Tag: smart business solutions

Your Files Held Hostage

Posted on by netgnius Posted in Ransomware, Small and Mid-Sized Business, SMART Business SolutionsTagged , , ,

More and more, ransomware has emerged as a major threat to individuals and businesses alike. Ransomware, a type of malware that encrypts data on infected systems, has become a lucrative option for cyber extortionists. When the malware is run, it locks victim’s files and allows criminals to demand payment to release them. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you are probably well aware that ransomware is a hot topic in the news these days. Organizations of all types and sizes have been impacted, but small businesses can be particularly vulnerable to attacks. And ransomware is on the rise.

In the McAfee Labs June 2018 Threat Report, the number of new ransomware strains saw an increase of 62% in the previous four quarters. This increase brings McAfee’s total number of identified strains to roughly 16 million. Ransomware is distributed in a variety of ways and is difficult to protect against because, just like the flu virus, it is constantly evolving. There are ways to protect your business against ransomware attacks.

Spam is the most common method for distributing ransomware. It is generally spread using some form of social engineering; victims are tricked into downloading an e-mail attachment or clicking a link. Fake email messages might appear to be a note from a friend or colleague asking a user to check out an attached file, for example. Common types of ransomware include: CryptoLocker, CryptoWall, CTB-Locker, Locky, TeslaCrypt, TorrentLocker, KeRanger, Petya, NotPetya, WannaCry. In each of these exploits, files on the local drive are rendered inaccessible and ransom message is displayed demanding payment for re-enabling access to the files. Ransomware is constantly evolving and new variants are appearing all the time. So, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to compile a list of every type of ransomware proliferating today. While the list above is not a comprehensive list of today’s ransomware, it gives a sense of the major players and the variety in existence.

Cyber criminals armed with ransomware are a formidable adversary. While smallto-mid-sized businesses aren’t specifically targeted in ransomware campaigns, they may be more likely to suffer an attack. Frequently, small business IT teams are stretched thin and, in some cases, rely on outdated technology due to budgetary constraints. Protect your organization through education, security, and backup.

To sum it all up, knowledge spreading and security software can help you avoid cyber attacks. Patch management is essential. Be certain that your software is up-to-date and secure. In the end, it is backup that will help you pick up the pieces when all else fails. Consider using a modern backup product that offers features that can permanently eliminate downtime. For the full article, and more information on the threats and solutions download the PDF.

Technology as Utility

Posted on by netgnius Posted in UncategorizedTagged , ,

After working in the technology profession for about 15 years I started to see a pattern of the outsourcing of functions within IT and began preaching about the death of IT as we knew it. First it was bringing in outside consultants to provide expertise in specific job functions such as security, software development, etc. Companies came around to IT organizations offering to reduce overhead by providing remote desktop support services. Then we started to offload our software and infrastructure services to the cloud. Now our more inclined users can go out and get those services for themselves, and so can you. I surmised that IT organizations would have to transition to data analytics and internal consulting services in order to survive. However, there are still some pieces needed in order for you to gain access to those services.

Internet Access. While you can go and get the pipe yourself, ensuring that it is available, secure, and providing the services you require often times takes the services of a network manager or engineer. Making sure no one can penetrate your network, while allowing your users access to the services on the Internet that they need can be a fine balance.

Local Area Networking. You can buy and install many low cost solutions for your local area network, however an unmanaged network can lead to issues with call quality (for VoIP), and transaction processing (for retailers using the Internet for credit card authorization), not to mention malware, ransomware, and viruses.

Wireless. I know what you are thinking, my Internet provider gave me a connection device that routes traffic and has WiFi capabilities. Unfortunately, that device locks you in to only the capabilities that it came with. Technology changes rapidly, and with the number of wireless devices connecting at any given time you want to provide the best experience for your employees and customers. Managed mesh wireless gives you balanced access and advanced features allowing you to segment traffic between critical business functions and your free guest WiFi, providing an improved experience for all users and reducing downtime.

Power. The key to remotely managing your systems is being able to access them like you are on-site. Cloud-based management dashboards take us part of the way there, but what if the device has a configuration error or locks up and the only solution is a hard reboot? There is no power switch in the cloud, and no way to pull the power cord out of the wall. What do you do when you want to turn on your lights at home, or change your thermostat? If you can have a Smart Home, then why not a Smart Business? Manage your environmental footprint, and provide administrators the most basic of troubleshooting options, the hard reboot.

Conclusion. The promise of technology as a utility is on the horizon. Solutions are available today from managed service providers that take all of the stress of managing your IT systems off of you as a business owner, and leverage the scale of enterprise class IT professionals with cloud managed services. From your Internet access gateway, all the way down to the devices connected to your workstations, a managed service provider can keep you on the cutting edge of technology, reduce downtime, and reduce costs.