Tuesday, December 28, 2021

Best Practices to Manage Cyber Risk


There are three main reasons that all cyber professionals need to be proactive in managing cyber risk. They must comply with regulations, their frequency and their severity. What can we do to address this problem?

Accenture Insurance found that only 43% believed their company’s cyber defense was fully operational in a survey. Cyber risk can be a complex threat because technology is constantly evolving and there is no single solution. These strategies can be used in combination or individually to decrease cyber risk for an organization.

8 Best Practices to Manage Cyber Risk

1. Keep an eye on the risk environment

To determine the most likely impact on an organization, risk professionals must continuously monitor and examine potential risks. To get a complete understanding of the risk environment, it is important to quantify exposures and vulnerabilities.

There could be new cyber risk factors, such as a change in hacker strategies or a gap in the security systems. Or, an update technology that makes current systems obsolete.

Cyber risks can be managed in many different ways. Each one must be managed by risk teams.

  • They will avoid the activity if they consider it too risky.
  • Acceptance or understanding of it is necessary and the potential benefits outweigh any risks
  • Implement mitigation strategies to decrease the severity or frequency of an occurrence.
  • Cyber liability insurance is a new way to transfer, which is expected to become as popular as general insurance. These policies can cover liability claims, interruption and recovery costs, cyber theft, and other costs.

Every risk is unique and may require one or more of the following strategies. Industry knowledge and experience can help you choose the right strategy. SpartanTec, Inc. in Wilmington NC can assist you wit risk analysis for your company. Complete our form to activate your analysis.

2. Monitor data assets

Risk professionals need to identify and monitor the most important data assets in their system with the assistance of their team. Cyberattacks are more likely to target confidential information like trade secrets or credit card numbers. These items should be protected.

3. Make a plan for risk

cybesecurity  planBy brainstorming possible scenarios and determining the best course of action, the organization should develop continuity and response plans for cyber risks. Cyber issues and attacks can have a huge impact on an organization. Make sure you include multiple departments in your plan.

The plan should be discussed with all key stakeholders so that each employee knows their role and can quickly respond to any situation. A prompt and organized response is key to preventing a problem from spiraling out of control in times of crisis.

Once the cyber risk plan is created, it should be documented and communicated to employees. These procedures are useless if they aren’t implemented in a formal manner throughout the company. Cybersecurity and risk mitigation should be an integral part the culture and values of the organization.

4. Management support

The top management should be involved in risk management activities. This should not be difficult given the cyber risk. To communicate to their employees, they should follow the security practices established by the risk management team.

5. Get employees prepared

Cyber risk is not only the responsibility of IT or the risk department. It is important to not keep the risk management function isolated. All departments should be encouraged and supported to participate.

Employees should be educated and trained to take the best possible action in relation to cyber risk. The risk team should be active in raising awareness and promoting safety culture. Cyber risk protocols should be clearly defined. Many data breaches are caused by internal sources, such as an intentionally created vulnerability or malicious intent.

Social engineering is a common problem that employees face. It uses techniques such as phishing and other tricks to get people to reveal confidential information. You can find more information about social hacking, and how to prevent on Facebook page. These issues can be prevented by working with employees in cybersecurity.

6. Establish strong relationships with the outside

Security protocolsAn organization must have the right relationships with its response teams in case something goes wrong. In responding to a cyberattack or data breach, IT Professionals, lawyers, public relations, media and lawyers can be critical.

Data sharing with outside parties is beneficial and necessary for most organizations. However, it does pose an additional risk. The risk team must ensure they do not rely too heavily on external parties.

Also, ensure you do your research on the privacy, security, technology standards, and other factors that could affect any data sharing with third parties before you share confidential information with them. You should obtain certifications, contracts, or other information. SpartanTec, Inc. of Wilmington NC is here to assist with this review.

Cloud-based storage solutions are generally more secure than traditional storage systems. (Read: Cloud Storage Is Much More Secure Than You Think by Forbes). However, it is important to be careful when managing risk.

