What You Need To Know About Co-Managed IT Services

When it comes to the technology plan or managed IT services that your business needs, a one-size-fits-all or a cookie-cutter approach isn’t what most businesses need. A proven process should be set in place if you want your business to move forward. A reliable firm, like Spartantec, Inc.,  will work with your company’s in-house IT team to address certain concerns during the proprietary business and onboarding process review.

This involves the following:

1. Evaluating your business cybersecurity plan and network infrastructure  against the industry standards
2. Identifying technology risks and determining business impact
3. Concentrating on sequencing top priorities that address business risks
4. Prioritizing IT initiatives that support the goals of your business

All these information will then be used to create recommendations, which will be provided during the consultation. After that, our IT professionals will create a plan, budget, and roadmap from comprehensive onboarding and business process. We will also take into account suggested business intelligence solution, application integration and selection, advisement and strategy, industry compliance and security, remediation plan, cybersecurity action, business continuity solutions, and disaster recovery.

With a co-managed IT service, we will improve your internal IT department. The model used for the co-managed IT services will overlay the tested and proven procedure onto your existing IT structure. Our experts will work with your tech team to create a technology plan that is aligned with your specific business and assist in managing your daily IT operations, where you can make the most out of your investment.

Co-managed IT solutions generally include:

1. Continual standards alignment and dedicated network administration
2. Development of an effective technology strategy
3. Preventative maintenance for the network as well as the end-point environment
4. Managed end-point security
5. Escalation support for your in-house IT-department
6. Cloud computing
7. Backup and disaster recovery
8. Data and IT security

Do you have an internal IT team? Are you confident they are able to handle all of todays security challenges? If you have any doubt, call SpartanTec, Inc. to learn more about how your company will benefit from co-managed IT services.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Myrtle Beach, SC  29577
843-561-9788
https://www.spartantec.com/

Puma Sportswear Recently Impacted By A Data Breach

We have recently learned that Puma Sportswear was impacted by a data breach in the waning days of 2021.

It's important to note that Puma's networks were not attacked directly.  The attack was made against Kronos which is one of the company's North American workforce management service providers.

In a recently filed data breach notification it was disclosed that the still unidentified attackers stole a variety of personal information belonging to Puma employees and their dependents from the Kronos Private Cloud. In addition, they deployed ransomware on the Kronos network.

The investigation into the breach is ongoing but it presently appears that nearly half of Puma's employees were impacted.  Kronos sent a letter to all impacted individuals.  Unfortunately, the letter was terse and contained little in the way of actionable information.

The letter states:

"On January 7, 2022, Kronos confirmed that some of your personal information was among the stolen data. We notified PUMA of this incident on January 10, 2022."

All impacted individuals have been offered two free years of Experian IdentityWorks, which includes credit monitoring, identify theft insurance, and identity restoration.

This is the second hacking incident involving Puma in recent months.  Back in August of 2021 the company's network was breached and source code for an internal application was stolen and put up for sale on the Dark Web.

The company stressed that no customer data was compromised and that the stolen information was connected solely to the company's employees.

This attack underscores the risks and dangers inherent in our increasingly interconnected world.  A data breach on a trusted vendor's network can impact your company in ways you never even imagined. That means no matter how much you spend on your own IT security, you may still be vulnerable if one of the vendors you rely on doesn't take security as seriously as your firm does.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. now if you need help in protecting your company against data breach.

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

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

Why Small and Medium Businesses Need To Focus on Cybersecurity

With the emerging ware in Europe the potential for a cyber attack has increased. High impact and high profile criminal cybersecurity is becoming more common. The data breaches on the news usually involve big and global companies. This causes many people to believe that only large firms are at risk of online attacks. They have an incorrect assumption that cybercriminals these days always seek out massive financial payout or a large cache of confidential data. But the truth is that small and medium businesses are at risk, too.

Why are SMBs at risk of cyberattacks?

It doesn’t matter how big your business is, hackers who wish to get access to your network will make the most out of any vulnerable spots they can find. A single incorrectly secured or unprotected edge device could be all they have to access a whole system.

