cybersecurity

The importance of keeping your software and systems updated with the latest patches really can’t be overstated, since it limits exposure to cyberattacks and helps to keep your business-critical data safe from hijacking or corruption. You should make best use of all the security features that your apps have built-in, as well as the other security measures your company has in place for combatting cyberattacks.

However, all that may not be enough to discourage all possible cyberattacks, since the computing environment today commonly includes both local and remote applications that make use of the cloud, and a very hybrid type of computing environment. The more IT gets stretched out to support remote workforces, the more exposed it is to risks. To make your life easier, you should seriously consider availing yourself of the services of a managed cybersecurity provider.

1. Regular updates and patches

If you’re still doing this in-house, it can get to be a real chore, keeping up with all the latest patches and updates issued for your software and hardware. Yet, if you don’t apply them all promptly, you’ll be exposed to a number of cybersecurity threats, all of which could be thwarted by faithful updating of your patches. A services provider will handle all this for you, so you can focus on running your business.

2. Don’t need those skillsets in-house

When you have a managed cybersecurity provider, you won’t need to have those same skills in-house, and that means you won’t have to pay someone a hefty salary for doing the work right on the premises. Security professionals are getting more expensive all the time because they are in such high demand, and for what you’d have to pay a pro, you can easily arrange for managed services with a reputable provider.

3. Experts in the field

Because it’s their business to stay on top of all issues related to cybersecurity, managed services providers tend to be aware of all the latest threats, as well as all the latest software and hardware designed to thwart them. They know about things that your company probably would not be privy to, so you can get better protection from a service provider.

4. 24/7 service

Your company probably doesn’t have anyone in-house who is dedicated to cybersecurity around the clock, but a managed services provider does. That gives you the best possible protection, and it even covers times when your entire staff might be in bed, dreaming of a world with no cybersecurity threats.

5. Better communications

When you have a managed services provider, they make a point of contacting you about even the slightest threat to your network and business assets. Many of these communications might be overlooked if they were managed in-house, but a services provider will pass them along to you, so you know they are being vigilant and doing their jobs.

Contact us to learn more about our managed cybersecurity services

The never-ending area of cybersecurity can be a huge headache for any company, but it’s one that just can’t be overlooked. If you lack the personnel in-house to implement strong security measures, contact us so we can help you close any vulnerabilities, and make your business-critical data safe from attack.

No matter what type of business you operate, there some things about Cyber Security Services in San Antonio that you need to be aware of, because an unexpected cyberattack might literally put you out of business. Larger companies have more resources and are usually able to bounce back after an attack, but a study conducted by Experian showed that 60% of all small businesses suffering a cyberattack were obliged to shut their doors within six months. If you don’t want that to happen to your company, take to heart the nuggets described below.

79% of small businesses have no response plan for cyberattacks

If your business falls within this category, there’s a good chance that you’ll also fall into the category described above, i.e. being among those 60% of all businesses that are forced to shut down after an attack. Cyberattacks can be devastating for any business, and particularly so for small businesses which lack the resources of larger corporations.

For example, if a small business were forced to pay a ransom for hijacked data, that will be in the thousands of dollars, and that alone could be enough to bankrupt the company. But that’s not the only damage that a business will suffer from an attack. You will also suffer a loss of reputation, because everyone will know that your network was vulnerable to an attack. That means other businesses will be much less likely to do business with you, and you could lose customers for the same reason very quickly.

You must notify customers of any security breach

Many states have passed legislation requiring businesses to notify all individuals who may have had their data compromised in some kind of security breach. The cost of delivering these notifications amounts to more than $130 per person, so even if you only had one thousand customers affected, the cost of notifying them will soar to $130,000 in total. This is another way that small businesses can easily go under after suffering an attack.

When your business bank account is hacked

You might think that your bank account is protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and that your business accounts are secure. That simply is not the case. The FDIC only has responsibility for personal accounts, so they don’t cover bank accounts at all. It’s also fairly unlikely that you’ll be protected from financial damage by your general liability insurance. So if your business bank account is hacked, whatever money you had in that account is likely to be gone forever.

Hackers are targeting small businesses more and more

Most of the cyber-attack headlines involve major corporations, simply because it’s bigger news. However, the truth is that hackers are very enthusiastic about targeting small businesses because there are so many of them, and they can add up to a larger payday then attacking a big corporation. Small businesses are also excellent targets because they have much to lose, and don’t often have good cyber security services in place. It’s fairly easy for a hacker to steal customer data and sell it on the black market. So if you thought you were immune from attack because hackers are ignoring small businesses, you can discard this notion immediately. 