7. Security protocols must be enforced

All devices should have end-to-end encryption. Establish and enforce password policies throughout the company with a minimum level of security and a regular change frequency. Ensure that employees who work remotely use encrypted and password-protected devices.

To ensure that the system is secure, authentication and user roles are used. If they do, data changes will be monitored. To ensure systems are secure from outside attacks, certifications and server protections can be obtained.

Make sure that data is regularly backed-up and that any off-site backups are current and complete. This will help ensure valuable data is not lost in the event of a cyberattack.

Consolidate information and systems into one place whenever possible. Information that is scattered over multiple places will make it difficult to monitor and protect. The IT team can reduce cyber risk by simplifying the system. This will allow them to spend more time on other tasks.

8. Be in tune with the technological environment

Technology is always changing and systems need to adapt. When implementing new technology, risk teams must consider the industry standards, competitors and internal requirements. Although large equipment cannot be replaced with every new version, it is important to keep them up-to-date and maintained. Hackers are attracted to weak systems that are old.

Cyber risk is a major threat in any industry, so it’s not surprising that business owners and  professionals are worried about it. SpartanTec specializes in keeping data secure for small and medium size businesses, governments and healthcare organizations. Complete the form to the right and we will be in touch. Let us make 2022 a safe and secure year for your business.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Wilmington, NC 28412
(910) 218-9255
https://manageditserviceswilmington.com

Serving: Myrtle BeachNorth Myrtle BeachColumbiaWilmingtonFayettevilleFlorence, Charleston

Wednesday, December 22, 2021

Threat Protection 101: What it is and how you can achieve it



We accept cybersecurity attacks as a possibility in today’s digitalized business environment. Although viruses and other online threats are as old as the Internet, they can still be prevented. Cyber threats can be avoided, in fact. First, understand what you are dealing with and understand what the importance of threat protection.

The following sections will discuss the concept of threats in cybersecurity. As usual, I will offer practical advice on how you can protect your data against them. Keep reading to learn more about threat protection and how your business can use it.

Threats – Definition and examples

Let’s first discuss what makes managed threat protection necessary. It is what it is and why does it matter? Let’s first look at the definition and then show it off with examples.

Cyber threats are cyber threats. They are the driving force behind cyberattacks. They are used by hackers to gain illegal access to networks for their malicious purposes.

Cyberthreat Examples

After I have explained the concept in a general way, let’s now focus on particular cases. What are the common things you can expect to see when dealing with cyber threats? These are the five most common examples you should consider.

Malicious code is self-executable software that activates when it enters a computer system and infects everything. Malware, ransomware and viruses are all common examples.

Bot attacks are carried out by infected devices that form networks known as botnets. Cyber attackers can infiltrate an organization with malware and steal confidential data by using their assistance.

Social engineering is a combination of manipulation and deception techniques used in phishing and spear phishing as well as CEO fraud. Hackers use emails to impersonate authority figures and trick recipients into thinking they are from a trusted source.

DDoS attacks, which is short for distributed-denial-of-service. They are used to shut down websites and other online resources, thus preventing users from accessing them over a period of time. Both customers and employees are affected.

MitM attacks are shorthand for man-in the-middle. This cyberattack involves a malicious third party putting themselves between the sender of electronic communications and the receiver.

firewalls-300x188.jpgWhat is Threat Protection?

We’ve now established the definition of a cyber-threat and looked at some of the most common examples, so it’s time for us to get into threat protection. It’s easy to define it once you have the above details.

Threat protection is a combination of strategies and practices that increase an organization’s defenses against cyber attacks such as bot attacks, malicious code, social engineering attacks, DDoS attacks and MitM attacks. It’s achieved by a combination policy, cybersecurity education and E-PDR software. This software not only detects and responds but also prevents incoming attacks.

What is Threat Protection?

Threat protection is crucial because of the high frequency of cyberattacks on the corporate sector and the lack of cybersecurity readiness in all industries. Let’s take a look at some pertinent facts and figures.

