Four Must-Have Low-Risk Cloud Solutions

Your business is in fierce competition. They'll eat your business alive if they catch up to you in the technology "arms race". Perhaps your network requires greater security. Perhaps you aren't taking advantage of cloud-based apps that allow your team to do more in a shorter time. The cloud computing is the new frontier in business today. It's much easier for competitors than you to know what's out there.

Here are four cloud computing tips to help you stay ahead.

Network Security

Network security or monitoring your network's devices in real-time is crucial to avoid cyber-attacks as they become more mobile and diverse. A network security tool that detects weak points and alerts you of potential threats is a good choice. It can use both software and hardware technologies. Today's environment requires a multitude of checkpoints, including access control and WiFi-intrusion monitoring.

How can you defend yourself against malware that defy your monitoring efforts? No antivirus program can be 100% "bulletproof" due to recent "fileless malware attacks. However, basic protection should cost around $40 per user.

You should look for features like email security and data loss prevention. It scans fast, consumes only a small space on your device, and may recover files encrypted by ransomware.

Collaboration

It can almost be as easy as giving your team steroids - if you give them the right cloud collaboration tools. There are many apps out there, so the challenge is to find the right one for you. Asana and Slack are top contenders. These apps and others can help improve efficiency in areas such as project and task management, team communications, collaboration, brainstorming, document processing, storage, and many more. Cloud collaboration means that you don't have to limit your ability to bring in talent from just your local area.

Contracts & Accounting

Monthly revenues can be affected by delays in submitting proposals and contracts. Are your sales people still asking customers for signatures and faxes? They're wasting precious time every day if they do. There's also the cost of managing and storing physical files. All of this adds up. So many companies use electronic signature apps like Adobe Sign, DocuSign and RPost. These apps allow you to sign important documents online and encrypt files. Some of these are court-approved, and they create an audit trail.

QuickBooks, a veteran in the industry, is now available online. Xero, meanwhile, can help you manage your books with relative ease. Both offer an intuitive, user-friendly interface and affordable pricing that includes a wide range of features. They can also be accessed remotely from any location, which allows for greater flexibility in your workforce.

Business Planning

Do investors need proof that your company is a strong investment? Tarkenton GoSmallBiz is the best all-in-one planning tool. It was created by Fran Tarkenton (NFL Hall of Fame quarterback) and is specifically designed for small businesses. It provides highly customizable, detailed data fields that can be customized to simplify your planning. This allows you to create financial statements or projections directly from the program without having to use external spreadsheets. You also have access to GoSmallBiz business-planning specialists who can help you improve your plans and make better proposals.

SpartanTec, Inc. offers cloud computing services. Call us now if you want to know more about it and how it can help your business.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
(843) 420-9760
https://www.spartantec.com/

Serving: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Wilmington, Fayetteville, Florence

Recent Massive Data Breach Attacks T-Mobile Company

US telecommunications giant T-Mobile is the latest big company to suffer from a successful hacking attack. The company is still cooperating with law enforcement and investigating an attack.

Here are the details. A threat actor claimed to have made copies of databases that contained personal information belonging to more than 100 million of the company's customers.

The attacker is currently offering copies of the database for sale on the Dark Web for six bitcoin valued at approximately $280,000 USD at the time this article was written.

The database being offered contains useful information including:

• First and last name
• Dates of birth
• Driver's license numbers
• And social security numbers belonging to more than 30 million people.

The remaining records also contain personal information but the information is somewhat less comprehensive than the 30 million records mentioned above.

According to the attacker responsible for the data breach, he was able to make off with their entire IMEI history database dating back to 2004. In all the attacker claims to have made off with more than 106 GB worth of data and is actively seeking buyers.

According to the hacker the attack against T-Mobile was launched as an act of revenge against the US for the apprehension of another hacker named John Erin Binns in Germany in 2019. How much of this claim is true is unknown at this time.

If you're a T-Mobile subscriber there is nothing for you to do at present except to be mindful that large amounts of data may have been stolen. Keep a watchful eye on your accounts in the event that your customer record was compromised.

We can expect the company to make an additional announcement as their cybersecurity investigation reaches its conclusion. For the moment just be mindful of it and be aware that no company is too big or too small to be a target of relentless hackers. Your company could be next.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. now if you want to protect your company from various cybersecurity threats.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
(843) 420-9760
https://www.spartantec.com/

Serving: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Wilmington, Fayetteville, Florence

3 Deadly Mistakes That You Make When You Use Technology Cheaply

SMBs, small and medium-sized businesses, have a difficult relationship with technology today - even though they may not be aware of it. SMBs are reacting to the changing marketplace, which is becoming more complex and faster. That's why managed IT services are important.

The most successful business owners today use ever-evolving technology to grab their customers' attention and imagination, convert them and manage their day with unparalleled ease and clarity. The Internet age is an exciting time to be in business. Every business has access to incredibly powerful technology that has changed the face of commerce.

This increased dependency on technology comes with a painful truth. IT can allow us to accomplish amazing things that we would never have thought possible 10 years ago. IT can be a dangerous, unstable, and finicky scaffolding on which we build our highest hopes and dreams. Even the most advanced IT needs to be shaped to our requirements and kept safe from outsiders.

