Sep 12, 2022 | SMB Technology, SMB Technology, SMB Technology, SMB Technology, Technology News
Much as your business will practice its plan for getting out of the building in case of fire, it also needs to practice its response to a cyber attack. Your response ideally will be nearly automatic, and the way to make it so is to practice repeatedly. Read on to learn more about an incident response plan (IRP) and practicing the response to a cyber attack. The Importance of an Incident Response Plan An Incident Response Plan (IRP) shares a close connection to a Disaster Recovery Plan, in that it outlines a company’s response to a cyber attack that results in a data breach. An effective plan is a “combination of people, process and technology that is documented, tested and trained toward in the event of a security breach.” The primary goals of the IRP are to mitigate damage (to data, network, revenue and reputation) and to get your business back up and running as soon as possible. For this to happen, every worker needs to know their role and responsibilities, including the first thing to do if a data breach occurs. For example, a worker gets a suspicious email that might be a “phishing” attempt. Do they know who to report it to, and also not to click on suspicious links? Depending on the size of your company, you may have an in-house team, or the response may be distributed among more than one team, each in a different location. No matter which approach you use, your IRP will document how you plan to handle an emergency. Practicing Your Plan Documenting what your company...
Sep 7, 2022 | SMB Technology, SMB Technology, SMB Technology, SMB Technology, Technology News
There’s been a lot of hype about 5G, the next generation of cellular technology. It will build on 4G and LTE, offering faster mobile broadband speeds, extremely reliable low-latency connections, and enabling machine-to-machine connections like never before. As wonderful as this new technology is, it is a work in progress, and requires consideration before adopting. Read on to learn more about the promise and progress of 5G cellular technology. Business Benefits of 5G Technology While 5G will provide more streamlined and enjoyable experiences of non-business computing, the benefits to businesses of all sizes are even more exciting. The key questions about cellular coverage have always been about coverage, capacity and bandwidth. Is there a strong signal between the device and the cell tower? Can that tower handle traffic from multiple users at all times? Will data transfer be fast enough for requested services? The new generation of cellular technology aims to answer these questions. Data that might have been lost due to latency will be easily captured, allowing sharper decision-making in real time. The higher broadband speeds (1-2 gigabytes-per-second downloads) will accommodate more traffic and facilitate uninterrupted communication. Companies can convert from a local cable/DSL internet connection to one powered by 5G. The technology will promote automation, leading to smart cities, wearable healthcare telemetry, and real-time management. Progress Catching up to Hype While this technology has wonderful potential, much still needs to be done. Since 2019, though, 5G has caught on with cellular technology, with some carriers providing 5G to their customers. Instead of larger cells that were a hallmark of previous generations of technology,...
Aug 15, 2022 | SMB Technology, SMB Technology, SMB Technology, SMB Technology, Technology News
How do you know your network and your digital assets are really safe? How can you be sure? Often, it takes a cyber attack and subsequent data breach to learn that your company’s defenses are not what you thought. Read on to learn more about taking stock of your company’s cybersecurity posture to prevent a cyber attack and its damage. Review Cybersecurity Policies and Procedures One place to start evaluating your cybersecurity posture is reviewing your cybersecurity policy, which states not just your company’s stance on cybersecurity, but the ways you plan to keep your network secure and processes and procedures you will follow while pursuing business goals. A sound policy starts with general security expectations as well as roles and responsibilities within your organization. Once these are clear, more specific policies deal with guidelines for antivirus software and use of cloud applications. Other specific elements include how devices can and cannot be used, how the system can be securely accessed, and what will happen in the event of an attack, like one resulting from a phishing email. Do workers know where and how to access the company network, and where not to? What are the processes for recovering from a disaster, and how will the business continue operating if one happens? These questions are just some of many to have a definite answer to, to be sure of your ability to keep your company secure. Auditing Your Network Do you know the security of your network, and all devices connected to it? Keeping a detailed asset inventory; records of all devices–their type, model, operating...