It is important to have a comprehensive approach to cybersecurity Myrtle Beach SC to keep hackers at bay. However, many smaller firm use a haphazard method when securing their physical systems. The take on disparate solutions for video surveillance and access control which places them at a much greater risk. And as they evolve or grow, they add new technology or cameras instead of finding the resources to create a strategic plan on how to upgrade their system securely. Therefore, it’s possible that they are unaware of possible attack points on their changing physical security network.

But with better awareness and training, SMBs could mitigate these mistakes. This will take a lot of commitment from the department heads and a good understanding of what is at risk. However, SMBs believe that cybercriminals won’t attack their network but the truth is they are at a greater risk of closing down their business once they fall victim to cyberattacks.

The Effects of Data Breach

The costs of the damages brought on by a cyberattack on global businesses can reach more into the millions. This figure may seem insignificant for multinational companies but for a small and medium business, this number means a significant financial burden. Aside from the containment and clean up costs, SMBs that collect PII or personally identifiable information may have to pay fines and follow required breach reporting within 72 hours of detecting the data breach.

How can SMBs Protect Their Networks?

Just like any company, SMBs can protect their networks by implementing solutions that are created with online security in mind. The systems they utilize must include methods of encrypting data, authenticating users, and authorizing access.

Encrypting data will help small and medium businesses protect the sensitive and private data on their network and improve the security of the communication between servers and clients. Once data is encrypted, it won’t be readable without the right key and it will become useless to people who have accessed it without permission.

One authorization capabilities are integrated into cybersecurity solutions, the administrators will be able to restrict the scope of activity in the company’s systems by providing specific access rights to individuals or groups for data, resources, or applications. Administrators can easily streamline the level of access provided to every individual.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. now and let our team of IT experts help boost your cybersecurity so your company is less at risk from data breaches today and in the future.

 

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

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

Medusa Android Banking Trojan Steals Sensitive User Information

There are two new forms of malware spreading rapidly among people with Android devices according to researchers at ThreatFabric. This latest campaign involves the FluBot malware (also known as Cabassous) and the Android banking trojan called Medusa.  What's disturbing about this most recent spate of attacks is that both forms of malware share the same basic infection tactics and delivery infrastructure.

FluBot is one of the most notorious strains of Android malware and can steal passwords, banking details, and other sensitive information from infected devices. It also gains access to the user's list of contacts and uses SMS messages to spread to other devices.

FluBot's success has encouraged imitators. Although Medusa was not created by the same group that authored FluBot, Medusa's authors are following in FluBot's footsteps.

In the case of Medusa it began life as a keylogger. It has been upgraded and can now take screenshots and collect data about how the device is used.  Medusa's authors have even gone so far as to deliver their malicious payload by using poisoned apps bearing the exact same names that FluBot's controllers use.

The researchers at ThreatFabric had this to say about the matter:

"Despite the fact that Medusa is not extremely widespread at the moment, we do see an increase in volume of campaigns and a sufficiently greater number of different campaigns.

Powered with multiple remote access features, Medusa poses a critical threat to financial organisations in targeted regions."

The single best thing users can do to minimize the risk of infection by either of these forms of malware is to install apps from the Google Play store or other authorized and trusted vendors only.  Never install an app via a direct link or from some other website that offers it.  It just isn't worth the risk.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. now if you need help in protecting your business against cyberattacks.

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

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

IT Services Model Where Everyone Wins – And Where You Lose Big

If you’re a business owner, there’s probably a good chance you spent time figuring out the IT needs of your business. It’s not as easy as searching online and picking the cheapest option or the company with the best reviews. The cheap option may not provide the IT services you need to keep your business at the top of its game, and the best-reviewed business may be too expensive or offer services that are completely unnecessary for your business.

To put it simply, if you want to get the most out of your IT support services, you must do some research. If you haven’t spent a lot of time in the world of IT, it can be difficult to figure out where to even begin with your research. If you’ve found yourself in this situation previously or are preparing to open a new business and are interested in your IT support options, we’ve got you covered. We’ve put together the three most common forms of IT support and explain the benefits and drawbacks of each so you can confidently decide on the best option for your business.

