SpartanTec, Inc. Wilmington

Monday, April 6, 2020

Computer Security Tips For Remote Workers

An increasing number of companies have moved their workers to telecommuting amid the coronavirus pandemic. Even though working from home could help slow down the spread of the virus, it poses new challenges like dealing with work while kids are home; learning how to use new conferencing programs and other software; as well as taking care of files at home. While you are setting up your work at home system, listed below are a few tips to improve your computer security.

Computer Security Tips

Learn the basics of cybersecurity.

You need to make sure that your security software is up to date. You should have complex passwords for all your apps and devices. They must be strong, long and unique. They must contain at least 12 characters that are made up of symbols, numbers, lowercase, and capital letters.

Secure Your Home Network

Begin with the router. Switch on the encryption, which works by scrambling information that’s sent over to your network so that outsiders won’t be able to read it. WPA2 or WPA3 are the most recent encryption standards that could help protect the data that’s sent over your wireless network. What if you don’t have any of these options on your router?

Update the software of your router and check if after the update, you’re given the WPA2 or WPA3 options. If these options are still unavailable, then you should consider getting a different router. This is one crucial security tip when it comes to remote working.

Secure Your Laptop

In case you are using a laptop when working from home, be sure that it is protected by a password, secured, and locked. Don’t leave it unattended like at a public charging station or in a vehicle.

Secure Sensitive Information

If there is an urgent business need to move confidential data from the office to your home, make sure that it’s kept out of sight and under a lock and key. If you do not have any file cabinet in your home office, try to use a locked room.

Dispose of Sensitive Data Properly

Do not just throw it in the recycling bin or the trash can. You have to shred it. All the paperwork that you no longer need is a treasure trove to identity thieves especially if it includes confidential information of your employees and clients.

Follow Your Employer’s Computer Security Practices

Your home is now considered as an extension of your office. So you need to follow the online security protocols implemented by your employer.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. in Wilmington now and let our team of IT experts set up effective computer security measures for your business and remote workers.

Download our Work From Home Guide.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Wilmington, NC 28412
(910) 218-9255
https://spartantec-wilmingtonnc.business.site/

Cities Served:
Wilmington, Silver Lake, Sea Breeze, Carolina Beach, Eagle Island, Leland, Wrightsboro

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Top Security Concerns With Remote Working

The advantages of having telecommuting, borderless workforce are beneficial for small businesses. High on productivity and low on cost, remote workers are people who are much easier to work with. But, as borderless teams go beyond the boundaries of cities, states, and even continents, you have a lot of sensitive information going outside the boundaries of the office and across a range of devices, oftentimes with uncertain security arrangements.

Small businesses need to know and deal with the challenges linked with remote working to really make the most out of working with the best and talented minds regardless of their geographical restrictions. Even the biggest firms that have budgets worth multi million dollars address difficulties when it comes to managing a mobile workforce. The problem is much bigger and complicated for small businesses that require to work with restricted budgets and possess low risks to online vulnerabilities.

Working with a remote employee requires companies to pay small attention to the security and technology being used. Listed below are the most pressing challenges concerning data security, which small businesses have to be ready for when they’re working with borderless workers.

Reduced Security on Mobile Devices and BYOD

Cybersecurity isn’t just a challenge because it’s a constant threat that companies have to fight all of the time. In this kind of landscape, the complex will be doubled once data goes outside the office. In the office, the staff use only the specified office devices that have been secured with electronic and physical security layers.

Monitoring and Managing Assets on The Cloud

Regardless of the sector, the general efficiency and productivity of a business are greatly influenced by the asset management quality. Although a borderless business that has remote employees and don’t have physical assets, their IT assets like data, software, and other confidential company data, is extremely valuable to the company and has to be protected from all types of threats.

Insufficient Backup and Recovery Systems

When it comes to unexpected data loss, remote workers who use their own devices usually don’t have enough recovery and backup options. As a matter of fact, this is one of the many issues a lot of companies don’t pay much attention to, up until a problem arises.