Educate and train your employees

Even if you have good cyber security services in place, it’s very possible that your system could be breached as a result of human error. For example, all it would take is an employee opening up an email that has malware attached to it, and a hacker could have instant access to your network. It’s extremely important to educate your staff about how to protect data, and about the importance of using proper procedures. When they’ve been trained to recognize the signs of a breach, employees will be much less likely to fall into that trap. Even after they have been trained, it will be necessary to conduct periodic refreshers, so the significance sinks in, and so they have daily awareness.

You can protect your company from the devastating impact of a cyber attack with cyber security services in San Antonio. For more information, click here to schedule a consultation with Terminal B.

The best managed cybersecurity firms in Austin know that about 80% of all cyberattacks could have been prevented if security patches had been applied conscientiously, to close up vulnerabilities and deny hackers an opportunity. This survey was conducted by eWeek Magazine, and a total of 318 companies were polled after suffering some form of cyberattack. If most business owners were aware of this fact, they wouldn’t hesitate to be much more persistent about installing security patches immediately. Below are some other important facts that the best managed cybersecurity firms in Austin know about vulnerability and how to overcome it.

Why companies fail to patch adequately

First of all, most business owners are unaware of the statistic described above, about how effective patching can prevent cyberattacks. But even if they did know, chances are they wouldn’t be as conscientious about patching as they should be. In some cases, businesses retain rogue systems or decommissioned systems on their network without realizing it, and these can be extremely vulnerable to attack. At other times, management may just be unaware that their system patches are not current, and need to be updated.

Small businesses with limited staffing often don’t have the resources in-house to test and deploy patches as they become available. Some managers are afraid that if new patches are constantly being applied, it will cause existing applications to fail and trigger unforeseen business problems such as downtime. Another reason that has been offered by some business managers for failing to patch is that their business requires 100% uptime, and they simply don’t have a window where patches can safely be applied. All of these are reasons why patching might be inadequate among some businesses, but none of them are good reasons, especially when you consider the alternative.

Establishing a Vulnerability Management Program

The best managed cybersecurity firms in Austin are aware that it’s crucial to establish a Vulnerability Management Program at your business which includes all patch management policies and procedures. This is the only way to adequately address the constant threat of cyberattacks, and to have any real confidence your network is secure. As always, it will be necessary to have support from Senior Management, so they need to know that a Vulnerability Management Program will cost far less than a data breach.

Since it’s impossible to provide protection for things you don’t know about, it’s absolutely essential to have a full inventory of your cybersecurity assets, including everything that has an IP address, and all applications that run on those devices. Patching should be prioritized according to the risk presented to the business, which means your company will have to establish change management windows for testing and patching. If you have legacy systems that can’t be patched, you need to identify alternative controls that will mitigate the risk. If necessary, engage the services of outside engineering resources to enhance the skills and knowledge provided by your current team.

Establishing a Vulnerability Management Program

In order to establish a Vulnerability Management Program at your company, you’ll need to undertake the following steps:

• Outline a formal program – this will provide an overall structure and approach to handling vulnerabilities. How simple or elaborate this gets will depend on how complex your organization is, but it should always include timelines and remediation expectations.
• Identifying vulnerabilities – this will call for a comprehensive overview of your network so that all vulnerabilities can be identified. This should become a regular part of your program, with regular scans being conducted to ensure all issues are being handled.
• Evaluating risks – once risks have been identified, it should be the function of IT to determine the best approach for remediating those risks. If necessary, engage outside help to close up any gaps.
• Remediation – your management team should recommend priorities for all vulnerabilities, and identify whether they ought to be addressed through patching, reconfiguration, or some other mitigation strategy.
• Reporting – over time, a good Vulnerability Management Program will provide insights into the effectiveness of the program, and if you’ve established KPI’s for risk management, you should have a pretty good idea of how effective your program is.

One the more effective methods of managing vulnerabilities is by hiring the right outside IT team. For more information, click here to schedule a consultation with Terminal B.

As the world becomes increasingly digitized, cybersecurity is more important than ever before. Unfortunately, many individuals and businesses are not taking full advantage of the resources available to them to help keep their data and themselves secure.

Businesses need to be especially vigilant when it comes to cybersecurity, as they are often targets for cyberattacks. In addition to taking the same precautions as individuals, businesses should also consider investing in additional security when necessary.

