5 Ways to Step Up Your Company’s Cyber Security

a pair of glasses sitting on top of a laptop computer

Cyber security is more important than ever in the world we live in today.

There are an increasing number of hackers who are eager to get into your company or small business’s information and use that information to do damage to either your company and/or your employees.

While no security system is completely foolproof, there are many measurable steps that your company can take to keep your information as safe as possible from those who would use it in a criminal manner.

Understand & Identify Cyber Security Threats & Evolving Defense

It’s no secret that there are more threats in the cyber world than ever before. That means that the “set and forget” mentality does not work now the way it did in the past. It is crucial that you instill good practices in your company ensuring that employees are aware of always updating security measures such as firewalls and antivirus software on your company computers and machines to keep your information as secure as possible.

You will also have to consider if employees work at an office location or work remotely as this will affect the types of safeguards that will serve each type of worker best.

The following are 5 great steps that you can take to start upgrading and increasing your company’s cyber security in an attempt to keep your company’s private and sensitive information as safe as possible:

1. Use the Power of the Cloud:

Many companies and businesses are finding out that the cloud is a very useful tool to use when it comes to protecting a company’s private information. Using the cloud allows the company or business to use app security services that help safeguard and protect their information better than they would be able to if they just stored it on (unprotected) electronic devices. It also allows you to only share sensitive information within your network of people who are authorized to access it. If you have security in place, you can investigate possible breaches early and catch these infractions so you can act on any threats to your security in a timely manner.

2. Create Cyber Security with a Unified Threat Management System:

Using a unified threat management system to help protect your company’s private information can help you avoid cyber security breaches. The main key to making this work is to have IT professionals who are specifically assigned and tasked with protecting the company’s information from such attacks. The best way most companies can do this is to outsource their IT work to an experienced company such as Bluwater Technologies. Using a third-party to help protect your information helps free up your employees to focus on other tasks and ensures that these employees at the IT firm have the proper knowledge, training, and certification to successfully implement this unified threat management system that they are using. This partnership can protect your information as closely as possible and help ensure that any breaches to your data are caught and handled immediately.

3. Invest in Quality IT Partners & Support:

There is a cost to hiring quality IT partners and support such as Bluwater Technologies to help manage your cyber security, however, that cost is a lot less than the cost of a severe cyber security breach would be. Allowing people who have the appropriate training and certifications to handle your business’s private information helps keep you safer than allowing employees to try to protect information on their own. Here at Bluwater Technologies, we are here to work with your business and protect your sensitive information to lower your risk of cyber security threats in the future!

4. Train Your Employees in Cyber Security:

In addition to outsourcing your unified threat management system through a partnership such as the one with Bluwater Technologies, train your own employees to spot cyber security threats on the devices they use each day. Having them report anything they may notice to IT specialists can help them catch any breaches that occur early or fix anything that may lead to a breach of information in the future. Emphasizing the protection of your company’s information and fostering good practices of protecting business information (i.e. Never leave unattended workstations unlocked, be sure to shred sensitive information, etc.) will help keep your information as safe as possible from cyber security threats and those who wish to use sensitive information to harm your company or business.

5. Create a Complete Business Training Program:

When you are creating a program to protect your company’s data, be proactive and include everyone from the top to the bottom of your company in the training. Ensuring that everyone knows proper practices to protect sensitive company information can help lead to less cyber security threats in the future.  This will include training employees in areas not specifically related to technology to spot threats as well. This would include employees in departments such as those that work with insurance or in human resources.

In the end, the best way to protect your company’s private information is to partner with a specialized IT company such as Bluwater Technologies whose job is to protect your company’s information from those who wish to use it to cause you harm.

Use Bluwater Technologies to Protect Your Business’s Information

Bluwater Technologies is a premier IT firm that has employees who are appropriately trained and have the credentials and knowledge as well as the experience to handle your company’s sensitive information and protect you from cyber security breaches. Our job is to protect your company and keep your information safe.

For more information on hiring Bluwater Technologies to protect your company’s private information, please feel free to contact us today.

Data Security Methods

a pair of glasses sitting on top of a laptop computer

The internet is a commodity with several different ways of accessing it — but be careful. Although the internet is easy to access, one may be exposing personal information in ways that compromise data security.

Some of the most common ways that people can access the internet are through cellular technology, WiFi, and dial-up. However, dial-up internet users are dwindling. With the threat of cybercrime on the rise, these avenues through which the internet is accessed should be evaluated periodically for security holes by which criminals attempt to take advantage of the privacy of internet users. Evaluating data encryption (security) options and determining a budget for it can be daunting. Consider the scheme below to exemplify this point.

Password

Accessing the internet through WiFi can be done in one of two basic ways with regard to security. One way is if the WiFi network being used requires a password to access it. This password implies that data on the WiFi network is encrypted. Therefore protected from prying eyes, for the most part. However, once the data leaves that network and goes out to the internet, it can be open for anybody to see depending on the website being accessed — websites using addresses with the prefix ‘https‘ are safe to use (the ‘s‘ must be there). 

No Password

The second way of accessing the internet through a WiFi network is if no password is used. Data therein will be open for everyone to see all the way through to the destination. However, if the websites accessed use the ‘HTTPS in the prefix of the website address, the data will be protected all the way through. Regardless of whether a password is required to access the WiFi network.  

The above is simply stated regarding the security of WiFi data transfer. Even within this simple description, one can see that protecting computer data over a network and the internet can be complicated. Different networks used to access the internet, other than WiFi, can require different types of encryption protocols. This depends on what the needs of a user or business are.  It might be best to acquire the services of professionals to assist in the process. 