According to the Ponemon Institute‘s State of Cybersecurity Report, 66% of small- and medium-sized businesses worldwide were the victims of a cyberattack during the year prior to the study. 57% of these businesses were attacked by phishing, 33% were compromised by devices, and 30% were victims to credential theft.

Furthermore, 45% of small and medium businesses that were surveyed in the study considered their cyber-threat mitigation strategies ineffective. Accenture’s 9th Annual Cost of Cybercrime Study, conducted in partnership by the Ponemon Institute, also highlights this. It found that 43% of cyberattacks are directed at small businesses, while only 14% of those targeted are adequately protected.

How to Protect Yourself from Threats

It all comes down to three key cybersecurity elements: education, policies, and solutions. Each one will be discussed in detail to help you make a step-by-step plan that will ensure your company’s safety.

To minimize risk, implement cybersecurity policies

Your risk mitigation and mitigation efforts will be greatly enhanced by cybersecurity policies. They regulate how your employees should respond to various safety issues. These are some guidelines that every company should follow:

Password hygiene is a practice that involves securing strong login credentials and keeping them updated regularly. This will help you and your employees avoid common password errors.

Every modern workplace should have a Bring Your Own Device policy. This policy outlines how employees should use mobile devices brought into work, and the best ways to connect them with the company network.

Browsing habits are used to determine which websites can be accessed when the company network is connected. While this doesn’t necessarily mean that you should ban social media sites or other websites not relevant to your industry, it does limit the content that employees can access online while at job.

Incident response is crucial in mitigation efforts if you are the victim of a cyberattack. You have a better chance of reducing damages if you quickly respond and take down the network.

Data confidentiality includes the GDPR in Europe and the CCPA for the United States. There are many other practices that differ from one industry to the next. It is important to remember that no one should have access or use data for their job except your most trusted employees.

Offer Cybersecurity Education to Your Employees

Did you know that your greatest liability is untrained employees? According to a study done in the UK, human error was the main cause of cyberattacks. It is estimated that 60% of these attacks are caused by human error. Hackers are your first line defense. Policies and procedures can only be implemented by your staff.

The next step in threat prevention should be to offer your employees cybersecurity education that is relevant to their industry and their current position. These are the main topics that you should be addressing with this:

  • How to identify malicious links
  • How to identify malicious attachments in email messages
  • How to recognize impersonation attempts
  • How to navigate smartly and avoid infected websites
  • How to manage their responsibilities in relation to data confidentiality

These topics can be discussed and taught internally, particularly if someone in your company is a certified cybersecurity professional. offering managed IT services If this is not the case I recommend that you contact an expert whenever in doubt. In the long-term, investing in cybersecurity education for your business will pay dividends in terms of digital safety.

Integrate an entire E-PDR Suite Of Solutions

E-PDR software is an important part of threat protection, as I mentioned earlier. This acronym stands for endpoint detection, prevention, and response. It is a relatively new concept within the industry. This acronym is the current standard in cybersecurity. It adds an additional layer of prevention to the traditional EDR functions.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. now if you need more information about threat detection or if you need managed IT services for your business.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Wilmington, NC 28412
(910) 218-9255
http://manageditserviceswilmington.com

Serving: Myrtle BeachNorth Myrtle BeachColumbiaWilmingtonFayettevilleFlorence, Charleston 

Monday, December 20, 2021

Data Recovery Services and Business Continuity



Planning for disaster data recovery is an important part of business continuity in today’s digital world. It is crucial to be able to manage both enterprise software and office productivity. It is important to develop recovery strategies for information technology, so that technology can be restored in a timely manner to meet business needs.

Complex steps may be required to ensure business continuity planning and disaster recovery. These complex steps require a deep understanding of the operations of different applications and data sets. There are many interdependencies between servers and databases that must be restored in the right order. Businesses should plan how they will recover critical data and put systems back online in the correct order. If the process is done correctly, even if administrators of the applications are not available, the organization can be sure that it has developed an efficient and intelligent approach to recovery.

