Tim Pearson, Author at CreativeTechs

January 10, 2017

Your Business’ Greatest Cyber Security Flaw Is A Surprisingly Human One

With cyber security breaches making headlines on an almost daily basis, it’s no wonder that it’s become an important area of focus for business owners. And while stepping up a firewall and antimalware software and adding additional protections such as two-factor authentication and data encryption are all critical when it comes to protecting your business, there is a much bigger flaw present in your security.

Despite being the single greatest vulnerability in any business’ IT security, the area that is universally overlooked is your employees. Human error accounts for more data breaches than any other factor and often plays a key role in all sorts of infections, intrusions, and thefts. One small, avoidable mistake can render every single security measure your business has in place all but useless.

There is no one mistake than can be blamed for these statistics. Some of the most common errors that result in data loss for businesses are:

Poor password management
Failure to recognize a phishing attempt
Data being sent to the wrong recipient via email, fax, or post
Unsecured disposal of outdated hardware
Improper disposal of paper files
Loss or theft of unsecured devices such as laptops, smartphones, or external drives
Failure to encrypt or redact sensitive information

Waiting until after a breach occurs to address these vulnerabilities leaves your business open to a host of serious consequences such as loss of profits, loss of clients, fines, and potentially even legal ramifications. Which is why comprehensive and routine education and training for your entire team needs to be a critical component of your overall cyber security strategy.

Taking the time to educate your team on the proper way to handle data, how to spot and avoid the latest cyber threats, and what they can do to minimize the impact an infection or breach will have on your business will go a very long way towards keeping your business secure. Investing time, effort, and funds into new security software and tools will be a wasted investment if your staff conducts themselves – however unintentionally – in a way that undermines those measures.

Want to learn more about how you can take your employees from your greatest weakness to your biggest strength? Contact us at {email} or {phone}. We’re the IT professionals businesses in {city} trust.

Tim Pearson

January 10, 2017

January 10, 2017

Ransomworms: Not Your Average Bug

You likely know about ransomware but do you know about ransomworms?

Ransomware is one of the most common ways that hackers are using these days to infiltrate companies and make a profit. It has been very profitable for them but now security experts see the next phase of hackers uses a different method: ransomworms. It is still a way for hackers to hold data hostage but it also differs in some ways.

What is a Ransomworm?

Worms are not new to the cyber security radar. In fact, common network worms that have been around for years include Conficker, CodeRed, and SQL Slammer. However, some security experts are saying that in 2017, we can expect to see these worms combined with the ransomware attacks that we see so often today. This combination will create the first generation of ransomworms. It is anticipated that they will be encrypted worms that will hold data and files from their target. They will then move across the network allowing them to get multiple targets in a single attack.

The Ransomware Evolution

Not only do security experts believe that ransomworms will become a part of cyber-attacks, but they also think it will continue to evolve. One evolution they are predicting is that it will be able to steal data and files first before encrypting it. This will allow them to hold the same data hostage from the target more than one time. This has already happened in some attacks where the victim was able to restore the data from a backup that was encrypted only to determine a few weeks later that it had been stolen.

The Cloud Maybe a Target

Many companies rely on their cloud to be relatively safe, but studies have found that these same companies are not establishing a valid backup for the data stored there. This makes the cloud a large target and it is expected that 2017 will be the year that attacks are focused here. This is because hackers see this as a higher possibility of getting the ransom paid since they cannot get their own data from their backup systems. This is a huge security risk, but it can also result in more infrastructure upgrade for the cloud providers. This cost will likely be passed on to the companies that pay for the services in the coming year.

How to Protect Your Company

Every day in 2016, there were more than 4,000 ransomware attacks. In 2017, this number is expected to increase along with the ransomworm attacks that will begin to grow. Even if you have not yet been a victim of these types of attacks, it doesn’t mean you won’t be, and you need to be able to protect yourself. There are many ways you can do this and it is best to have multiple layers of protection. Some things to consider include:

Installing and updating anti-virus and anti-malware software
Monitoring your network and all traffic
Training your employees as well as testing them on their security knowledge
Developing and implementing policies for the use of computers, tablets, data, cell phone, and cloud applications for the business
Implementing, managing and monitoring your security policies and settings
Scheduling regular backup of data
Testing for disaster recovery

To learn more about how you can protect your business in {city} from ransomworms and other threats, be sure to contact {company} via {phone} or {email}.

Tim Pearson

January 10, 2017

January 5, 2017

Heat Up Your Human Firewall With Security Awareness

You may have already had a network firewall to fend off malicious entry. How well-trained are your gatekeepers; i.e., your human firewall?

This article highlights some things you can do to make sure your system users can recognize intrusion dangers from other sources like email and malicious links.

