blackbottledev, Author at Black Bottle IT

What Is Ransomware and Why Is It a Top Concern for Small Businesses?

by blackbottledev | Dec 22, 2020 | Cybersecurity, Ransomware

To protect your business tech, you need to be up to date on all potential breaches. There are Trojan horses, phishing attacks, and several other cybersecurity threats that individuals and businesses deal with regularly.

However, ransomware deserves special attention because these attacks are rising in popularity. Recently, ransomware attacks rose by 37% in the span of a single calendar year.

But what is ransomware, and how is it dangerous to your business? Below we’ll touch on those questions and more.

What is Ransomware?

Ransomware is a type of cyber breach that gets access to your business’ network and gains control while locking you out of it. These attacks vary in severity because it can overtake a device or your entire infrastructure.

When a ransomware attack happens, you’ll get a message that will demand payment if you want to regain access to your data or prevent the hackers from publishing it on the web. These attacks happen in a lot of ways but usually take place when someone clicks a file that is disguised as a legitimate attachment

What Are the Dangers of Ransomware?

Ransomware is one of the most dangerous security breaches that your business can encounter right now. Here are some of the reasons that you should protect against it at all costs:

1. It Locks You and Your Employees Out of Your Work Devices

Imagine your business coming to a screeching halt. That’s what happens when ransomware attacks breach your system.

Your most sensitive data is compromised, and this can extend to individual work computers and mobile devices across your entire network.

2. Businesses Are Being Targeted Heavily Right Now

Hackers today are licking their chops when targeting small businesses. They know that companies are desperate to keep their doors open and often ill-equipped to prevent or counteract a ransomware attack.

Even the federal government was concerned about ransomware attacks affecting the 2020 election leading up to it. These attacks can cripple your entire infrastructure, which is why they should be avoided at all costs.

3. The Cost of Downtime and Other Factors is Extraordinary

Your costs will add up whenever you have a ransomware attack. It’s not just the money that you spend on your cyber protection — you’ll also have to deal with the lost revenue that happens with downtime.

The true cost that your business will face is virtually incalculable because it can also hurt your brand’s reputation. Your customers trust you and need to know that their data is safe when they choose to give you their business.

Get the Ransomware Protection That You Need

So the next time you ask yourself, “What is ransomware?”, you can use the points above as a reference point.

When you need ironclad protection against ransomware and anything else that can threaten your business, make sure you Black Bottle It. We’re the best at what we do and would be happy to be the first and last line of defense for your company’s Information Technology (IT) needs.

We’re ready when you are. E-mail us, use our online contact form, or call our breach hotline at (800)214-0957.

Importance of Preventing a Security Breach

by blackbottledev | Nov 24, 2020 | Breach Response, Cybersecurity

Nothing can bring business operations to a halt faster than the words “security breach.”

Under the shadow of the GDPR, and other regulations put in place after major security breaches were discovered, every company now works under the understanding that it’s their responsibility to keep their customers’ data safe. Also, if a breach of data occurred, then it’s also their responsibility to act swiftly and inform their customers as soon as possible.

As you might have known already, these tasks are easier said than done. Did you know that, on average, a company will find out that there has been a security breach in about 197 days, and then work on containing the threat for 69 days?

Keep on reading for our little guide on how to prepare for a security breach. We’ll also highlight how preparation can transform your firm’s response time frame to a breach.

Security Breach 101: Setting up a Data Breach Response Plan

In the simplest of terms, the best strategy for dealing with a data breach is having a data breach response plan in place. After all, in 2020, there’s a multitude of cybersecurity compliance to keep in mind.

Basically, a data breach response plan is the blueprint protocol of damage control and diminishing the impact of a major security leak.

You’ll find that a well-tailored data breach response plan will have a role for every person in your company, and once a breach has been detected, your company will be working like a well-oiled machine to discover, respond, and contain the threat.

What’s great about having such a plan on hand is the peace of mind during a crisis, knowing that there is a well-thought-out plan in place that’s already underway. After all, you can’t expect to formulate a half-decent response in the middle of a breach.

The Importance of Preparation on Data Breach Response Time

There are very few factors that can impact your company’s response time to a data breach than having preparations ready.

According to a Centrify study, “highly secure” companies were able to show a quick reaction to data breaches, as well as showcases recovered stock values after —approximately— seven days.

Needless to say, it’s a strong indicator that having a cybersecurity plan in the wings can mean the difference between a mortally-injuring breach, and a minimal breach.