Disaster recovery services used to require significant investments in infrastructure. Organisations had to balance the risks of not being prepared for disaster with the costs and recovery options they could afford. Many business executives view traditional disaster recovery as an expensive investment that can only be afforded by large budgets.

Many executives believe that natural disasters are rare. The Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters published a study showing that natural disasters have increased 233% in the past decade. A wide range of events, such as data corruption, human error, facility or datacenter loss, can pose a risk to business continuity, even though the rate of natural disasters is increasing.

Many corporations don’t consider disasters until they happen, even if they have a disaster recovery plan. Forrester’s 2011 survey found that only 1% of companies surveyed had tested their backups daily. According to the report, only 12, 19, and 27% of companies reviewed their recovery systems on a weekly basis, monthly, or quarterly basis, respectively. Nearly one fifth of organizations admitted that they don’t test their disaster plans. Survey respondents who said data loss was a concern stated that more than one third of them didn’t know what the impact of one hour of downtime on their business would have. The cost of downtime is estimated at several thousand dollars per hour by more than 30 percent. A data recovery service provider is the best way to ensure that your business is back up quickly after a data loss.

IT managers often rely on storage device or computer manufacturers to retrieve data from their devices. Manufacturers’ tech support focuses on hardware speed and assumes that a company has a backup of important data. Although the vendor may be familiar with their hardware, they don’t know much about data corruption or data recovery techniques. Complex RAID array recovery processes, such as those for complex RAID arrays, may require additional expertise beyond the storage array.

Backup infrastructure and planning are not fail-proof, and can be affected in the same way as current storage systems. Many backups are not performed “on-the-fly”, which means that some of the most important data might not have been backed up in time for the loss. This information could be crucial for the business, as well as compliance and regulatory.

As more companies move to virtual backup systems, it’s more important than ever to regularly check the integrity business data. Virtualization contracts often do not cover data loss, corruption, or deletion. IT support managers must be proactive in preparing for disasters by including data recovery services.

Data loss can be costly and cause irreparable damage to any company. Although there are many ways to recover and analyze data, it is best to plan ahead to minimize the risk.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. now if you need more information about data recovery and business continuity solutions.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Wilmington, NC 28412
(910) 218-9255
http://manageditserviceswilmington.com

Serving: Myrtle BeachNorth Myrtle BeachColumbiaWilmingtonFayettevilleFlorence, Charleston

Tuesday, December 14, 2021

IT Services For Wilmington, North Carolina



Think back to the last time an IT  problem was encountered. It could have been as simple as a jammed printer or as complex as a network crash. What did it cost your company? This is not just about the cost of repairs. Consider what was lost. That’s why you need IT services Wilmington NC.

You missed potential business opportunities due to a malfunctioning computer

Staff who are too focused on their tech problems instead of their work is wasting payroll dollars

Why You Need IT Services Wilmington NC

Client relations and reputation damage

You will see a decrease in productivity and morale among your employees if they wait for technology to stop working so that they can return to work.

Each minute you spend on IT problems is a waste of resources that you won’t be able to get back.

SpartanTec, Inc. focuses on proactive solutions that save time and prevent problems from ever happening. Partnering with us means you have access to every solution that we have ever created for the businesses we serve – which is a lot. Our team has the expertise and experience to protect your company from any potential threats.

Let’s discuss creating a proactive, customized IT support Wilmington NC for YOUR business.

Strategy

You must ensure that your business has the best technology available and that you are ready to use managed IT services Wilmington NC to achieve your long-term and short term goals.

Complete Experience Managed Services (Complete Experience Management): We offer all the IT services and solutions your business requires for a flat-rate monthly cost that is easy to afford. You can focus on your work while we take care of everything.

Virtual Chief Information Officer Services: We will work with you to assess how you use technology. Then, we will provide IT support, consulting and planning. This strategy will help you save money and improve your IT.

Convenience

You can improve the way you use technology every day to save time, make it easier to access and make collaboration between you and your team easier and more productive.

Cloud Services: We transfer your data and systems to a virtualized environment which allows you and your team to access them anywhere you are.

