Small Business IT Archives

Can Your Small Business Afford the Risk?

January 13, 2020/0 Comments/in Small Business IT /by James Wagner

The average cost of a cyberattack now exceeds $1 million, reports Security Magazine. Can you afford to lose that kind of money and remain in business? Most small businesses can’t, but more than half of those small businesses responding to a recent security report survey experienced a breach last year. In fact, according to Accenture, 43% percent of cyberattacks are aimed at small businesses, but only 14% of small businesses are prepared to defend themselves. According to Kaspersky, more than a third of small businesses fell victim to cyberattacks in 2019. Even more concerning is the fact that more than two-thirds of small business leaders do not believe they are a target.

Steps Your Small Business Must Take Now to Survive

Every organization needs to take the threat of cyberattack more seriously, especially in light of recent tensions that make cyber warfare more likely than ever. Start with these 5 steps:

Backup and disaster recovery. Avoid paying ransoms and losing access to your data, by having a comprehensive backup and disaster recovery plan. This plan should include offsite backups of your data that are isolated from and not accessible by your network, as well as contingency planning for how your organization will handle data recovery, designating specific people for specific rolls. Read our guide on creating an effective disaster recovery plan.

Regular updates. Not only should you have strong anti-virus and malware protection, but you should also ensure that you regularly install patches, upgrade software, and manage apps to avoid security risk. In particular, there should be no instances of Windows 7 operating at all.

Strong policies. In addition to limiting data access to only those employees who actually need access to perform their jobs, you should implement strict policies for using personal devices to access the company network from public Wi-Fi, strong mobile device security requirements for all devices used for work, and ongoing training requirements for all employees.

Email security. In addition to securely hosted email, establish policies regarding payment and information requests sent by email. Email security and training are essential.

Multifactor authentication. Password security is no longer adequate to protect your network and your data. Require multifactor authentication for access to any part of your network. This should include a password that is combined with a secondary, required security protocol, such as a mobile authentication app for quick push notifications, as well as some form of biometric security.

Whether you are a healthcare firm, an oil and gas company, a legal firm, or a part of the many other industries The ITeam supports, such as construction and accounting, organizations need strong IT security. The ITeam understands the IT security issues facing Canada businesses. We are committed to helping Calgary- and Alberta-based businesses develop proactive, cost-effective IT strategies that minimize risk and maximize efficiency. Contact us to learn more.

Your Password IS a Problem

December 10, 2019/1 Comment/in Managed IT, Small Business IT /by James Wagner

Data security is something every organization in Canada must contend with. Implementing layers of security and 24/7 threat detection can help provide protection, like leaving the your door locked at all times so no one can just walk into your business. But when your staff (executives included) reuse passwords across a variety of different sites and apps, they’ve essentially left the keys to your most valuable information in the lock.

The Password Problem

Hackers have passwords, and they know that people use them on multiple sites. As well, hackers use social engineering to know which executives in your organization have financial roles. And they can use the password they stole from a shopper’s club loyalty card account database, for instance, and try it on your network. And this method often works. Hackers also know that the more complex passwords become, the more likely people are to come up with two or three variations of one that works (i.e., it meets all the criteria for one capital letter, one number, one symbol) and reuse it everywhere – from their grocery store loyalty card accounts to your network.

But it’s more than just the repeated use of the same passwords across different apps and sites that poses a risk to your business; it’s the fact that many people don’t change their passwords even after being notified of a breach. How many of your employees are still using the same passwords (or variations) following the Yahoo data breach? The LinkedIn breach? The Capital One breach?

It Takes More than Passwords to Keep Your Data Safe

Yes, you still need to have strict password policies. But in addition to that, you must:

Provide ongoing, in-depth training to your staff about threats, including common email threats
Establish and follow a strict patching regimen so that you prevent potential access to your data through a back door
Implement as many barriers as possible against a data breach, including layers of security (firewalls, malware detection, network security)
Monitor your systems 24/7 for threats
Delete access immediately – including remote access – for any employee who leaves the company
Require a multi-factor authentication to access any secure area of your network
Have the capability of logging and monitoring who is doing what inside your network

Protecting data is one of the most complex issues facing organizations today. It’s not just about PIPEDA compliance, although that is a significant factor, but it’s also about protecting proprietary data, customer information, trade secrets, and financial information. Complicating all of this are the hackers who continue to develop more insidious ways to penetrate your defenses, gain access to your data, and either sell it or use it for financial gain. Employing best practices does make a difference.