Although technology is a major part of the business, most owners view it as an additional expense and not a core component of their business. They tend to skimp on managed IT services. However, being cheap can come with a price - one that is much higher and more costly than you realize.

 

These are the three biggest mistakes that you can make when you underspend on Managed IT Services.

 

1. Instead of building your technology budget around your actual requirements, you are spending technology on a poorly planned and unrealistic budget.

SMBs with limited resources can easily see saving money on hardware and software as a win. This leads businesses to choose outdated, inefficient, and expensive solutions. Cutting corners is not a wise choice in a world that the majority of your day-today operations are governed by your digital equipment, where small businesses are constantly at risk of cyber-attack, and where data is a valuable commodity that can disappear at the speed a failed backup,

Your investment in improving your digital strategy and strengthening your cyber security might not yield immediate, tangible returns. However, adequate managed IT services are an investment. You are investing in long-term productivity, security and efficiency for your business by using the most current technology.

2. This is a recipe for disaster.

It's one thing for a computer to suddenly fail, or for an Internet connection temporarily to go down. If you don't invest in technology, your business could be vulnerable to catastrophic events that could potentially cost you thousands. Cybercrime is one of the most prevalent and least understood of these threats.

The 2016 State of Cyber Security in Small and Medium-Sized Businesses Report shows that half of all U.S. small business were victims to a cyber-attack in 2015. This number has been steadily increasing. Ransomware is the most common type of attack. This malware locks out entire systems and forces them to pay huge sums of money to retrieve it. Even if you think you are secure, there are still risks. Businesses can be shut down by server failures, system downtime and backup loss just like a hacker.

3. Your competition is winning.

It takes more than copying the latest strategies of thought leaders in your industry to outwit your competitors. This requires you to anticipate future trends and then act on them. You can always count on technology to bring about the future of your business.

Cloud services, new and constantly updating software, CRMs and a staggering array of productivity-enhancing tools are just a few of the advances your competitors are considering (if they haven't snatched them up already). Your company will be gone if you don't invest in the future.

 

Call SpartanTec, Inc. now if you need the help of IT professionals who can provide you with reliable and effective managed IT services.

 

SpartanTec, Inc.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
(843) 420-9760
https://www.spartantec.com/

Serving: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Wilmington, Fayetteville, Florence

Lockbit Ransomware Is Trying To Become Unstoppable

Over the last couple of years ransomware has become the malware of choice for hackers around the world. It's easy to understand why. Hackers using malware win in two different ways. If they successfully breach a corporation they can steal copies of important files and sell them on the black market. They can simultaneously demand a fat payout from the company itself.

A strain called Lockbit has been around since at least 2019 and is aiming to become the ransomware of choice in the hacking world. The code talent behind Lockbit has been working hard to upgrade their malicious code with increasingly advanced capabilities that make it more effective, more efficient, and harder to stop.

Even more troubling is the fact that Lockbit's owners have been offering their code as 'ransomware-as-a-service' on the Dark Web. This allows hackers to rent the code for a relatively modest price which increases its usage rate.

This 'ransomware-as-a-service' scheme has also accelerated the pace of the malware's development. This is as the coders get suggestions and requests from their rapidly growing user base which are quickly incorporated into the code.

According to researchers at Trend Micro Lockbit's popularity is booming and it is now one of the most popular and widely used ransomware strains on the market today.

Trend's researchers indicated that a lot of Lockbit's current success stems from the fact that the hackers behind the code emulated the moves of the most successful cyber gangs of the past. The group also seems to have benefited from the recent disappearance of a few high profile gangs taken down by law enforcement officials from around the world.

The bottom line is that the people behind Lockbit know what they're doing. They've got a growing body of experience and are committed to updating their code. That means Lockbit will be a serious threat for the foreseeable future.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. now if you want to protect your company from ransomware and other online threats.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
(843) 420-9760
https://www.spartantec.com/

Serving: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Wilmington, Fayetteville, Florence

Even Computer Hardware Manufacturers Can Get Hit By Ransomware

Retailers, hospitals and financial institutions tend to be the targets of choice for the hackers of the world. Of course they're not the only targets of ransomware and other online threats. The simple truth is that any company can find itself in the cross hairs of a hacker.

The most recent victim is Taiwanese motherboard manufacturer Gigabyte. In addition to shutting down manufacturing operations in Taiwan the attack also took a number of the company's web-based systems. They include its online support and the Taiwanese website itself.

The investigation into the matter is ongoing. The early indications are that the company fell victim to the RansomEXX strain of ransomware. In addition to locking files on a number of Gigabyte's network devices the hackers made off with some 112 GB of data. The hackers have published portions of this data on their own website on the Dark Web as proof that they were indeed behind the attack.

The Ransom EXX strain has an interesting history. It began life in 2018 as a strain called Defray. For the first couple of years of its life it gained little traction among the hackers of the world. It wasn't used in many high profile attacks.