GDPR Compliance

In May 2018, GDPR OR General Data Protection Regulation was enforced. It rapidly became a main priority for companies and they immediately made the necessary adjustments to their operations. But the compliance still remains as a huge challenge for small and medium businesses with remote workers because many of its nuances are still unclear especially when it involves workers using BYOD devices, traveling, or working from home.

Sensitizing Remote Workers to Adhere to Data-Security Protocols

Talk to your employees until they know about the cybersecurity Wilmington challenges and how they could solve them. Since you cannot talk to your employees face to face, your next option is video conferencing. It offers many benefits like being able to communicate better with your remote workers while building stronger relationships.

Through video conferencing, you can send out your feeling of worry and stress when facing a delicate concern like data security. The remote worker who will see your facial expressions and body language will have a better understanding of the gravity of the issue, which will lead to a stronger desire to adhere to your wishes for them to follow the protocols.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. for expert IT assistance in setting up the necessary cybersecurity measures and protocols to make sure your remote workers are protected from various kinds of online threats.

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Cybersecurity Tips For Working From Home

Social distancing is one of the most crucial measures to lower the spread of COVID-19. Businesses are also doing everything they can to keep their employees safe and that includes instructing or encouraging them to work from home. But, transferring from a secure office setting to working remotely could open up various security risks. Apart from that, nasty hackers and cybercriminals are already using the virus as a subject for their phishing scams in hopes that their victim would click through and give out their passwords and other information.

Considering the rapid rise in remote working, ENISA, a European cybersecurity agency, has provided a few recommendations for businesses that move to teleworking due to COVID-19. The agency said that it noticed a rise in the phishing attacks that use the coronavirus topic as a front. The agency suggests that workers try not to mix leisure and work activities on the same device and be especially careful in opening emails concerning the coronavirus. These days, cybercriminals are exploiting the crisis so watch out for scams and phishing emails.

ENISA also warned that remote workers have to be cautious of emails that ask to renew or check their passwords as well as their login credentials, even if they look like they come from a trusted source. It is important to verify the email’s authenticity especially if it comes from people you don’t know and they’re asking that you open files or connect to links. Phishing messages create a sense of urgency to force you to click a link. You should also be careful of emails that come from people you know. Double-check everything and don’t click on any link if you are unsure what it’s for.

Security Tips For Remote Workers

Make sure that you have a secure Wi-Fi connection. Although most Wi-Fi has been secured correctly, a few older installations may not be and that means people close by could snoop your traffic.
Install an antivirus program and update it regularly.
All of your security software must be updated. You should check browser add ons, privacy tools, as well as other patches on a regular basis.
You should have a backup strategy set in place and don’t forget to use it if the situation calls for it. Regularly back up important files so you don’t have to worry about losing data in case of a ransomware attack.
Always lock your screen especially if you are working in a shared space. If possible, avoid working in shared or co-working spaces at this time and follow social distancing to avoid spreading the virus.
Use a secure connection.
Install encryption tools.

Security Tools For Employers

Provide feedback to employees on how they need to react when they face problems. They need to know who to call. They also need to familiarize themselves with emergency procedures.
Prioritize the support of solutions for remote access.
Offer virtual solutions
Provide enough support when there is a problem.
Create a clear procedure that will be followed in case of a security breach.
Restrict access to sensitive information and systems when needed.

Get your free work from home guide here.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. in Wilmington if you need the help of IT experts in making sure that your network is safe and your remote workers are safe from online threats as they work from their homes.

Monday, March 9, 2020

Companies Lose An Average of $200,000 On Cyberattacks

Cybercrime is a type of criminal activity that’s becoming increasingly prevalent these days. What’s even more worrying is that cyberattacks are set to cost companies all over the world as much as $5.2 trillion in just five years.

Cybercriminals love to target small businesses and 43% of online attacks are aimed at them. The problem is a meager 14% of these firms have made the effort to protect themselves against such attacks. If you are a small business owner, you need to prioritize information security.