Data breaches are not going away, but you can minimize the risk to your organization with strong IT security and a comprehensive disaster recovery plan. You can’t just address one of these issues; you must have a comprehensive, proactive data security program that addresses all of these risks and more.

The ITeam understands the IT security issues facing businesses in Canada. We are committed to helping Calgary- and Alberta-based businesses develop proactive, cost-effective IT strategies that minimize risk and maximize efficiency. Contact us to learn more.

Does Your IT Strategy Support Your Business Strategy?

November 25, 2019/0 Comments/in Business Continuity, Small Business IT /by James Wagner

As the year hastens toward its final days, most organizations are gearing up for 2020 with a renewed sense of purpose and solid business strategies. While developing your strategy, you may have some concerns about the unknowns facing your business and industry. But if you are preparing your plan for the coming year without including your IT strategy and infrastructure needs assessment, you’re missing a core piece of your ability to remain competitive, differentiated, and functional. Does your IT strategy support your business strategy?

IT Deserves a Seat at the Planning Table

Business strategy and IT strategy are two sides of the same coin. Yet most businesses look at IT and IT investment as a cost, not an opportunity. Whether you’re launching new products in 2020, planning to hire new staff, rolling out an app, or adding a new location, IT strategy is an essential piece of every goal. Do your new products include IoT components? What resources will be required to launch a new product or service? What kind of equipment will you need to add new people to your network? How will you handle security and training? As you plan for changes, growth, and the future of your business, IT should be a factor in every decision. Your IT team – internal and outsourced – should be part of your planning process.

Proactive IT Planning Saves You Time and Money

If you don’t include IT in your strategic planning, ultimately it will still be something you have to deal with. Unanticipated needs and adjustments will just end up costing you more, slowing you down, or complicating your plans. Proactive IT planning is essential for ensuring that you can meet your strategic objectives. It forces you to consider how your current infrastructure and support will enable you to deliver on your goals, identify where gaps are in your IT support, and establish what will be required to accomplish your strategic plan.

A Symbiotic Relationship

The more closely you can align your IT to your business strategy, the stronger your organization will be. It’s not just about cybersecurity, although that is certainly a piece of the puzzle. It’s about having a mindset in which your IT infrastructure, security, technology, and assets are considered integral pieces of your entire business strategy puzzle and not simply an afterthought.

The ITeam partners with businesses to ensure that their IT strategies and business strategies align. We understand the challenges facing Canada businesses and are committed to helping Calgary- and Alberta-based businesses develop proactive, cost-effective IT strategies that minimize risk and maximize efficiency. Contact us to learn more.

Calgary Organizations Need Strong IT Security

August 8, 2019/1 Comment/in Dental IT, Energy IT, Legal IT, Managed IT, Small Business IT /by James Wagner

They say technology is the great equalizer, fueling business growth and innovation, and that’s certainly true here in Alberta. Almost anyone, anywhere, can start a business with nothing more than an internet connection and a laptop. But that same technology has also shown us repeatedly the risk involved in having that ability – and Calgary organizations need strong IT security. Whether you’re just starting your business or you’re simply trying to keep up with the rapidly changing business environment, the investment you make in IT security should be as high a priority as obtaining your next customer.

Dentists Need Strong IT Security

Dental practices are automating services – from payments to scheduling to patient charts – and the security required to protect the data and the gateways that allow access to the data is significant. Dental practices need strong IT security, as they are among those small businesses at which 43% of all cyber-attacks are aimed. And because dental practices and other healthcare facilities have special regulatory compliance requirements to protect patient data, IT security is more important than ever.

Lawyers Need Strong IT Security

From assessing the stability of your IT infrastructure to ensuring that client files and data are secure, attorney firms and solo practice lawyers need strong IT security to prevent theft of proprietary and confidential information. In a law office, everything is confidential; therefore, everything is at risk – from privileged client information to trade secrets to litigation tactics. Hackers are always looking for information they can exploit or sell.

Oil and Gas Companies Need Strong IT Security

In recent months, there have been a growing number of reports about hackers trying to penetrate the energy sector. The vulnerability of the energy industry goes beyond simply losing clients or disrupting business; cyber-attacks could wreak havoc on entire communities and threaten the safety of individuals. The need for IT security in the energy industry cannot be overstated.

Small Businesses Need Strong IT Security

Small businesses don’t have the budget to have an in-house IT staff, but SMEs face as much risk as larger corporations. The only way to level the playing field is to implement strong IT security. Luckily, managed services do level the playing field for small businesses in Canada, offering them access to competitive levels of expertise and security.