This article highlights some things you can do to make sure your system users can understand intrusion risks from other sources like email and malicious links.

Whether your organization is a covered entity or business associate, the HIPAA umbrella casts a long shadow. Information breaches bring strong sanctions, even in the “Unknowing” category–with a maximum of $50,000 per violation up to $1.5 million annually. The fines and administrative penalties following a hack or unauthorized discloser are somewhat akin to receiving a traffic ticket following an accident that totals your vehicle after you have loaned it to an inexperienced driver.

Security measures are only the beginning

Your personal health record data is undoubtedly protected in secure servers. You employ malware and virus protection, because you know just how valuable medical records are to the cyber underworld. So the protection may be in the engine, but what about the users at the wheel?

Cyber attacks don’t always depend on backdoor intrusions through vulnerable websites or Internet browsers. For example, this LA Times online story chronicles how 108 county employees opened a phishing email and provided user names and password to their accounts, “some of which contained confidential patient or client information…”

Yes, county officials said “they have strengthened security measures…and enhanced employee training…” but that is scant consolation to the 756,000 people whose names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, financial information and medical records ended up in the hands of a Nigerian scammer.

User Training is essential…

So protecting files is not the same thing as protecting access to them. The LA County incident illustrates several points made in this Health IT Security.com online article by Bill Kleyman:

End-user awareness of underlying security is no more complicated than learning how to identify the threats. Kleyman advises educating employees in what they should not do, i.e.:

Don’t open attachments on emails from strangers. If the email is from someone they know, check with the send before opening the attachment. (Even then, the “friend” could be passing along something infected.)

Don’t–that is, never–click on embedded link in emails from strangers. Check the link out by hovering your cursor over the link. If it looks suspicious, leave it alone and look online for suspicious cyber threat indicators.

Don’t plug in USB peripheral devices that have not been scanned. Hackers have been known to place infected USB thumb drives in parking lots, relying on the natural curiosity of those who would foolishly plug them into their network computer.

Don’t log into health care accounts from unsecured mobile wireless locations. Hackers hang out at coffee shops and other public areas with Wifi access and can glean usernames and passwords from mobile devices.

In the do category, Kleyman recommends:

Do pay attention to regular data backups and do them offline. In the case of ransomware, backups might be the only way to restore blocked data.
Do use anti-malware software that downloads periodic updates to keep up with the emerging threats.

Do hold security workshops “with different user-focused themes.” This, according to Kleyman promotes positive interaction with the end-user community and keeps security awareness at the forefront.

How {company} can help

Looking for help with cyber security and training for your employees in {city}? Contact us at {email} to learn more, or call us at {phone} to talk to one of our dedicated staff.

Tim Pearson

January 5, 2017

December 30, 2016

Top Strategic Technology Trends of 2017

Technology advances show no sign of slowing down. 2017 will be no different and we have highlighted some of the top trends you can expect this coming year.

Technology has started to become an aspect of life for many people. It is a part of almost everything that we do on a daily basis. Every year there are new advances in technology that integrate even more into our lives. 2017 will be no different. These are the top strategic technology trends you can expect this new year and something to keep an eye on in your industry.

Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Machine Learning. Artificial intelligence and machine learning incorporates many things such as deep learning and other advances systems that can understand, learn, adapt, and predict behavior. While some of these things may be very expensive to integrate into your business, you can consider using a form of it to predict customer behavior to benefits them as well as you. For example, you can use it as a way to predict what a customer will buy by taking a look at what they are already purchasing. Kroger in the US or Woolworths in Australia plus other big grocery store chains are already doing this and using it as a way to provide coupons for frequently bought items and suggesting items to add to their virtual grocery list.
Intelligent Apps. Intelligent apps come in many shapes and sizes but most often you find them in the form of virtual assistants. Even if you do not want to be in the business of making your business like a virtual assistant, you may want to consider teaming up with a company that does and integrating with them. This will not only allow your services to be used more easily but you will likely get more customers as a result. Intelligent apps are not just limited to virtual assistants anymore, though. The technology is becoming more and more advanced. In the next few years, more companies will use this type of technology to create better user interfaces on their apps and make the experience more enjoyable by making it more customized.
Virtual and Augmented Reality. Everywhere you look, there is a new virtual reality device or an augmented reality app. For example, just a few months ago, Pokemon Go took the world by storm and there are many new devices being sold for the holidays this year. Companies are using it as a way to train employees and the military is even using it as a way to train for combat. It changes the way that people interact with each other and there is likely a way you can integrate this in your own business if you get creative. It is becoming a more affordable type of technology so it is something to consider integrating this year. The technology will only get better and better and it will be interesting to see what happens in the next year.