IT experts guarantee that every modern company’s state of the art perimeters will be breached eventually. Therefore, for small businesses, it’s no longer about if these security threats will happen but when they will take place.

To make things worse, the results of cyber attacks rise and such incidents now cost small businesses an average of $200,000. About 60% of the businesses that were breached have gone out of businesses six months after they were attacked.

The number of occurrences of these cyberattacks has gone up as well with over 50% having of the total number of small businesses suffered a breach within the past year. Plus, 4 out of 10 small companies having suffered multiple cyberattacks.

Even though this is already the case, 66% of the executives of small businesses still think they won’t be targeted by cyber criminals. Moreover, six out of ten don’t have any cyber defense plan of any kind, which means there’s a great need for improved education and industry awareness.

The damage that is brought upon a compromised company becomes worse because it usually takes about 101 days before company owners and business operators detect that they were hacked.

The costs that these compromised businesses need to cover can also pile up quickly. Aside from the attorney’s fees and other ancillary costs that you have to deal with, you will also be faced with the issue of losing customer confidence and loyalty as well as business relationships.

There are 30.2 million small businesses in the U.S. right now. If they wish to be protected from most, if not all types of online threats, they need to set in place a comprehensive IT security strategy.

Make backups and duplicates of files and data every day.
A network firewall, anti-virus, and tools for information encryption should be installed and updated regularly. They will scan and counteract harmful programs and viruses, and keep sensitive data safe and secure.
Employees should only be given access to files, folders, and applications they need to use to do their job.
Staffers must be trained regularly, every three months at least, and inform them of the latest cybercrime trends and online threats.
Test the ability of your employees to detect scammers. You should also check how they respond to fraudulent requests.
Perform tests for ongoing vulnerability and conduct risk assessments on installed applications and computer networks.
Install cyber analytic tools that could scan user accounts, applications, networks to detect and halt any suspicious activity before they spread.

Why Companies Need Threat Intelligence?

Please remember that cyber threats may come from internal and external sources. With the increasing number of sensitive data that businesses handle these days, the best cyber defenses today are multipronged.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. and let our team of IT experts help you set up measures to protect your business from cybersecurity threats.

Monday, March 2, 2020

Data Breach: Top Reasons Why It Happens

It seems like every day, there’s something in the news about a company experiencing a data breach, putting the organization, as well as its partners and customers, at risk. If you don’t want your business to be one of them, you have to know the most common causes of data breaches and what you can do to improve your information security.

Weak Passwords, Stolen Credentials

Hacking attacks is one of the most common cause of data breaches. But the vulnerability that hackers exploit is generally a lost or weak password. Statistics showed that four out of five breaches have been classified as a hack were in part due to stolen or weak passwords. There’s an easy way to deal with this and that is to use complex passwords and to never share them to anyone.

Application Vulnerabilities

There’s no need for you to open the door if it’s already open. Hackers like to exploit poorly implemented or designed because they leave openings that they can use to access your data. One simple solution is to make sure that all your hardware and software solutions are updated and functioning properly.

Malware

There is a rising trend in the use of in-direct and direct malware. Generally speaking, malware is a malicious software that is installed unknowingly and provides access for a hacker to a system and other connected systems. Be careful when accessing websites or when opening emails especially if you think they look suspicious.

Social Engineering

Hackers don’t need to go through the hassle of finding a way to access a system if they can let others with a more legitimate claim to the data they need do it for them instead. So, if it is too good to be true then don’t go for it. Chances are, hackers are waiting on you to grant them access to your system.

Too Many Permissions

Hackers love access permissions that are way too complex. Companies that fail to keep a tight rein on who has access to what within their company are more likely to have provided the wrong permission to the wrong individual or perhaps have neglected outdated permissions, which hackers will exploit. You don’t have to complicate things. When it comes to securing your information, simple is better.

Insider Threats

When it comes to information security Wilmington, the adage keep your friends close and your enemies closer is relevant. The disgruntled contractor, rogue employee, or those people who don’t know any better have been provided with the permission to access your company data. So what’s preventing them from altering, copying, or stealing information?