Managed IT Services

In this option, the IT services company takes over the role of your in-house IT department for a fixed and agreed-upon monthly rate. They’ll install, support and maintain all the users, devices and PCs connected to your network on a routine basis. They will even take care of your hardware and software needs for an extra cost. If you’re trying to plan for a monthly budget or want routine maintenance and IT support, this option will work wonders for your business.

It’s my sincere belief that the managed IT approach is undoubtedly the most cost-effective and smartest option for any business. With managed IT services, your business will be protected from IT-related problems, and they will keep your systems up and running. They can prevent common “disasters” such as lost devices, hardware failures, fires, natural disasters and a host of other issues that can interrupt or outright destroy your IT infrastructure and the data it holds.

Technology As A Service

Another option that might work really well for your business is using a company that offers technology as a service. With these companies, you’ll get everything that managed IT services offer but with the addition of new hardware, software and support. This service ensures that your business is always up-to-date with the newest software and hardware. The greatest benefit of technology as a service is that you’ll avoid the heavy cost of new hardware and software when you need it, but you will be paying far more for the same hardware and software over time. You’ll also need to pay attention to the services they offer to ensure they can provide what you need and that it does not cost extra.

Time And Materials

Time and materials are often referred to as the “break-fix” method. This essentially means that you pay an agreed-upon hourly rate for a technician to “fix” a problem when something “breaks.” It’s a simple and straightforward way to pay for IT services Myrtle Beach SC but often doesn’t work in your favor and can lead you to pay more for basic services.

I would only recommend the time-and-materials approach if you already have an IT team and you need additional support for a problem that your current IT team doesn’t have the time or expertise to handle. Under the break-fix model, the IT company has no immediate need to stabilize your network because they are getting paid hourly. The break-fix model is unable to supply ongoing maintenance and monitoring, which computer networks need to stay secure.

Choosing the right IT option for your business can take time and is certainly not something you want to rush into. Take your time and do your research to find the best option to fit your needs. If you’re unsure of where to even begin – or need some help navigating the sometimes confusing world of IT support – give us a call. We would be glad to help you find the IT support you need.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. now if you are interested in getting expert support from IT specialists.

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

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

• Want to learn more about our IT Services?

  Submit this form and we'll contact you, or give us a call at 843.418.4792

• Name*
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• Email*
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IT Services Myrtle Beach SC

Do you want to be proactive? You should consider getting IT services Myrtle Beach SC.

It's important to not waste your time and technology.

While technology can be useful for many reasons, we believe that one thing your IT must always do is save time. It seems that there are always enough hours in a day. Good technology should help you get things done quickly and share your workload, so it flows seamlessly and is well spent.

Sometimes technology can just waste your time.

It is best to prevent problems from arising in the first place. In our years of being in business, we have seen many IT issues. Instead of fighting them every day, we developed proactive solutions to stop them from ever happening.

SpartanTec, Inc. uses best practices that we have developed in the past to ensure you do not suffer. To minimize interruptions and catch problems before they become serious, we offer 24/7 monitoring and maintenance. We can focus our efforts on improving your efficiency and productivity, so we spend more time focusing our attention.

Plan for the Problems You've Never Seen

We save every solution to an IT problem that we have solved for our clients. This allows us to share our knowledge with everyone and prevents many problems from causing disruption for clients.

We will analyze your entire system to find solutions and prevent problems from arising.

Even though we may not be able to prevent all problems, we have a lot of experience with them and can help you deal quickly with any issues that arise.

So that our services are reliable and efficient, we recommend only using products and technologies we know. We can share more information the better we are able to.

Technology Maintenance at its Best

Regular maintenance is one of the most effective ways to prevent IT support issues from developing. Regular maintenance is as easy as checking in every once in a while, looking at the entire system for a few moments, then making adjustments.

Your entire system is regularly inspected for possible problems.

So that your applications and systems run efficiently and are protected from possible threats, we implement the proper updates and upgrades.

Technology refreshes are also planned for the future, in order to replace outdated technology before they disrupt your business.

Keep alert

Our proactive actions will prevent many problems. We're good at what our do. However, we cannot stop every problem. We must be alert to IT problems as quickly as possible and ready to handle them.

