Unfortunately due to lockdown, there are many people out there that have no money, but plenty of time on their hands. The result: hackers designing, malware that is nothing of the likes that has been seen before.
Local Swindon businesses and businesses around the world are becoming more aware and practised in the field of cyber security. But still, everyday high-profile data breaches are occurring.
So, what can you do as business to ensure that your business does not fall victim to the ever growing threat?
Some firms believe that if you pay the money, your system will be protected, but that is not often the case. Obviously a good IT infrastructure does help. And we all know that there are no companies out there that want to lose data (The results of a breach can in some cases, destroy a business, especially if you are one that gathers personal information). But, money and the system alone can not always protect.
As sad as it is, IT systems are not the weakest link in your IT security amory, your employees are i.e. human error.
We all know that employees will never willingly cause harm to your business, but it is a fact that the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) was able to attribute human error being the root cause for 90% of the data breaches in 2019.
Just recently this issue was highlighted when around 150,000 records were wiped off the Police National Computer, including fingerprint, DNA and arrest history details. The issue was said to have been caused by defective code, introduced to the system through a simple mistake from one of its users!
Fortunately, events like this can be surprisingly easy to resolve. But this is only if the correct security and IT measures have been put in place.
Robust IT data backups can store archives of data to be reinstated if the need arises. This way, if anything gets deleted or compromised, it can be restored to the last proper version quickly and effectively.
So how do you ensure that your SME has the correct back up systems in place?
The aim of backing up data is to ensure it remains accessible whatever happens to the original, so the further away it can be stored the better. Wherever possible ensure it is not even in the same building or system. This way if your initial IT system is compromised, you have that second layer of security.
Backups should be taken on a regular basis, so nothing risks being lost. Options are available ranging from continuous backups to once a day. Consider your business and its individual needs, then make the decision accordingly.
Making your backups secure
Backups are like an insurance policy – you never want to use it, but you will be very glad it’s there if you do need to use it. Ensure backups should be subject to the same level of security as the original data. Ensure they are encrypted and stored securely, so that hackers can’t get at your data through the back door.
At System Integration, we don’t just look after the normal IT support services, but we are experts on assisting local Swindon and Wiltshire SMEs with their security and backup requirements. If you think your system could do with a double check to ensure that cyber security is something you never have to worry about, get in touch. We can advise your employees on best practises and can help you ensure that your data is always secure..
With the current Covid crises, Lockdown in place & the threat of different tiers of restriction being enforced once this is over, you may want to look at your setup with regards to home working for your staff.
A lot of businesses may have already know what to do and may have already done this, but there are still a few out there that may not be as prepared.
A couple of months ago we did let you know how we could help you ensure your team are all set to WFH and are prepared to start remote working. But for those that didn’t catch that, and are now evaluating how they can be prepared in case there is a local lockdown in the Swindon and Wiltshire area, here is a checklist that you can use to make sure you are ready…
The efficiency of personal workspaces at home. Are your employees making the most of your home workspaces by utilising laptop docks and larger screens? Do your employees have the correct chairs and desks? The last thing you want is one of your employees to come back to work with a strained neck or back due to them not sitting in the correct position.
Are headsets and webcams needed for web calls? Does your team have this equipment? After all, you do not want them making calls to clients whilst the TV can be heard in the background and they struggle to communicate.
Can your home workers access business files and data securely? And if so, do you have a secure VPN?
Security & Privacy Policy
Have you updated your business’ computer security policy for home worker computers (BYOD)? And if you have an up to date policy, are you sure that your empoyees know what is in it?
Do you have enough business computers and monitors available for your team to work from home? If you do not, do not worry as this is where Systems Integration can help with our IT support contracts. We can help and provide you with the latest equipment for short periods at a fraction of the price of purchasing new.
Can your tech support actually help your team remotely. Problems do not stop for your team just because they are working from home. You need to ensure that you have IT systems in place that allow full access.
Can your home users still access the work phone lines remotely? Do your home workers have good internet service at home to support their needs?
If you want to ensure that your team is ready for home working or are wanting to improve your current home working structure, please feel free to get in touch and let us see how we can ensure that your team’s transition from the office is as smooth as possible.
We all know that Swindon is a hub for new businesses and at Systems Integration we are fully aware of the initial issues that many of these new businesses face and are often unaware.
What with getting your brand seen, securing new clients and building a reliable and solid team, many often overlook some of the basics such as IT security and awareness.