This year, you may even want to integrate some of these trends into your IT planning so you can stay ahead of the technology trends in your industry. There are new technologies coming out every year and 2017 is set to be a very positive year. For more information on these trends and more in {city}, be sure to contact {company} by calling them at {phone} or by emailing them at {email}.

Tim Pearson

December 30, 2016

December 30, 2016

Happy New Year Everyone!

Wow, 2016 is done already! Where did the time go? We would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone as safe and happy new year this weekend. See you all in 2017.

Tim Pearson

December 30, 2016

December 29, 2016

What Are The Negative Affects Of Malware?

As malware attacks continue to increase in frequency, businesses must take proactive steps to protect their enterprise data from theft or ransom.

IT security experts have revealed that there were over one million web attacks against individuals 365 days in 2015. Unfortunately the number of attacks didn’t slow down in 2016, which means that businesses took stronger security measures to protect their vital business data. Education and awareness of the negative affects of malware, as well as the steps needed to prevent these attacks, remains one of the best ways that businesses can properly protect their information and data.

How Can Malware Negatively Affect Your Business?
Hackers deliver malware to your computer by disguising emails, creating fake websites, or tricking you into directly downloading the malicious code. Once you have accidentally installed the malicious program, a number of activities can take place:

The malware can begin to replicate;
It can block access to certain files or the entire system;
Your desktop can be spammed with unwanted ads; or
It can capture keystrokes to better access secure areas of your enterprise network.

As these negative affects show, malware protection and detection is key to protecting your enterprise data.

What Are The Most Popular Types Of Malware?
Identifying the most popular types of malware attacks can help you to protect and detect malware attacks.

Computer Virus — A virus is one of the most common types of malware. It is typically designed to replicate itself from one file to another for a wide variety of purposes.
Trojan Horse — This type of malware is designed to remain harmless to programs, while simultaneously attempting to steal passwords of important files from the computer or account user.
Worms — Worms are a type of malware that are designed to create widespread damage on an entire network by “jumping” from computer to computer.
Spyware — As the name suggests, this type of malware is designed to monitor user activity, while simultaneously gathering information, including: passwords and login credentials.
Logic Bombs — When triggered by a specific action, this type of malware can wipe a computer hard drive or crash an entire system.
Ransomware — This new type of malware is designed to hold your computer, network, system, or data hostage until a set ransom is paid to the hackers.

In conclusion, understanding the harmful affects of malware can help you to create a proactive security approach to securing your network from current and future threats. Remember that employee education is the key to any IT security solution. To learn more about how to protect your network from malware attacks or for additional information on the latest data security threats contact {company} located in {city} via {email} or {phone}.

Tim Pearson

December 29, 2016

December 28, 2016

Weekly Tech Tip: Require employees to use strong passwords and to change them often

Consider implementing multifactor authentication that requires additional information beyond a password to gain entry. Check with your vendors that handle sensitive data, especially financial institutions, to see if they offer multifactor authentication for your account.

Tim Pearson

December 28, 2016

December 28, 2016

Introducing the New OneDrive Admin Center

The OneDrive Admin Center preview was just released. This is what you need to know.

There are so many great changes happening to OneDrive and the most recent one that you can benefit from is the new OneDrive Admin Center. While this has not yet rolled out to all users, it will be available soon. The preview is available to First Release customers currently and OneDrive is looking to hear feedback so if you have access, you need to check it out and let them know what you think.

The Advances of the Year

OneDrive has been busy all year updating their systems and adding new features. They have worked towards making things easier and better for their end users in areas such as IT, web, mobile, and across sync. The advances have come at a rapid pace and they are simply trying to keep up with the things their customers have vocalized as needs. Another component to this is that as the number of users and usage grows for companies, they have reached out asking for easier ways to administer their company OneDrive settings and policies. One of the ways they are doing just that is through the OneDrive Admin Center.

What You Need to Know About the OneDrive Admin Center

The OneDrive Admin Center will be available for more people to view before too long but for now, you can only use it if you are a First Release Customer. To check to see if you have access, you can try to view the preview at https://admin.onedrive.com. To get a good look at what it offers without having access to the preview, we have you covered. These are the key features of the Admin Center by section:

Home Dashboard. On this page, you will be able to see all of your most recent Office 365 Message Center posts. You can also view your usage reporting that is related to OneDrive for Business.
Share Information. You can view and control exactly what you share and with who from this page. You can also view who your users are sharing information with. This page allows you to control the use of external sharing and your anonymous links. You can also limit the external domains that your users can share information with.
Control Syncing. You can block syncing of specific file types while also denying syncing to any PCs or devices that are not from your domain.
Manage Storage. Within this section, you will be able to set default storage limits as well as document retention durations. This allows you to better control how your storage is used.
Control Device Access. You do not want any device gaining access to your files. Now you can control how and where someone can access them. You can deny access from personal devices or other networks if that is what you want. You can also implement Mobile Application Management Intune policies for iOS and Android devices.
Ensure Compliance. You can find links to auditing, data loss prevention, eDiscovery, and retention from the Office 365 Security and Compliance Center so you can better maintain your compliance.