Aug 11, 2022 | SMB Technology, SMB Technology, SMB Technology, SMB Technology, Technology News
What if your business could integrate all of its communication tools (telephony, video conferencing, chat and more) over the internet? Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) provides cloud computing benefits on a subscription basis, and all your company needs is an Internet connection. Read on to learn more about the benefits – and cybersecurity considerations – of Unified Communications as a Service. UCaaS and its Benefits Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) is a way to integrate multiple modes of communication–voice telephony, video conferencing, email, chat and file sharing – without the need to maintain on-site infrastructure. In this cloud offering, the provider furnishes the infrastructure and data centers, helping clients to convert capital expense to more manageable operating expense. Users can move from one mode of communication to another and access information to serve customers more efficiently. With cloud’s scalability, resources can be provisioned as needed according to demand. Scalability allows users to be added and removed as needed. Even with little doubt about cloud’s benefits, considerations also exist. Considerations in Using UCaaS Even with numerous benefits, a company needs to consider its own network health as well as the strength of the provider’s network. Not only that, but especially the cybersecurity standards of potential providers needs evaluation. First of all, does your provider’s network have updated antivirus and anti-malware definitions, and operating system patches? Does it have sufficient bandwidth to handle high traffic volumes at peak periods of use? Does your company’s own end-user devices have protection from viruses and malware? Even more important, do potential providers have certain cybersecurity measures in place?...
Jul 18, 2022 | SMB Technology, SMB Technology, SMB Technology, SMB Technology, Technology News
Out of the many cloud offerings on the market, Desktop as a Service (DaaS, for short) is a convenient way for your company to access computing resources virtually. Without the need for expensive infrastructure and in-house IT expertise, your workers have a variety of computing resources at their fingertips. Not only that, your company can save costs by paying just for the resources you use. Read on to learn more about Desktop as a service, and how to determine if this service is right for you. The Benefits of Desktop as a Service First of all, what is Desktop as a service? It is a cloud computing offering in which a third-party provider, such as Microsoft or Google provides virtual desktops via an Internet connection. The provider manages backed equipment and processes(servers, databases, etc.), taking that responsibility off the client’s hands. Small to medium-sized businesses wanting flexible, scalable and secure computing pay a periodic subscription-based amount based on the computing resources used. Desktop as a Service is flexible because users are provided an up-to-date operating system and productivity applications on log in. What’s more, companies can access a virtual desktop remotely and share applications and their data with other employees without effort. Business Advantages of Desktop as a Service Desktop as a Service first of all offers the primary benefit of having a provider manage and maintain the operating system and applications, along with software and security updates. All that your company needs is an internet connection to enjoy the benefits of virtual desktops. Computing resources available from anywhere, anytime. Resources can be scaled up...
Jul 12, 2022 | SMB Technology, SMB Technology, SMB Technology, SMB Technology, Technology News
Treating even employees like possible intruders may seem harsh. Yet, with so many devices connected to cloud services and the Internet, “zero trust” may be the best way to keep your company safe from cyber attacks, as it can verify each and every request for access and give workers the resources they need for their roles. Read on to learn more about how zero trust can keep your network secure while keeping you productive. The Need for Zero Trust With innovations like cloud computing come issues involved in protecting digital assets (data, applications, and more). More devices connected to the cloud (via the Internet) and also to business networks, causes the attack surface to expand. No longer can businesses assume that the security perimeter exists within company boundaries. People can connect anywhere, anytime, with the surge in remote work during the last couple of years. “Zero trust” is a way of verifying each and every request for access, and is vital to protecting a company’s digital assets. With millions of dollars and weeks of time needed to heal a breach, zero trust can save your company money, time and even reputation. Principles of Zero Trust According to the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency article, zero trust is “access to an information resource (data, applications, services) for a specified period of time, with the least possible privileges.” A primary principle of zero trust is verifying each and every access request. Questions asked involve the identity of the request, the health of the device the request comes from, and the role of the entity requesting access–so you know...
