Cloud storage has really come into its own in the last few decades. Although this technology has been around since the late 1990s, it has only recently been adopted by the masses. Today 94% of companies use cloud technology and around 50% of all corporate data is stored on the cloud.Read more
Every company needs to have a data backup and disaster recovery plan in place in this data-first world. Disaster recovery refers to a program used to regain access to data, systems and IT services after an unintended outage. Backup is often a critical part of the recovery process.Read more
Many small and medium-sized business owners (SMBs) think that supply chain attacks won't happen. While SMBs might not be the initial target of a supply chain attack, they can easily get caught up in the crossfire and become collateral damage.
In a supply chain attack, a hacker targets a single supplier. This is usually a supplier of IT software and services. The hacker compromises their networks and then moves laterally to compromise the networks of the supplier's customers and partners. Many of these customers may be SMBs.
SMB's need to be on alert because supply chain attacks are rising in popularity. For cyber-criminals, these attacks are incredibly efficient. They break into one business and get access to many others.
A report from the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) found that 668 entities were hit by supply chain attacks which affected over 27 million individuals. The number of these attacks increased by 42% in the first quarter of 2021 compared to winter 2020.
Why Are Supply Chain Attacks Becoming More Common?
Supply chains are core to modern-day business operations. No matter how big or small your company is, you likely depend on a mixture of partners and suppliers for digital and physical services. This means businesses are more connected than ever before. The modern supply chain is like a complex web with many companies linked up. If a hacker can get into this web, the damage they can do is devastating.
Modern-day supply chains are often opaque which makes things more complex. You might know who your suppliers are but do you know who their suppliers are and who their suppliers are? If you don't, you're not alone. Research indicates that over a third of businesses don't know how many external suppliers they use.
Top Supply Chain Security Vulnerabilities
There are many types of supply chain cyber risks. One of the most common is ransomware which is a variety of malware that enables attackers to hold the data and files on your computer for ransom. It leaves you unable to access those files until you pay the ransom.
Ransomware variants like REvil can quickly spread through thousands of computers. To enable this type of ransomware, all it takes is for your supplier to fall for a phishing attack.
Another supply chain security threat that can impact supply chains is the risk of unpatched security vulnerabilities which enable attackers to manipulate systems and data. Here are other threats that could affect the supply chain:
- Third-party service providers or vendors with poor access controls
- Poor employee training practices which lead to successful social engineering attacks
- Compromised software or hardware that you purchase from a supplier
- Software security vulnerabilities in the supply chain ecosystem
Supply Chain Cyber Security Strategies for Small to Medium-Sized Businesses
Supply chain security threats can make SMBs feel powerless. Even if they're not a target of an attack, they could end up suffering a data breach due to a third party.
The good news is that there are ways to improve your security and tackle supply chain issues. The best strategy is a holistic one where you focus on thoroughly vetting your partners and bolstering your own security defenses. One of the most important solutions that you can put in place is threat detection and response to raise alerts if an attacker breaches your systems.
While these solutions can be a huge help to SMBs, many business leaders don't have the time or resources to dedicate time to creating a thorough security strategy. This is where managed security services become essential.
Rather than haphazardly managing supply chain security, you can hand over your cyber security to a dedicated partner like us. We can help you with protection from end to end by implementing a Unified Threat Management (UTM) solution that is designed to eliminate the majority of threats your business might face.
Our managed UTM solution utilizes these firewall and antivirus tools to prevent threats from entering your network while eliminating any malicious software that does manage to sneak through due to supply chain vulnerabilities. Our antivirus and firewall solutions are continuously updated with the most recent threat definitions so you can keep even recently discovered issues from becoming a bigger problem.
Get a Cybersecurity Network Audit to Protect Your Business
It only takes one threat to expose your entire network infrastructure to the outside world. Neither you or your company can afford to allow this to happen. In order to ensure the further success of your business, we recommend that you reach out to Sound Computers for a network consultation.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation. Call 860-577-8060 or reach us online.
The Microsoft Office productivity suite is a staple in the software cupboard for businesses around the globe. Access to tools like Teams, Word and Excel powers daily business operations. However, smaller businesses may find the costs of Microsoft 365 to be off-putting. This often leads small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to opt for competitors like Google Workspace.
While Teams is a great collaboration tool, it’s not the only one out there. Options like Google Hangout, Slack and Zoom are also viable for SMBs. You can get them without needing to pay more than a fraction of the price of paying for the Office productivity suite.
