Managed IT Support Can Reduce the Risk of Cyber Theft from Miami Businesses

reduce the risk of cybertheft

Network security breaches have been in the news lately. Hackers have targeted such large organizations as the federal government’s Office of Personnel Management and the Bank of Bangladesh. While security breaches at large institutions make the news, cyber theft from small businesses quietly takes place in the background.

Many of Miami’s small businesses handle more money through their computers and networks than through their cash registers. Credit card credentials, ACH transactions and emailed wire transfer instructions can all be targets for thieves. Over the past two years, cyber thieves have stolen nearly $800 million dollars from over 8000 small businesses. Regulation E, the federal rule that requires banks to reimburse consumers for unauthorized transactions, does not apply to small business accounts; individual businesses have lost over a million dollars to cyber theft and not been reimbursed.

Managed IT support for Miami businesses can help to reduce your risk of cyber theft. Instead of reacting to an incident after it occurs, your managed IT support vendor can examine and secure your network to reduce the risk of a breach. They can conduct a survey of your network to identify systems that need to be patched, and can look for systems with default passwords that a hacker might be able to guess. Developing a patch management plan and eliminating systems with default passwords can reduce the risk of a network breach.

Cybertheft is a serious issue for Miami businesses. Companies that import or export goods are especially vulnerable as they often send wire transfers. A fraudulent wire transfer is very difficult to cancel or recall.

For more information about computer and network security, please contact us.

Marriott Breach Impacts Millions

marriott breach impacts millions
Marriott Breach Affects Millions

The Marriott International breach has had its online reservation system hacked. Now are we learning the extent of the damage it caused for consumers who have given information to this database. First estimates state that over 500,000 million customers have had their names put into the data system. Other sensitive information has also been put into the system. This includes their telephone numbers, addresses, credit card numbers, and preferred guest account information.

Marriott International is now advising all customers to follow the following steps to help protect their information:

  1. Customers need to set new passwords on their accounts. 21% of Marriott International guests are using a password that is at least 10 years old. While 50% have a password that is at least 5 years old. Change your password every 30 to 180 days for the maximum protection available.
  2. Use a safe, appropriate network with secure locations. Their information is less likely to get hacked than if they just connect from any remote location. 
  3. Implement an appropriate system that will help you implement a backup a plan and disaster recovery plan. Customers need to have a plan in place in case the user’s data was affected by the attack with the intent of being used for ransom. 

These are the 3 key steps that Marriott International is asking customers to take to help protect their data in the future in case another attack were to happen. Changing passwords now can also prevent the hackers from being able to access that information again to use it for malicious intent in the future.

Creating a Safer Business Atmosphere

The Small Business Administration estimates that about 45% of businesses who lose data vital to their operations never fully recover from that loss. As technologies improve, this number will only increase. It’s vital that businesses begin protecting themselves today to avoid the pain of the loss tomorrow. We now live in a generation where you can’t trust that your data is simply “safe as it is”. There is more cybercriminal activity than ever before and more people that would do your information harm if they got the opportunity to do so.

For more information on protecting your business from cyber thieves please feel free to contact us at 4 Corner I.T. for further assistance. 

Tips for Protecting Your Office Computer

tips for protecting
Tips for Protecting

One of the reasons why employees need insight on how they can protect their office computers is to maintain the privacy of the data in the system they use. Apart from safeguarding personal information observing best practices is a requirement for all computer users in most organizations. The reason is that when users exercise due diligence, the company can eliminate online threats that may compromise the data they hold.

Here are a few tips that employees can consider adopting to protect their office computers from both internal and external threats.

Tip One – Back Up Important Files Frequently 

Virus attacks, a system crash, and hardware failures are some of the challenges that affect users from time to time, and it is difficult to establish when you can expect these threats because they are unforeseen. For that reason, it is critical to take necessary precaution by ensuring you back up critical files and documents regularly.

It is advisable to backup your data in multiple locations, and there are several options you can consider including flash drives or cloud storage. Frequent backup of the information on your office computer will prevent loss of information in the event of an unexpected eventuality.