Nearly 50% of UK businesses experienced some form of a cyberattack in 2019-2020, and more than 60% of cybersecurity experts are concerned about data loss and leakage, among a range of other vectors. Obtianing data illegally is now a big business and the criminals and hackers are upping their game daily. If you are just starting up your business, are you aware of what level of security you will need to ensure your clients’ data and your business is safe? This month we give you some tips..
Firstly, never assume it is just big corporations that are prone to cybersecurity breaches. All business that store data are, from your sole trader with his accounts and that of clients to solicitors and recruitments agencies, all store customers and clients data of some form or another.
As a new business, consider what risks you face if you suffer a cyberattack.
Thats right, not just the cost of getting a IT professionals to find the breach and fix it, but you can also be sued by your clients
As they say, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure, so here are some IT security tips and things your should look for when you are exploring your It security options.
In order to build your cyber defenses, you need someone to carefully evaluate your current situation. At System Integrtaion when we take you on as a IT partner, we evaluate your complete IT infrastructure for vulnerability, ranging from your users’ passwords to hardware settings and blocking legacy authentication.
We are Microsoft Partners and using industry-standard metrics like Microsoft’s Secure Score, we can compare how your business fares against industry standards, and we can let you know what steps are in hardening your security posture.
This can also include simple task such as determining how tech-savvy your team are –
If not we can provide training.
Once the weak points in your IT security have been identified, we look at how to remove them, such as ensuring all your data is using end-to-end encryption.
Encryption ensures that if someone intercepts your data as it is being transmitted, they still won’t be able to read it. This kind of interception commonly happens over Wi-Fi, especially when public, open networks are available. It’s perfectly fine to have an open Wi-Fi network for your customers to use, but your other business actions should take place on a separate network using encryption. See our previous blog on secure Wi-Fi.
Unfortuntely though there are some cases where encryption can’t protect you, which is why we also focus on one of the most common danger zones such as email. Did you know that over 65% of hackers and cyber criminals used phishing to invade their victims’ networks? Phishing is the act of using email to lure people into providing sensitive information. It is not uncommon for you employeess to recieve an email that appears to be an official Microsoft account asking for your Office 365 login information. If this is obtained the hackers can then the files in your compnaies cloud storage and pilfer your data.
Phishing can be prevented by securing your email servers through your web host. Systems Integration can assist in implementing protocols such as Domain-based message authentication, report & conformance (DMARC); Domain Keys Identified Mail (DKIM); and Sender Policy Framework (SPF) standards. These security standards will help to identify phishing attacks and alert users before they even open the email.
Advanced software can determine who in your organisation has access to data and what data they can access. It also can connect with cloud services such as Microsoft 365 to limit an individual’s access to sensitive information.
For startups, this will actually make expansion easier as you’ll be able to add users more easily and prevent new employees from seeing too much. User access control ensures that the data is seen by the right people. Data governance and a robust secure posture need never get in the way of productivity and innovation. Then you are also in a position to further strengthen the validation of user logins by setting up two-factor authentication (where possible). This requires your users to input a second code that they receive on their phone or other device, ensuring that your computers aren’t being accessed by a hacker sat down on a pc miles or even continents away.
What yourself and your team need to understand that most of the time it is not possible for these hackers and criminals to access your data unless they are invited i.e. your biggest threat is your employees, who probably will do this with have any malicious intent at all.
If required Systems Integration can provide you with soem great tutorial and educational videos along with face to face tutition on how to prevent any of this happening. After all when you work with us, we are all one big team and we like to think that all players are premiership standard
If you are a business that is just setting up and find all this to be a bit of a minefield feel free to get in touch with us. We pride ourselves on assiting new businesses and helping them grow. From IT support Contracts or services such as Microsoft experience/training, VOIP services, Disaster recovery or dats backup, we are here to help and offer advice. We all know that Swindon is a hub for new businesses and at Systems Integration we are fully aware of the initial issues that many of these new businesses face and are often unaware.
What with getting your brand seen, securing new clients and building a reliable and solid team, many often overlook some of the basics such as IT security and awareness.
Nearly 50% of UK businesses experienced some form of a cyberattack in 2019-2020, and more than 60% of cybersecurity experts are concerned about data loss and leakage, among a range of other vectors. Obtaining data illegally is now a big business and the criminals and hackers are upping their game daily. If you are just starting up your business, are you aware of what level of security you will need to ensure your clients’ data and your business is safe? This month we give you some tips..