Last year, Microsoft appeared to have a realization. It gathered that some SMBs would like to use Teams without needing to pay for the corporate Office 365 package. There is a free version of Teams but it has a few limitations that make it less attractive than its video-call solution competitors.
Enter Microsoft Teams Essentials. It is a new collaboration solution designed specifically for SMBs. If you’re curious about how Teams Essentials works and how it compares to the other versions of Microsoft Teams, read on for some essential info.
Why has Microsoft introduced Teams Essentials?
During the pandemic, Microsoft Teams usage skyrocketed. Teams jumped from 75 million users in April 2020 to 115 million in October 2020 to 145 million in April 2021. Most of these users are employees within medium and large-sized businesses.
For SMBs, Microsoft Teams was often unobtainable. To purchase it, they needed to buy the broader enterprise-focused Microsoft 365 suite or use the limited free version.
With the rise of Google Docs and other free cloud-based productivity tools, it didn’t make sense for many SMBs to purchase Microsoft 365.
Microsoft has noticed that it is missing out on a massive chunk of the market by failing to enable Teams for SMBs. This is why it has introduced Microsoft Teams Essentials.
How is Microsoft Teams Essentials different from the other versions?
The Microsoft 365 package, which includes Teams and web versions of applications like Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, typically costs $5.00 per user (per month).
In comparison, Teams Essentials comes as a standalone product. You have access to Teams but not the other applications in Office 365. It costs a whole dollar less than the 365 package and comes in at $4.00 per user (per month). While a dollar doesn’t sound like much of a difference, the price variation quickly adds up if you have many users.
Compared to the free version of Teams, Microsoft Essentials has some unique selling points that make it an excellent option for SMBs, including:
- Instant messaging and video call options
- Virtual, customizable backgrounds
- Access to Together Mode
- A meeting lobby where guests can wait before a meeting starts
- Double the cloud storage of the free version
- Video calls of up to 30 hours and containing 300 participants (The free version only allows for meetings up to 60 minutes and 100 participants.)
What are the advantages of Microsoft Teams Essentials?
At Sound Computers, we’re big fans of Microsoft Teams and other Microsoft tools. While the collaboration tool you choose will depend on your company’s unique needs, we’re confident that Microsoft Teams Essentials can benefit most SMBs today. Here is why we are so sure.
Improved Communication When Working Remotely
Research indicates that the two biggest challenges employees face in the remote working world are loneliness and difficulties collaborating with co-workers. Teams Essentials can help you tackle both of these.
With video call functionality and instant messaging options within an intuitive user interface, Teams Essentials makes it easier than ever for your employees to connect and collaborate from a distance.
We also love that Teams humanizes online communications using emojis, gifs and likes just like you would use on Facebook!
Empower Employee Productivity
When working remotely, communicating with colleagues over email can feel clunky and time-consuming. This leads to lost hours of productivity and dampening the employee experience. When you use Teams’ instant messaging function, you’re helping your employees to work at a pace that suits them. They can chat with their co-workers in real-time and without needing to craft formal emails for every question, request or reply.
Onboard New Employees More Efficiently
Joining a new company remotely can be really challenging. How do you know who to ask for help? Who should your point of contact be? How do you get stuck into the workplace culture?
Teams Essentials makes this easy. You can seamlessly onboard new employees, keep in touch with them and ensure they feel connected to your company’s mission.
Get Help Implementing/Managing Your Microsoft Teams Essentials Plan
Sound Computers can help your Connecticut business with the adoption of Microsoft Teams Essential. If you already use Microsoft 365, we can help you to use it better and take full advantage of all the value provided.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation. Call 860-577-8060 or reach us online.
It seems like another cyber attack occurs or a new form of malware emerges every day. Cybersecurity Ventures expects global cybercrime costs to grow by 15% per year over the next five years and reach $10.5 trillion by 2025. This leads us to the need for cyber insurance.
