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Business

8 Reasons Every Company Is Now a Technology Company

Whether you sell shoes or run an accounting firm, you need some type of technology to operate. Today’s companies aren’t just in the business of selling their own goods and services anymore. They also must master various types of digital tools.These include software, payment systems, computers, Wi-Fi networks, mobile devices, and more. Companies also need to protect their devices and network.. If that technology isn’t working, it can impact a business significantly.98% of surveyed organizations say that just one hour of IT downtime costs more than $100,000. The reliance on technology means that every company is now a technology company.This is the case no matter what products you sell or services you provide. Let’s discuss exactly why this is the case in today’s world.What Makes Technology a Backbone of Any Business?1. Technology Is a Critical Part of BusinessEven farmers use tech to check commodity prices, sell livestock, and keep their books. Most companies couldn’t operate without their software. Or without databases filled with important information.IT…
Nicholas Salem
April 10, 2023
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Cybersecurity

Is That Really a Text from Your CEO… or Is It a Scam?

Imagine you’re going about your day when suddenly you receive a text from the CEO. The head of the company is asking for your help. They’re out doing customer visits and someone else dropped the ball in providing gift cards. The CEO needs you to buy six $200 gift cards and text the information right away.The message sender promises to reimburse you before the end of the day. Oh, and by the way, you won’t be able to reach them by phone for the next two hours because they’ll be in meetings. One last thing, this is a high priority. They need those gift cards urgently.Would this kind of request make you pause and wonder? Or would you quickly pull out your credit card to do as the message asked?A surprising number of employees fall for this gift card scam. There are also many variations. Such as your boss being stuck without gas or some other dire situation that only you can help with.This scam…
Nicholas Salem
March 31, 2023
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Cybersecurity

6 Ways to Prevent Misconfiguration (the Main Cause of Cloud Breaches)

Misconfiguration of cloud solutions is often overlooked when companies plan cybersecurity strategies. Cloud apps are typically quick and easy to sign up for. The user often assumes that they don't need to worry about security because it's handled.This is an incorrect assumption because cloud security is a shared model. The provider of the solution handles securing the backend infrastructure. But the user is responsible for configuring security settings in their account properly.The problem with misconfiguration is huge. It’s the number one cause of cloud data breaches. It’s also an unforced error. Misconfiguration means that a company has made a mistake. It hasn't adequately secured its cloud application.Perhaps they gave too many employees administrative privileges. Or, they may have neglected to turn on a security function. One that prevented the downloading of cloud files by an unauthorized user.Misconfiguration covers a wide range of negligent behavior. It all has to do with cloud security settings and practices. A finding in The State of Cloud Security 2021 report…
Nicholas Salem
March 25, 2023
Cyber Security

Written Information Security Program (WISP) – What is it? Do I need it?

Massachusetts data security regulations went into effect in 2010 requiring every company that owns or licenses “personal information” about Massachusetts residents to develop, implement, and maintain a Written Information Security Program known as a WISP. Your WISP must contain certain minimum administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect “personal information”. Despite this requirement, many companies, particularly those not physically located in Massachusetts, have not done so. Historically, the absence of a WISP is something that went unnoticed, but that may no longer be the case due to a recent change in the Massachusetts breach notification law. Massachusetts has amended its data breach notification law to require organizations that experience a data security incident to notify the Massachusetts Attorney General and the Massachusetts Director of Consumer Affairs & Business Regulation whether the organization implemented a WISP. This new reporting requirement highlights both the legal and practical need to implement a WISP. What changed? Jason Wong @jasonhk1920 Effective as of April 11, 2019, organizations that experience a…
Nicholas Salem
March 20, 2023
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Cybersecurity

Smart Tips to Stop Money From Being Stolen Through Online Banking

There are a lot of things that have changed since the invention of the internet. One of these is how we bank and access our accounts. You used to have to go into a local bank branch to make deposits and withdrawals. Now, you can take a picture of a check and deposit it from your phone.Approximately 73% of people around the world use some form of online banking at least once a month. People have never had such convenient account access. But that convenience can come at a cost.In 2021, account takeover fraud increased by 90%. New account fraud jumped a whopping 109%. As the ease of online banking has increased, so has banking-related cybercrime.If someone breaches your Facebook account, it can be a real pain. But, if a hacker breaches your bank account, it can be devastating. It can mean significant losses. Losses that you may not be able to recoup from your financial institution.In this article, we’ll take a look at the…
Nicholas Salem
March 15, 2023
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Cybersecurity

4 Proven Ways to Mitigate the Costs of a Data Breach

No business wants to suffer a data breach. But unfortunately, in today’s environment, it’s difficult to completely avoid them. Approximately 83% of organizations have experienced more than one data breach. (IBM Security 2022 Cost of a Data Breach Report)These breaches hurt businesses in many ways. First, there is the immediate cost of remediating the breach. Then, there are the lost productivity costs. You can add lost business on top of that, and lost customer trust. A business could also have extensive legal costs associated with a breach.According to IBM Security’s report, the cost of a data breach climbed again in 2022. The global cost of one breach is now $4.35 million, up 2.6% from last year. If your business is in the U.S., the cost rises to $9.44 million. In Canada, the average data breach costs companies $5.64 million.Costs for smaller companies tend to be a little lower. But breaches are often more devastating to SMBs. They don’t have the same resources that larger companies…
Nicholas Salem
March 5, 2023