It seemed to go dormant and re-emerged in 2020 as RansomEXX with a raft of new capabilities. It is not clear whether it was abandoned and picked up by a new hacker group or the original Defray authors used their initial experiments to refine the code. In its current form RansomEXX is a dangerous threat indeed and is capable of infecting both Windows- and Linux-based systems

The group controlling the malware has used it to attack a number of high profile targets in recent weeks, including:

• The Texas state Department of Transportation
• The Brazilian Government
• IPG PhotonicsAnd more.Be on your guard against this one. You definitely don't want to be the hackers' next victims.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. now if you need help keeping your company protected against ransomware and other  online threats.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
(843) 420-9760
https://www.spartantec.com/

Serving: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Wilmington, Fayetteville, Florence

Coalition Of Big Names Coming Together To Fight Ransomware

If you're worried about ransomware attacks know that help is on the way.

The CISA (Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency) has announced a partnership with some of the biggest names in tech. The specific purpose of this collaborative effort called the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative is to put an end to ransomware and other serious cyber threats.

In recent years ransomware has emerged as one of the favored tools of hackers around the world. It allows hackers to profit in two ways from networks they break into. They can sell any data that they collect prior to locking files and they can charge the victim a hefty fee to get their files unlocked.

The collaborative effort has gained global attention and the following companies have joined the government to assist:

• Amazon
• Google
• Microsoft
• Crowdstrike
• AT&T
• FireEye
• Mandiant
• Lumen
• Palo Alto Networks
• And Verizon.

The Collaborative will be expanded as time goes by and will eventually include other companies as well per the CISA. Also note that the CISA is not the sole governmental agency participating in the Collaborative.

The other agencies involved include:

• The FBI
• The Office of the Director of National Intelligence
• The Department of Justice
• The NSA (National Security Agency)
• And US Cybercommand

This isn't a half measure. There is much width and depth of expertise in the two lists above. It is apparent that the Collaborative means business and has the resources to get the job done.

No one is expecting that the Collaborative effort will be able to put an end to cyber attacks. With the capabilities of this group they will undoubtedly be able to make some serious headway. The very existence of the Collaborative may be sufficient to give at least some hackers pause.

This is great news indeed if you're at all concerned about cybersecurity and the threats that hackers around the world pose.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. now if you want to protect your company from ransomware and other online threats.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
(843) 420-9760
https://www.spartantec.com/

Serving: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Wilmington, Fayetteville, Florence

What SMBs Need To Know About Cybersecurity Insurance

A cybersecurity incident can be devastating to any company. But for a small- or medium-sized company, an attack can shut down the business. That’s why insurance is becoming a critical component of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy.

But where do you start to make a choice in plans?

Cybersecurity insurance, often called cyber liability or data breach liability insurance, is a type of coverage that stands alone from other types of coverage. Should a network outage or service interruption be caused by a data breach or other cyber event, it helps the insured recover losses.

Here’s what you need to know to choose the policy that best suits your risk profile and business needs.

• Ransomware is on the rise; but so far, demands have had relatively low dollar figures. Now that hackers know companies will pay to have data returned, price tags will rise.
• Data protection is a priority for businesses as well as regulators, but when a determined hacker exposes that data to criminal elements, that business is now out of compliance. Fines and penalties may rise as the threat continues.
• Smaller businesses, it is presumed, will not spend the same on security as larger companies, and are perceived as a softer target by hackers. This view is self-fulfilling: If more attack because the target is perceived as weak, the target will find itself under attack more often.
• Hackers will grow more sophisticated, using viruses that are harder to detect, adapting open source malware they can purchase online, and in some cases, assume the identities of company players and wreak very expensive havoc.

What do you pay for with a cybersecurity insurance policy?

The policies for cybersecurity insurance are different from general liability or property plans because the prices and exclusions for this type of coverage vary much between insurers. But the cost is high in part because the cost of a breach is high and includes ransomware payouts, compliance penalties, breach remediation and reputational loss.

How to Minimize Costs of a Cybersecurity Breach

There are two best ways to avoid all these costs — the first being to deploy an advanced cybersecurity platform, one that has a “security fabric” or layers of protection, so threats that slip through the first layer can be stopped or slowed at subsequent layers.

The second is to make insurance part of that plan. Start with risk assessment with an expert who knows security. Take advantage of companies like Fortinet, a VLCM partner, and its free online cyber threat assessment program.

You’ll need to carefully review financial and customer data, and know if they are high- or low-risk. You’ll also need to know where you’re vulnerable, and that’s where an expert can help.

Remember, insurance alone is not enough to protect your business from the harms of cyber crime. Most policies will not cover intellectual theft — stolen plans, software code, or other property that is unique to your business. Insurance often cannot cover reputation or customer loss, because that cannot be charted on an actuarial table.

 

Your insurance needs to be coupled with strong cybersecurity controls and best practices.  SpartanTec, Inc. can deliver the advantages of multiple layers of protection. Contact us.

 

SpartanTec, Inc.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
(843) 420-9760
https://www.spartantec.com/

Serving: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Wilmington, Fayetteville, Florence