Whether you are a healthcare firm, an oil and gas company, a legal firm, or in one of the many other industries The ITeam supports, such as construction and accounting, Calgary organizations need strong IT security. The ITeam understands the IT security issues facing Canada businesses. We are committed to helping Calgary- and Alberta-based businesses develop proactive, cost-effective IT strategies that minimize risk and maximize efficiency. Contact us to learn more.

Your Biggest Security Threat May Be Your Windows 7 Operating System

July 11, 2019/0 Comments/in Asset Management, Security Alert, Small Business IT /by James Wagner

Thanks to shows like The Walking Dead, we’re all prepared for a zombie apocalypse. We know how to fight off zombies, avoid getting bitten, and when to run. But what happens when the apocalypse is much more likely to happen and zombies have already been welcomed into your organization? This scenario is far too real for many businesses: Windows 7 will soon be the zombie in your office that will infect everything.

Windows 7 End of Life (EOL) Is Less than 6 Months Away

Effective January 14, 2020, Windows 7 will no longer be supported by Microsoft. The OS will continue to launch and run, but users will no longer receive updates or support. After the EOL date, systems still running Windows 7 will be considered unprotected, and as such, will be subject to higher security risks. It is important that all current users of Windows 7 migrate to Windows 10 prior to this date so that they can continue to receive regular security updates to help protect their devices from malicious attacks. It’s already past the time when organizations should be taking steps to update to Windows 10. In fact, Windows 7 lost mainstream support from Microsoft in 2015 and it’s basically been on life support since then. Now they’re pulling the plug altogether, and any organization still relying on the platform will encounter operational difficulties as well as enormous security risks. There will be no more security patches issued and no more support extensions available.

Make the Move to Windows 10 Now

While Windows 10 did present some challenges for early adopters, those challenges have, for the most part, been resolved. It is a much more intuitive version of Windows, offering better collaboration tools, stronger security, and more efficiency, no matter the size of your business. But the key thing to remember is that Windows 10 is still supported by Microsoft, which means you will receive security updates and layers of protection that you will lose with Windows 7.

Remember WannaCry?

In 2017 the WannaCry ransomware cryptoworm infected more than 200,000 computers in 150 countries, costing companies millions – if not billions – of dollars. WannaCry was able to spread because the hackers took advantage of vulnerabilities in unsupported versions of Windows to access networks. It literally spread like a wildfire around the world. To avoid a similar situation with Windows 7, it is vital that you get in touch with your Managed Services Provider (MSP) today and schedule time to set up a plan to move your network to Windows 10.

Windows 7 Upgrade FAQs

There are many questions about the Windows 10 upgrade process, and we’re here to answer them and assist in the process. In the meantime, here a few quick FAQs to cover a few of the questions asked most often:

Q: What about Windows 8? Isn’t that a less expensive option?

We often talk about the need for organizations to be proactive instead of reactive in order to be more secure and make the best use of their IT investments. Moving to Windows 8 leaves you in a reactive and vulnerable state, because end of support for Windows 8 has already been announced. The few dollars you might save today will be spent making another shift far too soon. We strongly advise you to go ahead and make the move to Windows 10 now.

Q: Can I upgrade my existing PC to Windows 10?

A: Yes, you can upgrade compatible Windows 7 PCs (based on certain requirements with a full license – ask your CITM if you are unsure if your hardware is eligible for this upgrade). To take advantage of the latest hardware capabilities, we recommend moving to a new PC with Windows 10.

Q: What happens if I continue to use Windows 7?

A: You can continue to use Windows 7, but once support ends, your PC will become more vulnerable to security risks. Windows will operate but you will stop receiving security and feature updates.

Q: Can Windows 7 still be activated after January 14, 2020?

A: To avoid security risks and viruses, Microsoft recommends that you consider upgrading to Windows 10 well in advance of the end of life (EOL) date for Windows 7. Once the EOL date arrives, you will not be able to install any new Windows 7 instances or receive patches, old or new, for existing systems.

Act Now to Protect Your Organization from Windows 7 Security Risks

If you are a current Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 user and you don’t already have an upgrade plan in place, please talk to your Client IT Manager or Account Manager to discuss the transition so that there is no lapse in your security coverage. Here at The ITeam, we understand that replacing hardware and software can be a daunting task, so if you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to reach out to your ITeam Account or Client IT Manager to discuss your options. We are here to help make this as seamless and budget friendly as possible! Get in touch today.

Can Your Small Business Afford the Risk?

Steps Your Small Business Must Take Now to Survive