Read more
It is a scary thought. The analyst firm Gartner predicts that a whopping 99% of cloud security breaches will be the customer’s fault by 2025. This means that cloud providers (like Amazon, Microsoft and Slack) are doing an excellent job at keeping their platforms secure but their clients (businesses across the globe) are failing. Read more
It is no secret that the cloud is the future of business operations. Gartner predicts that global spending on cloud services will reach over $482 billion in 2022. That is up from the $313 billion in 2020.Read more
Privileged account management (PAM) is a useful way for companies to ensure that users with excess access privileges are using their accounts appropriately and securely. PAM is also a valuable means to ensure that privileged accounts have not been compromised by external cyber-attackers.Read more
You might have heard of ransomware and malware but "Bossware" might be a new term for you. Don't panic. Bossware isn't a new type of cybercrime. It is actually a tool that your business can use to monitor employee productivity.Read more
Aside from personal resolutions, the new year is also a great time to make business-focused goals. While goals in business typically relate to sales figures, we advocate that our clients also think about technology goals.
Every company is a technology company in today's world. Digital transformation has swept across sectors. Whether you are a retailer, hospital or manufacturer, you undoubtedly rely on technology for business operations.
Great usage of technology can be a business differentiator. A study done by the Boston Consulting Group found that companies that adopt new technologies quickly perform much better than their competitors.
The reason for this can be traced back to what customers crave today: speed, convenience and friendly service (as found by PwC). The last one is down to you. However, reaching high levels of speed and convenience today is impossible without the help of technology.
How can you use technology to boost your business this year? Here are the technology goals that we think you should make for the year ahead.
1. Embrace the Cloud
Legacy technology systems can prevent your business from growing and adapting as the world becomes more tech-driven. The cloud offers a scalable, flexible and cost-effective solution for small and medium-sized companies. As your business grows and shifts, cloud infrastructure evolves with it.
Cloud storage and backup are a must-have in modern business. This is even more crucial with employees working from home. We advise that you invest in cloud backup. This ensures that a copy of your data is stored in the cloud so that you won't lose it if your hardware stops working or there is a disaster.
A great cloud backup solution works in real-time and backs up company data on all corporate devices as your people work. The cloud also offers a convenient pay-per-use model that only charges you for the number of resources you use.
The one thing to keep in mind with the cloud is security. The cloud works via a shared responsibility model. This means that the cloud provider is responsible for securing the underlying infrastructure. However, it is up to you to make sure that the correct configurations and access controls are in place. This is proving tricky for many companies. Gartner predicts that 99% of cloud data breaches will be the customer's fault by 2025. If you need help securing your cloud resources, our dedicated IT support team can guide you through the process.
2. Be Ready for Anything
The pandemic has shown us that we never really know what will come next. A disruption could be around the next corner. It is challenging to plan for these unknown factors but you can boost your company's resilience so that you bounce back from a problem quickly.
We advise you to create business continuity, incident response and disaster recovery plans. These are high-level documents that guide you and your people through responding to an incident (floods, cyber-attacks, etc).
Securing these kinds of plans will help you respond to incidents calmly and efficiently which reduces the damage done to your business.
3. Harness Outside Expertise
Research indicates that 80% of small businesses are not taking full advantage of available technology. This statistic is a concern because technology has the potential to supercharge a business.
Many small businesses lack the in-house expertise to harness technology's potential. They stick to functional technology rather than exploring technology as a differentiator.
Even for small businesses with a dedicated IT person, this employee is often overwhelmed by tedious IT support queries which gives them no time to look at the big picture.
This is why we advocate IT sourcing. A great outsourcing partner can help you to discover new efficiencies through technology as well as ease the burden on your in-house IT staff.
4. Cover the Security Basics
Verizon found that 81% of breaches in 2020 were due to stolen or weak passwords.
Employees use memorable - but guessable - passwords like '12345' or 'password' far too often. Using these simple passwords makes you more likely to suffer a data breach.
Hackers search for low hanging fruit when they target your business. This means that they look for easy ways to break into your network. You can bet the first tactic they will try is entering easy-to-guess passwords.
Many small businesses think that cybercriminals won't target them. This isn't true. All businesses today hold sensitive data and that is what hackers are looking for. In fact, some cybercriminals will specifically target small businesses because they know their defenses will be weaker than a large corporation.
Improving your password policies is straightforward. Here are some tips that you should share with employees:
- Employees should use a mix of characters, special characters and numbers for their passwords.
- Employees must change their passwords at least every six weeks.
- Employees should maintain a unique password for each of their accounts.
- Employees should use a free password manager to keep track of different passwords.
Make 2022 the year you reach new heights!
Sound Computers can help your Connecticut business start 2022 with better use of technology so that you can create new revenue streams.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation. Call 860-577-8060 or reach us online.