“Risky Business” Is a Movie – Not Real Life

Make Cyber Security a Reality In Your Business With the Right Cyber Security Tools.

Did you know that by 2025, the costs of cybercrime are estimated to reach over $10 trillion?  That cybercrime has skyrocketed since the beginning of COVID-19? That according to some counts, cyberattacks occur every 39 minutes?  That over 90% of data breaches in Q1 of 2022 have been due to cyberattacks after a record-setting 2021?  That cybercriminals have become increasingly more sophisticated?

 

Evolving Technology and World Events Like COVID-19 Have Made Cyber Security Tools Indispensable For Businesses.

The way we engage with technology has been forever changed by world events like COVID-19 that have made our daily lives more reliant on technology than ever before.

 

The flip side of innovation, however, is that it does not discriminate in terms of who can take advantage of it – and that includes cybercriminals.  And they are doing just that in record numbers.

 

Fortunately, cybersecurity tools and best practices exist that can significantly reduce the likelihood of your company’s and your customers’ confidential data and digital assets being accessed by cybercriminals.

 

Cyber Security Tools Start With Your Employees.

While employees in your IT department may be familiar with ways in which cybersecurity threats and data breaches occur, it is likely that the rest of your organization does not. That’s why it is imperative to embrace a security first mentality throughout your organization that involves not only training employees with the most secure ways of operating on a daily basis, but clearly articulating the ramifications of cyberattacks to them, your business as a whole, and to your customers. The better they understand the potential risks and what’s at stake for your organization, hopefully the more likely it will be for all employees to adopt the measures that they need to take to minimize the risks for all involved.

 

Email Passwords Should (Really) Change With Frequency

Yes, we know that changing email passwords every couple of months can be cumbersome; yet it is essential to your organization’s overall cybersecurity. Passwords chosen should never be easy to guess. Random password generators exist that aid in selecting passwords that, while they may look like gibberish, are more secure – and well worth the effort. By design, these passwords will be more difficult to memorize (or guess), but help exists in the form of secure and user-friendly password managers.

 

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) and Secure Passwords Go Hand In Hand.

Also referred to as multi-factor authentication, 2FA is an electronic, two-step authentication practice that means a user has access to information like their company emails or data only after two or more forms of pieces of electronic evidence or identification have been submitted. The evidence is something only the user knows or has (for example, a specific code sent to the user’s cell phone). The security best practice of 2FA should result in even less likelihood of an organization’s sensitive data or assets being compromised.

 

Fire(wall) Safety Measures

Think of a firewall as a defense line between potentially threatening traffic from the outside – the external internet – and your internal network.  It serves as yet another cybersecurity checkpoint, if you will, that uses your security guidelines to track and filter traffic between the two and block malware and cyberattacks from invading your network and organization’s security.

 

Add an Extra Layer With a Virtual Private Network (VPN)

A VPN is an internet security service that essentially hides a server’s IP addresses from the external internet within a sort of tunnel while information is being sent between your external network and the internet using encryption.  In the event that attackers attempt to intercept your sensitive data, it then basically looks like a secret language they can’t interpret.  Today, more employees than ever before are working remotely, and VPNs represent a safe way to communicate across public or shared networks and protect your data, as it’s akin to using the internet while connected to a private network.

 

Haven’t You Had Enough Of Viruses?

“Malware” stands for malicious software, and it is just that when it comes to your network security and your sensitive data.  In cybersecurity, the safest anti-virus software will include anti-malware and anti-phishing capabilities that should be automatically set up to scan even the most innocent-looking email attachments  – and on every device, including your cell phones.  It’s essential these days to make sure your anti-virus software is current.

 

Backup.  Backup.  Backup.

Think of a backup as a copy of all the sensitive information and data you keep on your hard drive.  While it’s unthinkable to skip backing up your home computer (we hope), backing up your business network and operating systems on a consistent basis is table stakes in terms of data recovery and disaster preparedness.  If you are unsure about what types of backups your IT infrastructure should be employing, a reputable IT managed service provider can help you develop the most sound strategy, practices and policies for your organization.

 

Play It Safe:  Partner With a Leading Managed CyberSecurity Services Provider Like ITque.

Borrowing a line from the aforementioned movie, “There’s a time for playing it safe.”  That time is now when it comes to cybersecurity and protecting your organization’s and customers’ data and intellectual property.  The costs of security breaches are far-reaching and go beyond monetary.  They can also negatively impact productivity, disruption to your business’s operations, and even sometimes its reputation. 

 

ITque  provides your business with comprehensive managed security services and sound network security solutions.  We are a boutique quality managed service provider in Silicon Valley, with a deep knowledge of the most innovative and effective cybersecurity tools.  We offer guidance on everything you need to take control of and feel secure about your cybersecurity and data, 24x7x365. Serving the San Francisco Bay Area; greater Los Angeles area and Orange County; and Dallas-Ft. Worth, we provide all-inclusive services with a collaborative communication style and a security first approach for your business. If you have no current provider or are looking for a new IT security and services provider, contact us today to learn more about what ITque can do to help protect you.  We’re here to help make your cybersecurity tools the best they can be so that you and your team can operate at your best!