We monitor your system remotely 24/7 so we are notified immediately if our tools detect a problem.

IT problems are often not detected and resolved quickly.

Remote support also makes it simple to resolve problems right away without ever having to visit your office.

Cloud Security

Safeguarding your data. Security is a key part of every cloud security strategy. SpartanTec, Inc. provides the stability and security your business needs, whether you use public hosting providers or a private platform for controlling proprietary data. Our experts will work closely with you to determine the needs of your company and offer best-in class security, such as Identity and Access Management and high availability.

Office 365

It is crucial to choose the best email plan for your company. It is the foundation of all communication. It is the foundation of collaboration. It is the foundation of productivity. Microsoft Office 365 is a leading business email platform because of its powerful capabilities. Office 365 allows companies of any size to increase productivity and reduce costs in a competitive market. We are an Office 365 provider and can assist you in optimizing this platform so that your company has the flexibility, reliability, security, and efficiency it needs.

Data Recovery & Backup

Keep a copy of your data.

This is a very simple idea, but it may be difficult to implement successfully, depending on the business. You might work with sensitive information or proprietary data. Compliance-driven data may be required. Or business content must be available from many locations. What can you do to protect your data from the day and even minutes? Our team will work with you to determine mission-critical data, and then to create a backup plan that is in line with industry and company regulations. Remote backup and data security is possible, but you might need remote support. Let us help you choose the right path.

Business Continuity

Prepare for anything. You can quickly recover from any disruption in your network, business applications, or business process. A business continuity plan will help you prepare for the worst. A down system, whether it is caused by man or not, can seriously impact customer orders, vendor commitments and revenue goals, as well as your reputation. Our team develops business continuity plans that help you get back in business.

SpartanTec, Inc. can help your company benefit from its expertise and ethical standards. Contact us now to find out how we can assist you. Call (843) 420-9760 to schedule a free, no-obligation assessment of your company's systems or send us an email at info@spartantec.com.

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

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

• Want to learn more about our IT Services?

  Submit this form and we'll contact you, or give us a call at 843.418.4792

• Name*
• Company*
• Email*
• Phone

Related Posts

• Lenscrafters, Luxottica Eyewear Patients Had Information Breached
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• Businesses Are Dangerously Avoiding Critical IT Security Updates

New Malware Is Using CSV Files To Infect Users

Researchers have spotted a new phishing campaign you should be aware of.

What sets this one apart is that the hackers are using a lowly but specially crafted CSV file to infect machines. They are installing the BazarBackdoor malware. If you're not familiar with the term CSV stands for "Comma Separated Values" and it's a text file format that can be loaded into Excel.

If you open the file in a text editor, you'll simply see alphanumeric values separated by commas with the first line generally being the headers for the spreadsheet. Open the same file in Excel and it will separate the data into neat rows and columns.

CSV files are popular because they make it relatively easy to export data from one application and import it into another. Since the files are text only most people consider them to be relatively harmless and are generally not all that cautious when opening them.

Microsoft Excel supports a feature called Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) which can be used to execute commands whose output is inputted into the open spreadsheet including CSV files.

Hackers are always on the lookout for new angles to play and have naturally begun to abuse this feature. They execute commands that download malware on the devices of unsuspecting victims.

BazarBackdoor is a stealthy malware strain created by the TrickBot group. Its main purpose as the name suggests is to provide ongoing remote access to an internal device that can be used as a springboard for further lateral movement within a network.

The current campaign is centered around emails that pretend to be "Payment Remittance Advice" emails with links to remote sites that download a CSV file with innocuous names like "document-2196t6.csv."

If this file is opened in notepad or word pad and examined, at first glance it will appear to be nothing more than a run of the mill CSV file. Unfortunately, embedded inside of it is a WMIC call in one of the columns of data that launches a PowerShell command and that's enough. That's all the hackers need to install the malware.

As always vigilance is your best defense against cyberattacks. Remind your employees not to open any emails from unknown or untrusted sources and not to download or open any attachments from those emails.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. now if you want to protect your business against malware, phishing, 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, Charleston