24/7 Remote Monitoring: This allows you to detect IT problems immediately and fix them as quickly as possible, preventing downtime that could disrupt your practice.

Protection

Solutions that ensure your information technology is protected from any harm.

Support Available Round-the-clock: Our IT support help desk can be reached 24/7/365. This means that you can count on our team to solve any IT problems you may have and answer all of your questions.

Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery Planning – We will set up onsite and offsite backups for your critical systems and data in order to protect your business from any disasters and allow you to retrieve important data quickly.

Networking and Server Security: Complete cybersecurity solutions to protect your servers, workstations, networks, and information against malware, viruses and hacking.

We are ready to show you that technology can be your friend. Are you ready to experience it for yourself? Call SpartanTec, Inc. today for a no-obligation, free review of your Wilmington, NC IT system. We’ll help you find out what’s working and what’s not.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Wilmington, NC 28412
(910) 218-9255
http://manageditserviceswilmington.com

Serving: Myrtle BeachNorth Myrtle BeachColumbiaWilmingtonFayettevilleFlorence, Charleston

Friday, December 10, 2021

What are the Managed IT Services Included?



In 2020, the global market for information technology services was worth $748 billion. Grand View Research reports that the global IT services market will surpass $1 billion in 2025 due to the increasing adoption of modern technology by small and medium-sized businesses. This is an 8.4% increase in CAGR from 2018.

What does managed IT services mean?

Managed IT services allow businesses to outsource their IT operations and save a lot of money compared to setting up and managing an IT department. IT service providers, like SpartanTec Inc. in Wilmington SC,  have years of experience and specialized knowledge that businesses wouldn’t otherwise have. Businesses can delegate their IT operations to allow them to concentrate on their core competencies and not worry about IT.

What do Managed IT Service Providers Actually Do?

Managed IT service providers, also known as managed service providers (MSPs), are responsible for managing all aspects of the IT systems in a company’s business. This can include providing 24/7 monitoring, resolution of issues and reporting.

Managed IT services providers offer the following:

Security and Compliance

Security and compliance are becoming a significant concern with the rapid growth of digital data. Good IT service providers will have strict mechanisms in place to prevent hacking, ransomware, and data theft.

Network and Infrastructure

A reliable MSP will offer solid network  and infrastructure solutions. Your team can work uninterrupted with increased uptime.

Disaster Recovery

The provider of managed IT services will ensure that everything is up and running quickly in the event of a disaster. The business can avoid the devastating effects of data loss by having regular backups.

Cloud Services

IT-Services-Wilmington-NC-300x206.jpgCloud services can significantly reduce hardware costs and increase security for businesses.

Managed IT Services: What else is included?

Managed IT Services Partners offer advanced technology, resources and tools that help businesses reach their goals. These services could include:

Managed Helpdesk

Businesses have access to helpdesk resources that provide the support they require in case of any question or when things go wrong. Businesses can increase employee productivity by getting professional help quickly.

Infrastructure Management

Good managed services providers help companies manage IT operations across all business applications and endpoints. They also align technology and resources with business goals. A comprehensive approach should be taken by the provider to allow businesses to lower their overheads and improve technology reliability.

These services could include:

  • Management of servers and networks
  • Management of cloud infrastructure
  • Cloud application management
  • Virtual CTO-services
  • Managed Security

A reliable managed service provider will ensure compliance and security throughout operations. This includes endpoint security, network security, and policy management.

These services could include:

  • Cybersecurity management
  • Management of access and identity
  • Security of cloud applications and infrastructure

What are the advantages of managed IT services?

Here are some reasons why businesses should partner with managed services providers:

Concentrate on your core competencies: Companies can outsource IT operations to professionals and have greater peace of mind. Instead of worrying about IT issues, they can concentrate on their core business.

Accessibility of IT specialists at a fair price: Many businesses cannot afford to hire IT experts. It is much cheaper to partner with professionals who are committed to the highest industry standards in support, infrastructure, and services.

Proactive support: Managed services offer expert and proactive support that helps to identify and fix problems as quickly as possible.