You should know who you are dealing with and act right away when there is an indication of a problem and make sure that everything is covered with produced and process that are backed up with the right training.

Physical Attacks

Is your building secure or safe? Hackers do not just sit around in a bedroom located in a far away land. They’ve got high visibility jackets along with a strong line in plausible patter to allow them to work their way into your building and inside your systems and network. You have to remain vigilant and watch out for anything that looks suspicious and make sure to report it.

Incorrect Configuration, User Mistakes

Errors happen and mistakes are made. Hire the right IT expert to be in charge in making sure that your data is secured.

IT professionals at SpartanTec, Inc. in Wilmington will set in place robust and relevant procedures and processes to prevent user error, then mistakes could be kept to the bare minimum and limited only to areas where they are much less likely to result into a major data breach.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. if you want to know how to amp up your information security and safeguard your business from all kinds of online threats.

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Malware And Viruses On Apple/Mac Systems Are On The Rise

For most of Apple's history, the company has been able to cast itself as a safer alternative to Windows-based computers.Hackers tended to focus the bulk of their efforts on Wintel boxes (Windows processors), rather than Apple machines. That has been changing in recent months. According to research conducted by Malwarebytes, over the past twelve months, there has been a significant upsurge in the number of attacks made against Macs.

To give you a sense of the scope and scale of the increase, in prior years, the average number of detections per Mac clocked in at 4.8, while the number of detections per Windows-based PC was 5.8. In 2019, the average number of detections per Windows-based PC remained unchanged, while the average number of detections per Mac spiked to 11, more than doubling in a single year.

The researchers note, however, that the types of threats Mac users face are very different from the threats presented against Windows-based PCs, and are generally not dangerous. For instance, the most common infections Mac users suffer from are adware programs that display unwanted ads to infected recipients.

Naturally, there are cases of ransomware, keyloggers and banking trojans that target Macs. However, they are relatively less common than similar infections on Windows-based PCs.

If you're a Mac user, don't breathe a sigh of relief just yet though. The Malwarebytes research team concludes by warning us. They say although the attacks against Macs are currently less destructive than the attacks made against Windows-based PCs, that could change at any moment. There's nothing whatsoever keeping the hackers from swapping out adware in preference for a much more threatening piece of code.

All that to say, whatever type of computer you use day to day, it pays to keep your guard up. Nobody is truly safe.

Be proactive when it comes to securing your systems. Consult SpartanTec, Inc. now and let our team of IT experts help you in protecting your network and systems from malware, viruses, and all other kinds of online threats.

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Beware Of Documents Asking To Enable Content

If you work in the financial sector, be advised that there's a large scale botnet-driven malware campaign underway. It has been targeting firms in both the US and the UK.

The malware at the heart of the campaign is Emotet, which began life as a banking trojan, but it has morphed into something quite different in recent times.

It's now a full-fledged botnet and its creators are leasing it out to anyone who can pay.
Make no mistake, the latest configuration of Emotet isn't a threat to be taken lightly. Last year, it accounted for almost two thirds of malicious payloads delivered via phishing attack. The malware was heavily used throughout much of 2019, suffered a marked decline during December, and then came roaring back to the fore in January of 2020.
While the major thrust of this latest campaign is aimed at financial institutions, a small number of attacks have been made against companies in the media, transportation, and food industries.

The campaign is being conducted largely by phishing emails that contain a Microsoft Word Document that pretends to be an invoice for a service recently rendered. The email subject line varies but in all cases it mirrors the invoice and/or bank details.

Naturally, if a recipient attempts to open the invoice, he or she will get a popup box indicating that Macros must be enabled in order to properly view it. If the recipient clicks the button to enable macros, the malicious payload will be installed.

This is time tested and a reliable method of getting malicious code onto target machines. It's been around for years, but it's still in use because it's so effective. Make sure your employees are aware of the threat and stay vigilant. If the early indications mean anything, 2020 is going to be a very trying year.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. in Wilmington to protect your network against malware and other threats that may trick you or your employees to grant access to sensitive business information.

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