Importance of Employee Training for Cybersecurity
Just with any type of training – cyber security training allows an organization to encourage proper behavior, mitigate risk, and ensure secure cooperation or compliancy. Simply bringing awareness to cyber security is critical to the survival of your company. When your employees have the knowledge and skills to protect themselves and the company, that is your first line of defense when going against online crime.
Unfortunately, employees are often responsible for poor security practices. Having regular cyber security training is important for employees, as they will become aware of the importance of securing the company’s valuable data. Training employees helps create a culture of cybersecurity and ensures that everyone is on the same page when it comes to online safety.
Whether it’s through an online training program, an on-site training by IT security professionals, or seminars – no matter how, training your employees and spreading awareness on the importance of cybersecurity has become and will remain relevant in today’s modern world.
Commonly known as “phishing”, these are a few red flags employees should be aware of while opening an email or communicating with clients on social media:
- A request for sudden help: Email phishing scams are becoming more refined by using familiar sender names or even personal information which tricks their targets in becoming victims.
- Give to a charity: Despite how official an email may appear, urge employees to do their research before they decide to make any type of donation. If someone wants donations in cash, by gift card, or wiring money – don’t do it.
- A request that you verify some information: Do not respond or click any links in an email requesting personal information or to “verify” account information – this is usually a scam.
- An unusual request from a co-worker: Crafted emails from a co-worker or a boss asking you to do an unusual favor right away is a big red flag.
- You’ve won a prize: It might sound exciting, but your company would be doing the opposite of winning if an employee tries to “claim their prize now!” – don’t click the link!
Another important way to train employees on cyber security is password management. Teach your employees to create strong passwords by using a combination of numbers, letters, and special characters. Passwords should be something they can easily remember but impossible to be guessed (i.e., never use personal information such as their names, pet names, birth dates, or family names). Weak passwords make it easier for theft to occur.
In conclusion, protecting your company begins with ensuring your employees are prepared to aid in keeping the organization safe. Once you put the best practices and policies in place that promote security and training, employees will be able to avoid the risks and easily identify red flags.
The Tech Zen offers a range of services to solve your technology troubles. Each of our technicians has over 10 years of experience in servicing both PC and Apple environments. We can address your internet security concerns, provide data backup solutions, and offer ongoing support for your office to provide peace of mind. Contact us to find out how we can help.
5 Network Security Tips for Small Businesses
Why is technology so important in businesses? Technology is used not only to perform daily functions, but also to stay connected, protect financial data, confidential decision making, or other private information that generates relative advantages to competitors. Technology helps computers make businesses quicker and more efficient. However, with these increased accessibilities comes increased risk. Computers aren’t going anywhere, but neither are the vulnerabilities that computers pose. In today’s modern era, most businesses are subject to security threats and damage – especially small to medium-sized businesses.
Did you know that 40% of cyber-attacks targeting businesses have fewer than 500 employees? Now, this doesn’t mean that no business is immune to cyber-attacks, but small to medium-sized businesses are especially exposed. The question remains: why do security breaches or any incident that results in unauthorized access keep happening too small to medium-sized businesses? There are countless explanations, but a common one is that small and medium-sized business often focus on financial gain over security. So what can your business do to protect itself against online attacks?
Small businesses can improve their online safety practices starting with these 5 steps:
- Educate employees
- Teach your employees basic best practices; such as if an email, social network post, or text message looks skeptical, even if they know the source, it is best to just delete it. Also, since many security attacks occur because an employee accidentally clicked on a malicious website or link, training your employees is a smart move.
- Encourage employees to change their passwords at least every 90 days and practice good password management. Recommend that employees use strong mix of characters – and of course, never use the same password again and again, never share their passwords, and don’t write passwords on sticky notes!
- Have a firewall
- The purpose of a firewall is to block unauthorized access while permitting outward communication. Think of having a firewall as a high-tech gatekeeper. It’s protecting your computer from being hacked by examining the data that passes in or out of your company network to ensure that all traffic is authentic. Without a firewall – it’s like going for a war without a single piece of protective gear.