Strategic IT Planning: Managed services providers advise businesses and help them plan for their future IT infrastructure.

Managed IT Services give businesses access to an entire IT department without having to set up one. Call us today to discover how we can give you peace of mind.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Wilmington, NC 28412
(910) 218-9255
https://manageditserviceswilmington.com
Serving: Myrtle BeachNorth Myrtle BeachColumbiaWilmingtonFayettevilleFlorence, Charleston

Monday, December 6, 2021

These Holiday Scams Shouldn’t Be Trusted



Cybercrime is high this holiday season. Phishing is the top threat to small businesses at this time of the year.

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) need to be trained in security awareness. It can be difficult to keep up with the changing cyber threats and learn how to stay safe. It seems, just like the mythical Hydra with many heads that produced two new heads for each one Hercules cut off, that every cyber threat that has been mitigated will produce at least two more.

What is Phishing?

Phishing is a type of fraud that aims to obtain sensitive information from an unsuspecting target by posing as a trusted entity and contacting them via email, instant messaging (IM), or SMS (“SmiShing”) Phishing refers to a social engineering attack in which threat actors psychologically manipulate victims to give away personal identifiable information (PII), credit card details, and other valuable information. To convince victims into giving out sensitive information, phishers use technological mimicry (also known as spoofing) to present themselves as trustworthy individuals or organizations and facilitate the “retrieval of” the victim’s private information.

A typical phishing attack targets many email addresses and sends a message with malicious attachments or links. To appear to be a trusted entity, an attacker uses email spoofing in order to trick recipients into believing that the message was sent from a well-known agency or company.

The email template also looks like the official logo of the impersonated company. This message is designed to instill a sense of urgency among readers by describing a problem that needs immediate attention.

Victims are told, for example, that their user accounts must be reset or updated to ensure security. Victims are informed that they can resolve the problem by entering sensitive information such as login credentials on the website of the alleged source. The link takes victims to a fake website, although the URL may closely match the official one. The attacker can harvest any information victims enter on the fake site if they comply.

The risks for SMBs

Phishing is a popular attack method used by threat actors. It is often considered to be the greatest cybersecurity threat to small businesses. A recent industry report found that 93% of security breaches resulted from cyberattacks using phishing or similar social engineering methods.

A successful phishing attack against a small company often signals the beginning of a larger campaign in which criminals use information obtained from targeted employees to infiltrate the company network and execute a BEC fraud or commit other crimes. Phishing messages can also be used to distribute malicious software (malware), such as ransomware, onto targeted systems.

Similar to charity donations and retail sales, phishing attempts increase during the holiday season. A recent report found that the annual average was 50% higher for attacks in November, December, and October 2017. This phishing surge is bad news for both individuals and organisations. Every year, the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team(US-CERT), issues a warning about seasonal scams.

SMBs are more at risk than larger companies because 32% of them do not organize simulations and training sessions to teach staff how to spot and avoid phishing scams. A mere 30% of small businesses have an IT security specialist to help them keep their company safe.

These examples are based on real holiday phishing scams

There are many ways to phish during holidays. While some campaigns look similar to those seen throughout the year, others are more specific to holiday-themed attacks. These two scenarios are fictional and show how holiday phishing scams actually work. They also illustrate the devastating effects that an attack can have on small businesses.

Scenario one: Shipping notification scam

The office manager at a small accounting firm gets an email in December that appears to be from UPS. The email contains a link that includes a tracking number. It states that the shipment was not delivered. To resolve the problem, the employee is asked to contact UPS via the URL provided. The office manager assumes that the shipment is an important order he is expecting. He clicks the link quickly and fills in the details of his company and address on the UPS page. He enters almost immediately the details of his office credit card when he is asked for payment for minor extra charges. The next day, the shipments arrived and the office manager quickly forgets all about it. The office manager realizes that he was a victim of a phishing scheme after the new year. His boss asks him how company credit card was maxed out over the holidays. The UPS email and the website where he entered his credit card details were fakes. The office manager didn’t pay for any shipment, but instead gave cybercriminals the information they needed in order to steal tens and thousands of dollars from the small company.

