect intrusions, as well as ways to eliminate threats. Only then can you be ready to tackle any and all threats that want to hurt your business.

What You Can Do
CIO recommends what they call a preventative “triad” of sorts. This includes protection, detection, and reaction. You’ll need both security solutions like a firewall, and monitoring tools that allow you to check (and eject) threats from your network.