- Keep software updated
- “Updated software is available for this computer. Do you want to install now?” – sound familiar? It is very clear, that the very important pieces of software on a desktop is going to be the operating system. In order for that operating system to get the latest and greatest features or security settings – it’s going to need to be updated! With data security becoming more complex – and more important every day, reliance on outdated software only increases the risk that sensitive information can be leaked or hacked. Most modern software and apps update automatically, but it is important you agree to install them when prompted. Common software to keep updated are:
- Operating systems, such as Mac OS, iOS, Android
- Antivirus and security software
- Browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome)
- Web plugins, for example, Adobe Flash, Reader, Skype, Apple Quicktime, iTunes, Java, ActiveX
- “Updated software is available for this computer. Do you want to install now?” – sound familiar? It is very clear, that the very important pieces of software on a desktop is going to be the operating system. In order for that operating system to get the latest and greatest features or security settings – it’s going to need to be updated! With data security becoming more complex – and more important every day, reliance on outdated software only increases the risk that sensitive information can be leaked or hacked. Most modern software and apps update automatically, but it is important you agree to install them when prompted. Common software to keep updated are:
- Safeguard your Wi-Fi
- No more Mr. Wi-Fi! Wi-Fi is a hackers favorite tool to get into your network without setting foot inside your building. Once you have created strong passwords, share them only with those who require access. Consider encrypting and hiding networks for added security and give friendly reminders to employees about not sharing passwords. Here are a few helpful ways to secure your business Wi-Fi:
- Select unique SSID name and password
- Physically secure your router in a safe location
- Disable remote login for your Wi-Fi network
- No more Mr. Wi-Fi! Wi-Fi is a hackers favorite tool to get into your network without setting foot inside your building. Once you have created strong passwords, share them only with those who require access. Consider encrypting and hiding networks for added security and give friendly reminders to employees about not sharing passwords. Here are a few helpful ways to secure your business Wi-Fi:
- Protect your data (backups)
- To ensure that critical data is not lost in the event of a cyber-attack, businesses should establish a schedule to back up their data. Critical data may include word processing documents, electronic spreadsheets, databases, financial files, human resources files, and accounts and receivables. It is recommended to backup data automatically or at least once a week if possible. We recommend having both a local backup and a cloud-based backup such as Carbonite.
The Tech Zen offers a range of services to solve your technology troubles. Each of our technicians has over 10 years of experience in servicing both PC and Apple environments. We can address your internet security concerns, provide data backup solutions, and offer ongoing support for your office to provide peace of mind. Contact us to find out how we can help.
Windows 7 End of Life is Near – What This Means for You
Time to add something to next year’s resolutions list! Windows 7 support is coming to an end and Microsoft has already started sending out alerts to users. On January 14, 2020, Microsoft will no longer be offering technical support or free security updates for the Windows 7 platform.
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What is Patch Management and Why is it Important?
WHAT IS PATCH MANAGEMENT?
Patch management is perhaps one of the most underrated and often ignored security component. Patch management is a central way to manage the update process on computer systems. It helps manage downloads, installations, and patch reporting. In today’s world, you can never be too safe and patch management is a sure way to keep your machine running securely and without issues.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Patches are usually what help fix the vulnerabilities that you hear about on
the news every so often. However, it is a piece of code, meaning the person
installing it has to be somewhat knowledgeable about it. You’ve experienced
patches numerous times in your life. If you’ve ever seen the pop up
notifications telling you it’s time for an update and to restart your computer,
well then you’ve experienced a common example of a patch.
Software isn’t always enough. It’s a man-made item, which means there’s room for error, leaving your system open to a chance of attacks. If a vendor has ceased from supporting a certain software, it is highly advised to stop using that software immediately. If a vendor is no longer supporting a software, it means no more patches will be available for future vulnerabilities.
Patch management is an essential tool for anyone with a business. Any sort of data breech can be detrimental to a company’s reputation and can also be very expensive.
Patch management is routine maintenance on your entire computer system. It’s similar to getting your oil changed and keeping your car we maintained. It can still run without having to do those things, but will make the car extremely vulnerable.
Partner with your IT professional to discuss patch management and how to implement it in your system today.
The Tech Zen offers a range of services to solve your technology troubles. Each of our technicians has over 10 years of experience in servicing both PC and Apple environments. We can address your internet security concerns, provide data backup solutions, and offer ongoing support for your office to provide peace of mind. Contact us to find out how we can help.
New Year Technology Considerations for Small Businesses
Running a small business is filled with many tasks to begin with. Now, adding to it the technology factor, that can be overwhelming.