The OneDrive Admin Center will make many components of your business safer and more productive. To find out more, contact {company} in {city} via {phone} or {email}.

Tim Pearson

December 28, 2016

December 27, 2016

Should You Really Pay with Your Phone?

Technology has made pretty much everything easier, even paying for items. Although it is easier to pay with your phone, is it really smart to do it?

How nice is it that technology has advanced so much that you do not even have to get your wallet out to pay anymore? Technology has made many aspects of our lives easier than we ever though possible but that does not mean that all of them are the safest ways to do things. Paying with your phone might be extremely convenient but before you make it a habit, there are a few things you should consider if you want your money and personal information to be kept as safe as possible.

How Reliable is the App

The app that you are using to pay with your phone would be assumed to be safe. However, you should never assume anything and every app has its own vulnerabilities. Before you use any app, you need to make sure that it is one that you would trust. You will be putting in some very sensitive information such as your banking account, your credit card information, and more. Before you let them have access to all of it, take the time to vet the app and the company that supports it. Are other people happy with the app? Is it secured? You also need to check for the app permissions and their privacy policy. Make sure that they only have access to the information they need and not everything on your phone.

Protect Your Phone

Once you have decided on an app that you can trust, you need to be extra careful about keeping your phone secure. If your phone ends up in the wrong hands, you are essentially giving them all of your personal and account information so they can take all of your money and steal your identity. It is extremely important to set up a password on your phone and on the app, if it is allowed. Make sure the passwords are not the same. Also, consider ensuring that you use a strong password that can not be easily guessed and never share the information with anyone. Keep a close eye on your phone and never leave it unattended or unlocked.

Use Secure Networks

Even if your phone and the app are very secure, you do not want to risk using your phone if you have to connect to a network that is not secure. Cyber criminals are known to use unsecured networks to get valuable information and hack devices. Do not use public Wi-Fi if you can help it and never connect to a network that you are not sure about. Instead, use your mobile network and ensure it has a password before sharing information through it.

Even by taking all of these precautions, there is still no guarantee that your information will remain safe. You should always keep your app up to date in case there was a patch to keep everything more secure. Also, you should keep an eye on your bank statement and phone statement every month to ensure that there haven’t been any hacks on your personal information. For more information about keeping your data secure in {city}, be sure to contact {company} via {phone} or {email}.

Tim Pearson

December 27, 2016

December 25, 2016

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Best wishes for a happy holiday season and our sincere thanks for your loyalty and goodwill throughout the year.

Tim Pearson

December 25, 2016

Need Help?

Your Business’ Greatest Cyber Security Flaw Is A Surprisingly Human One

Ransomworms: Not Your Average Bug

You likely know about ransomware but do you know about ransomworms?

Heat Up Your Human Firewall With Security Awareness

You may have already had a network firewall to fend off malicious entry. How well-trained are your gatekeepers; i.e., your human firewall?

Top Strategic Technology Trends of 2017

Technology advances show no sign of slowing down. 2017 will be no different and we have highlighted some of the top trends you can expect this coming year.

Happy New Year Everyone!

What Are The Negative Affects Of Malware?

As malware attacks continue to increase in frequency, businesses must take proactive steps to protect their enterprise data from theft or ransom.

Weekly Tech Tip: Require employees to use strong passwords and to change them often

Introducing the New OneDrive Admin Center

The OneDrive Admin Center preview was just released. This is what you need to know.

Should You Really Pay with Your Phone?

Technology has made pretty much everything easier, even paying for items. Although it is easier to pay with your phone, is it really smart to do it?

Happy Holidays Everyone!

help@creativetechs.com

206-682-4315

Your search for: "" revealed the following:

Need Help?

Your search for: "" revealed the following:

You likely know about ransomware but do you know about ransomworms?

You may have already had a network firewall to fend off malicious entry. How well-trained are your gatekeepers; i.e., your human firewall?

Technology advances show no sign of slowing down. 2017 will be no different and we have highlighted some of the top trends you can expect this coming year.

As malware attacks continue to increase in frequency, businesses must take proactive steps to protect their enterprise data from theft or ransom.

The OneDrive Admin Center preview was just released. This is what you need to know.

Technology has made pretty much everything easier, even paying for items. Although it is easier to pay with your phone, is it really smart to do it?

help@creativetechs.com

206-682-4315