Please contact us for assistance in determining appropriate data security and transfer methods.

Computer Tip Of The Day: Using Two-Factor Authentication

a person is typing on a computer keyboard

Two-factor authentication can provide your workplace with an extra foundation of security. It requires extra information beyond just a username and your password to access computer accounts.

Two-Factor Authentication for Emails

Two-step authentication will require a combination of a username and a password, in addition to an extra piece of information that includes a security code that will be sent to a mobile device. Adding an extra layer of security to an email account is one of the biggest improvements that can be made.

Workplace Social Media Accounts

We are aware of how popular social media accounts are in the business world, especially due to their ability to attract customers from across the world. It is important that the proper steps are taken to secure social media sites. Two-step authentication can also be used to secure social media accounts.

It is very important to always be cyber aware, even if you find it to be an inconvenience. The extra steps you take to secure your account can be the difference between having a successful business and a business that fails because it was not properly secured in the online world.

If there are various online accounts that need to be managed, it is greatly important that you take the proper steps to secure online accounts, customer data, and other vital business information.

Two-factor authentication will generally include one or more of the following:

  • One of your physical characteristics, such as your fingerprint.
  • A one-time security code that can be sent to your mobile device or email address that you will enter after you have entered your username and password. The login process will not be completed until the security code has been entered.
  • Another layer of security that can be used for identity verification is challenge questions. When choosing challenge questions, we encourage you to choose questions that may be difficult for others to answer. Avoid choosing simple challenge questions that hackers can find answers to by searching online, especially on social media.

Two-factor authentication is becoming a popular choice for many account holders in all industries. Contact us today for more information on two-factor authentication and how you can become more cyber aware.

Business Technology: Don’t Ignore These Password Tips

a man sitting at a desk using a laptop computer

One thing that has remained a constant in the battle against data breaches in business technology. The importance of adhering to a well-rounded password policy. This should be outlined by the company’s network administrator and supported by management. 

If a data breach should occur, poor passwords such as “1234” or “password” are no match against hackers.  Any organization that wants to avoid a data breach should create and strictly adhere to a comprehensive password plan.

Password Essentials

A good password plan requires some effort on both the part of the systems administrator and individual staff members.  An effective system administrator will make use of tools that lock someone out after a few failed login attempts, force the requirement to select new passwords every 30-90 days and require staff members to use new passwords rather than simply reusing old ones. 

They also may be able to control the content of passwords by requiring the inclusion of numbers, symbols, and both upper and lower case characters when passwords are created.

Staff members should be informed not to use personal information such as their date of birth, addresses, or SSNs for passwords.  In addition, staff members should be instructed to always log out of applications after use, or employ a password-protected screensaver when they leave their desks in order to discourage others from gaining access under their login.

Termination – Voluntary and Involuntary

Many organizations allow their employees to log in to corporate applications from home or from their own smart devices.  When employees leave a company, it is imperative that the former employee has zero ability to gain access to corporate systems.  Employers must keep a comprehensive, up-to-date list of every application an employee has access to. Additionally, all devices from which they access corporate systems.  If an employee is fired, all passwords must be changed. Also, access cards, hardware equipment, and keys to buildings must be accounted for.

In the case of voluntary terminations, some employers will ask their former employees to vacate the premises immediately.  In other cases, an employer will allow the employee to fulfill what is typically two weeks’ notice.  Regardless, employers need to have a system access policy already in place. This ensures a smooth transition of the employee over to a former staff member.

If you would like to know more about creating a comprehensive password policy for your business technology, please contact us.

You vs. the Hackers – Small Business Security

a man sitting in front of a laptop computer

Small Business Security

Large business data breaches, such as last year’s Equifax hack, always make headlines. However, small and medium-sized businesses are also vulnerable to data hacks. That is unless they put thoughtful security measures in place.  Even smaller businesses typically hold private information about their employees such as SSN, date of birth, family members, and other private information that hackers love.  Other private data such as email addresses, credit card and banking information, and other information about clients is typically gathered and stored by smaller businesses, just like major corporations.

In some cases, hackers deliberately target smaller businesses in the hopes their security defenses are not as robust as some of the larger targets.  In this post, we will outline some potential weaknesses that smaller businesses need to address so they can prepare a hacker-proof plan that will help safeguard them against potential threats.

PoS Systems

If your organization uses a point-of-sale system, unless properly secured, a hacker can try to use it to make unauthorized credit card charges.  These types of systems come with preloaded software that is easily hacked into through an unsecured access point.

Unsecured Wi-Fi

Some smaller businesses like to offer public Wi-Fi access in the hopes of garnering more customers.  However, this type of access should never be used to conduct any real corporate activity.  If an organization wants to offer public Wi-Fi, that’s fine. However, employees need to understand they should never use it for work-related activities. Even if secure company systems are down temporarily.

Website

Hackers especially like to target websites that gather credit cards and other personal information.  They might also attempt to find loopholes allowing them to gain access to company databases.

Email

Hackers still attempt to confuse employees by creating seemingly legitimate emails. This is an attempt to convince them to click on links leading to malicious sites. Or to impart private company information to untrustworthy sources.

Other Hardware

If the only thing between corporate data and a hacker is a four-digit password on a mobile device, the potential for hacking is enormous.  Especially if businesses do not enforce password policies, access to company data may be as easy as entering “1234” in a screensaver.  Hackers also look for vulnerabilities in servers and PCs in order to steal admin passwords and/or inject malware.

Clearly, every business needs to ensure a thorough IT security solution is part of the bedrock that forms their company foundation.  For more information on a total security solution, please contact us.