Scenario two: Holiday E-card scam

The owner of a small online shop finds an email from Hallmark in her inbox a few days before Christmas. The message claims that she received an E-card for Christmas. She thought the card might have been from a customer and opened the attached file. It appears to be a Microsoft Office document. Instead of an E-card, however, the file opens as a text file containing gibberish. Although the webshop owner intends to contact Hallmark regarding the issue, she doesn’t get around to it during busy holiday seasons. The webshop owner eventually admits to her regret that her business won’t survive another holiday season after falling for an E-card fraud a few weeks later. The E-card contained a malicious XML file which launched a PowerShell script as soon as it was opened. This resulted in the sophisticated Emotet banking Trojan being installed onto the victim’s computer. The Emotet malware was easily detected by an anti-malware program running on the targeted system. It also harvested the victim’s PII and credit card information, as well as login credentials for different user accounts including online banking systems. This information was used by the cybercriminals to delete the bank accounts of the webshop owners, leaving them with insufficient funds to continue her business.

Another example of holiday phishing scams is:

Phony vouchers are fake discounts or gift coupons that victims can use to shop online. To redeem the voucher, recipients must click on a link to fill out sensitive information. This is a fake website.

Bogus donations: Victims are asked for money in Christmas spirit to support a charity. Victims who fall for this scam end up “donating” their credit card details as well as their PII to cybercriminals.

Scammers use fake e-commerce sites and social media channels to lure victims into placing orders. They will require credit card details and sensitive data.

How can you stay safe?

There are many things you can do to help protect your business against holiday phishing scams.

Keep your software current by installing a trusted anti-malware program

Protecting your system starts with proper patch management. A professional security suite is a good investment. You can get a free solution from any reputable developer if you are hesitant.

managed-firewalls-Wilmington-NC-300x166.jpg

managed firewalls Wilmington NC

Use a secure email gateway

Secure email gateways (SEGs), which provide enhanced protection against phishing attacks, check incoming messages for spam, evidence email spoofing, and impersonation attacks.

Promote phishing awareness training and simulations.

Staff can learn about phishing scams through phishing awareness training. Meanwhile, SMBs can use phishing simulations to evaluate their employees’ cybersecurity habits.

Adopt multi-factor authentication (MFA)

MFA isn’t suitable for most SMBs, but it can be a great way to protect small businesses from security breaches due to phishing. It will ensure that your business accounts are protected even if login credentials are compromised by an employee falling for the phishing scam.

For electronic communication, you must ensure that your vetting process is thorough

Never open an email attachment or click on links or images in emails from unknown senders. Double-check the sender address for messages that appear to be from familiar sources. Remember that just because the address appears to be legitimate, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the message is secure. Threat actors could have compromised the account or spoofed it. Notice that messages may contain language errors, strange phraseology, lucrative offers, urgent requests, desperate pleas, or threatening language. Avoid interacting with attachments and images that you don’t expect to receive. Always hover over links to verify the URL. It is possible to type the URL into your browser to open the website directly. Do not trust URLs that start with HTTPS.

For malicious code, scan email attachments

You don’t really have to open an attachment from an email. Instead, scan the contents for malicious code using a sophisticated antimalware solution or a web-based antimalware service like VirusTotal. Concerning the last option, ensure that you agree with the privacy policies of the solution.

Don’t give sensitive information away

Legitimate organizations won’t ask for credit card information or login credentials via email, text, or IM. You almost certainly have to deal with a threat actor if you receive such requests.

Last but not least, please share this report with your business partners/colleagues.

Your organization will be safer if you share information about phishing prevention.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. now for more information about managed IT services and they can help protect your business against online threats.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Wilmington, NC 28412
(910) 218-9255
http://manageditserviceswilmington.com

Serving: Myrtle BeachNorth Myrtle BeachColumbiaWilmingtonFayettevilleFlorence, Charleston