Tip Two – Observe The Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP) 

Accessing computers with administrator rights when it is not necessary is not a good idea. The reason is that using such a high-privilege account exposes you to several threats that can affect your systems. For instance, when you log in to an unsecured site with a computer that uses administrator rights your computer may suffer severe damage including the loss of files and reformatting of the hard drive.

Additionally, any website that is unsafe may create a new user account with administrative access that may lock you out. Therefore, only opt for administrator right systems when there is a need to do so and while you are at it follow the necessary procedures for security purposes.

Tip Three – Update Your Software Regularly 

Updating your office computer software from time to time is not an option. As such, you need to watch out for the latest service packs and patches that will enhance the security of your software. You can also consider third-party security software that gives you alerts when your current solution is out of date for you to act accordingly. If you need more information on tips for protecting your office computer, contact us today!

What is a Cyber Attack and How Can You Protect Your Business

tips for protecting your business from a cyber attack computer tip of the day. Cybersecurity statistics

Recent years has seen the number of businesses falling victim to cyber attacks continue to grow. What is a cyber attack and how can you protect your business? No matter the size of your business, you could be at risk of coming under attack if you do not take the proper precautions to protect your data. Here are a few of the steps you can take to improve your business’ cyber security.

Utilize Strong Passwords

It is important not to underestimate the power of a strong password. The fact is that even in an age where data breaches are becoming more common, some of the most commonly used passwords still include obvious combinations such as 123456, qwerty, and password.

These and other weak passwords leave your systems and data vulnerable to be hacked by cyber criminals. This makes it critical that you enforce policies that require your employees to use strong passwords.

If you include lower and upper case letters, numbers, and special characters in your passwords, and you avoid using personal information such as dates and names in your passwords, it becomes much more difficult for cyber criminals to access your data. You may also want to consider setting up a two-factor authentication system which would require an additional piece of information at login such as a code sent to your phone. This can go a long way in increasing your cyber security.

Invest in Quality Antivirus Software

You should also make sure to invest in high-quality antivirus and anti-malware software. Installing these programs and keeping them up-to-date is key in increasing your online security, as they will be your first line of defense in protecting your system from viruses, malware, and ransomware that can leave your data vulnerable to hackers.

Consider Intrusion Detection Software

Another step you can take to protect your business from a cyber attack is to install a good instruction detection tool on your computers. These tools can notify you immediately if your system if being breached, giving you time to try to stop limit the breach before your sensitive data is accessed.

Contact us for more advice on the steps you can take to improve your company’s cyber security.

How Easy Is It for Someone to Nab Your Password?

how easy is it for someone to nab your password
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Network World recently came out with a list of people sent to jail in 2013 for computer crimes, whether it was stealing passwords or hacking into a system to obtain and then sell sensitive information.

Sometimes, the hackers involved demonstrated technical expertise.  Other times, the cyber-criminals didn’t have to make use of any sophisticated IT knowledge in order to access people’s private accounts and networks. 

One example is a man who was able to illegally access the private emails of celebrities simply by asking for the password to be reset and then answering security questions using publicly available knowledge about these famous people.

As the owner of a small or medium-sized business, you may already have some security measures in place, such as Firewalls and anti-virus programs, to reduce the chances of someone breaching your cyber-defenses and gaining access to your network and various private accounts. 

But don’t overlook the rather simple ways hackers can succeed in stealing your password.

Consider the following issues:

  • Is your password really simple? Sometimes a hacker would be able to figure out your password just by knowing certain things about you, particularly if you use common words or facts about yourself (e.g. the password is your last name, birthday, etc.).  Among hundreds of thousands of passwords stolenfrom social media accounts at the end of last year, an alarming number were ‘123456’ or words like ‘admin.’  Make sure your passwords are long and complex enough.
  • What kinds of password recovery options do you have in place? Do your security questions have obvious answers that people could look up through a simple Internet search? To give an example of one precaution, some people use deliberately false information as the answers to their security questions.
  • In your business, who has access to certain passwords? Don’t discount the possibility of irresponsible or malicious actions undertaken by an employee (or ex-employee).

Given that your passwords are the keys to your network and to your sensitive information, you’ll need to come up with a comprehensive strategy for protecting them, not only from theft by malware or from phishing.  

Contact us to discuss your security vulnerabilities and come up with ways to better safeguard your passwords.