Technology is always rapidly changing and advancing. Keeping up with technology itself can bring with it a multitude of tasks. A new year always brings a new long list of things to do in your business. One of those things should be considering what your IT needs for the new year might be. Technology can boost productivity, can help gain more clients, keep your current client base happy, and can keep you safe from potential threats.
We’ve compiled a checklist that you can either complete yourself, or partner with your IT technician to complete. This checklist will help you with IT considerations for small business owners.
- THE CLOUD | You should have some knowledge on, and embrace the cloud. The
cloud is everything these days and hardware and on-site software is now
becoming synonymous with dinosaurs. Microsoft 365 is one example of a
cloud-based program. Using cloud-based solutions will increase chances of
scalability, efficiency, flexibility, convenience, and most importantly,
security.
- CYBERSECURITY | This is an ever-growing challenge in business today. Data
breaches are real and they can be catastrophic to organizations, especially
small businesses. Hackers have turned to smaller businesses to target, since
they feel these organizations are not as equipped to handle security issues. It
is important to communicate often with your IT professionals on how to keep
your information and company safe.
- BE MOBILE | The use of mobile phones is greater today than we could have
imagined. More and more consumers are shopping online, researching, and
accessing all sorts of websites from their smartphones. If you don’t already
have a mobile-friendly website, you need to partner with your IT professionals
ASAP to make that adjustment. In addition, you can go a step further and create
an app for your business. Apps are highly effective marketing tools that can
help you achieve the results you desire.
- COLLABORATION TOOLS | Virtual and remote workforces are also becoming more and more popular. This makes collaboration tools even more useful and important. Platforms such as Microsoft Teams can make communication and working together virtually a more efficient and convenient process. Team members can chat with one another, save documents, and collaborate together without any constraints.
If you find yourself missing some of these important elements for running your
business today, you can always turn to your IT professional for guidance. Make
sure they help you go through a regular evaluation and communicate often to
stay on top of the latest in technology for small businesses. Investing time
and effort in to this piece of your business can mean an increase in revenue,
security, and efficiency.
The Tech Zen offers a range of services to solve your technology troubles. Each of our technicians has over 10 years of experience in servicing both PC and Apple environments. We can address your internet security concerns, provide data backup solutions, and offer ongoing support for your office to provide peace of mind. Contact us to find out how we can help.
Technology Considerations of Moving Your Office
Whether you’re looking for a bigger officer or just a new location, moving your office involves also moving your business technology. Including a reliable and professional IT company to assist with this can be a great help. Your IT professional can help you make the most efficient and productive move for all of your technology, which is a major part of your business. Here are some technology considerations you should make before moving your office.
THE PHYSICAL SPACE | You’ll want to know where all your ports and outlets are for starters. If your new office is a little tight on space, you may want to talk to your IT professional about using a cloud-based infrastructure. You’ll also want to consider how your employees will be using the office space and equipment. Your servers may also need to be looked at to see where they are at in the terms of lifespan.
YOUR PHONE SYSTEM | VoIP providers have begun to offer many cloud-based phone service and other business solutions for flexibility that regular phone systems can’t satisfy. A professional will have done his/her due diligence regarding a reliable phone system for your new office. Cloud-based phone systems are also very scalable and mobile. Cloud-based phone systems reduce the number of issues you’ll have to deal with by having one server, off-site, instead of having to transfer multiple servers.
YOUR DATA | Moving your office to a new location can leave your data open to being lost or damaged in the move. You want to make sure you speak to a professional beforehand to have your data properly backed up ahead of time to ensure it’s secure before being moved. Losing information can have serious implications against your company’s reputation. An IT professional can assist you with securing and moving your company’s data to the cloud, making it safer and easier.
YOUR SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE | Another consideration to make when expanding and moving your technology is to ensure the licenses are correct and get transferred over properly. You’ll also want to make sure the correct workstations are purchased and that the network is set up properly. An IT professional can also look at your servers and determine whether they may need to be upgraded. At this point, you can also discuss ensuring your current software is still meeting your needs.
Having to expand or move into a different office involves many different considerations and decisions to make. They can sometimes get overwhelming. Your technology is a very important part of serving your clients and you want to ensure every T is crossed and I dotted. Hiring a technology professional can help in making this transition efficient and effortless.
The Tech Zen offers a range of services to solve your technology troubles. Each of our technicians has over 10 years of experience in servicing both PC and Apple environments. We can address your internet security concerns, provide data backup solutions, and offer ongoing support for your office to provide peace of mind. Contact us to find out how we can help.