For those who may not be as tech-savvy as others, setting up software or even researching the best methods for cybersecurity can be frustrating and costly. In this blog, we will discuss the best free cybersecurity resources and why having a cybersecurity consultant like Terminal B set these up for you is the best way to go.

Office 365

First up on our list is Office 365. As one of the leading providers of cloud-based productivity and collaboration software, Office 365 offers everything from email to file sharing to online meetings and much more – all in one integrated platform. 

One of the biggest benefits of using Office 365 is that it keeps your data secure and accessible from anywhere, at any time.

Windows

As one of the most popular operating systems in the world, Windows offers a wealth of security features and tools that are designed to keep you safe online. Whether you’re looking for antivirus software, firewalls, or other system protections, Windows has you covered with powerful and easy-to-use solutions that are free to download and install.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Another critical resource for cybersecurity is Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). MFA ensures that only authorized users have access to your accounts by requiring them to provide two or more factors of authentication, such as a password and a fingerprint or code from an authenticator app. 

While MFA can be used with any online service, it’s especially important for financial institutions and other sensitive websites.

Firewall Network Services

A firewall is a network security system that monitors and controls the incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules. Firewalls can be hardware- or software-based, and they are often used in conjunction with other security measures, such as antivirus software and intrusion detection systems.

While there are many different types of firewall solutions available, most of them are free to download and use.

You Need an IT Company

Now that you know about some of the best free cybersecurity resources available, it’s important to understand why having an IT company set them up for you is so important.

First and foremost, IT professionals have the training and experience necessary to properly configure these tools to meet your specific needs. They can also provide ongoing support and maintenance to ensure that your system remains secure.

In addition, an IT company can help you develop and implement a comprehensive security plan that includes not only the use of these resources but also other measures, such as employee education and incident response procedures.

Cybersecurity is a complex and ever-changing field, and it’s important to partner with a team of experts who can keep you one step ahead of the latest threats. Terminal B is here to help with that! Contact us today for more information.

The cybersecurity landscape is constantly changing, and businesses need to be aware of the latest threats in order to protect themselves. One of the most serious threats facing businesses today comes from Russia. Russian cybercriminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated and organized and they pose a serious threat to companies all over the world.

In this article, we will discuss the current state of Russian cyberattacks, and we will provide tips on how to stay safe.

What Threats Could Come From Russia?

Russian hackers are becoming more and more sophisticated, and they are capable of launching a wide range of attacks.

Some of the most common Russian cyber threats include:

• Phishing attacks: This is one of the most common types of attack, and it involves sending fraudulent emails to unsuspecting victims. The goal of a phishing attack is to steal sensitive information such as passwords or credit card numbers.
• Ransomware: This type of attack can be very destructive, and it often involves locking users out of their computers until they pay a ransom.
• Botnets: A botnet is a network of compromised computers that can be used to launch large-scale attacks.
• Spearphishing: Spearphishing is a more targeted version of phishing, and it involves sending fraudulent emails to specific individuals or organizations.

Why Have Things Intensified?

If you find yourself asking why cyber attacks and threats from Russia have intensified, just turn on the news! With the invasion of Ukraine in full swing, Russia is looking for any way they can get a leg up on the world. That includes using subtle and sometimes undetectable methods of attack on other countries.

There are several other factors that have contributed to the rise in Russian cyber attacks. One of the main reasons is that Russia has become increasingly hostile toward the West. In addition, Russian hackers have become more skillful and organized, and they are now able to launch sophisticated attacks that can cause serious damage.

How Can You Keep Yourself Safe?

Avoiding these Russian cyberattacks can prove to be tricky, especially as attacks are becoming more intricate and more frequent. However, there are several things that you can do to protect yourself:

• Keep your software up-to-date: Hackers often exploit vulnerabilities in outdated software, so it is important to make sure that your software is up-to-date.
• Use strong passwords: Strong passwords are essential for protecting your data. Make sure to use a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols, and don’t use the same password for multiple accounts.
• Install antivirus software: Antivirus software can help protect your computer from malware and other types of attacks.
• Be cautious about what you click on: Never click on links or open attachments from unknown sources.

The Importance of Having an IT Company Analyze Your Cybersecurity Situation

If your business is worried about Russian cyber threats, it is important to partner with an IT company that can help you protect yourself. The experts at Terminal B are well-versed in cybersecurity and they can help you assess your risk and develop a plan to protect your business. Contact us today to learn more.