However, you might be wondering what does being prepared actually entail?

The Characteristics of a High-Security Posture Organization

For a company to secure its data, it needs to have planned for a separate budget purely for staffing and investing in security technologies.

For example, a well-prepared company will have training that tackles identification, containment, and eradication of security breaches. Besides, it needs to have cybersecurity awareness, that can work on combating employee negligence.

Furthermore, conducting regular audits and assessments of security weak points and vulnerabilities can be key to lowering the risk of dealing with a security breach in the first place.

Ready to Switch on Your Security Plan?

Whether you’re a data protection officer in a huge corporation, or you’re the CEO of a small business, you need to have a security protocol in place for the dreaded security breach that you may encounter as the cost of doing business in the 21st century.

Now, you’re more familiar with essential mechanisms like a data breach response plan, as well as response time. The next step is exploring your security options.

Check out our breach response planning section to learn more. However, if you’re currently dealing with an active breach, make sure to contact us via our breach hotline to get support as soon as possible.

3 Reasons Why Network Security Is an Investment

by blackbottledev | Oct 2, 2020 | Cybersecurity

The Business owners traditionally think in terms of profit and loss. Things that generate enough revenue that they yield a profit are good.

Expenses or activities that yield a loss are bad. Many business owners view network security as falling firmly in the expense category, which makes it bad in their view.

This perception of network security as an expense can prove dangerous for business owners. Let’s dive in and take a look at why network security is an investment, rather than an expense.

1. Network Devices Are Everywhere

There is a good chance that most devices at your business connect to or run on a network. Some of your core operations may even run off cloud-based applications.

For example, let’s say your store uses a cloud-based point-of-sale system. What happens if a network intrusion disrupts that application? Your sales grind to a halt until it gets fixed.

What happens if an outside party disrupts all of the network connections to every device? In a worst-case scenario, your entire business grinds to a halt.

Poor network security can cost you a lot of money. Good network security providers include network penetration testing to help you avoid these kinds of problems and the financial losses that come with them.

2. The Human Factor

You can bring a network security engineer for security testing. You can create a randomized alphanumeric network security key. You can install mighty network firewall security.

Yet, human beings represent the major threat to your network security. Good network security includes good cybersecurity training for all employees. It creates a security-minded culture.

The money you spend on training will stop breaches and prevent viruses or malware from ever getting onto your network in the first place. That will save you more money than you ever spend.

3. Working from Home Creates Risks

Your employees are assets in most cases. With 42% of people clocking in from their home networks, they can also prove an Achilles’ Heel.

You exert tremendous control over what happens on your business network. You can ensure security software is on every device and updated.

When people log in from their home, it exposes your network to anything untoward on those home computers or networks. Someone could introduce a macro virus just by sharing the wrong Word document.

Robust network security proves its investment value here by protecting your business network and data. Every problem it prevents from home networks saves you lost productivity and even spares you fines from data breaches.

Network Security Is an Investment

Network security will never end up a profit center for a normal business. That doesn’t make it an expense.

Ever time network security prevents a database breach or keeps your cloud-based POS system online, it’s profitable. In the first case, you don’t lose the money a breach always costs. In the second case, you actually make money you.

Black Bottle IT specializes in cybersecurity and work from home solutions.

If your business needs more robust network security or cybersecurity, contact Black Bottle IT today.

Are Your Employees Secure Working at Home?

by blackbottledev | Oct 1, 2020 | Cybersecurity

Both COVID-19 and changes in business and technology have several people today working remotely. When you’re punching the clock in your home office instead of your company’s office, you need to ramp up your cybersecurity and your overall safety.

So what tips should you put to use?

Work at home in peace and full safety by following the tips in this article.

Invest in a Quality Virtual Private Network (VPN)

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a necessity no matter what sort of information you send and receive. This refers to a third-party private tunnel that you connect to so that your actual Internet Protocol (IP) address are hidden.

The VPN that you connect to lets you mimic IP addresses all over the planet so that prying eyes don’t find out your true location.

Encrypt Your Home Network and Internet

Encryption is key for every part of your internet use. Something as seemingly small as your Wi-Fi network password is a huge decision. Choose a smart password that keeps outsiders from connecting.

Maintain compliance standards with the type of encryption that you use. Compliance is especially critical if you hold a security clearance and now work remotely.

Get your home internet set up to Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) and Department of Defense (DOD) standards. Maintaining these standards will protect your data and sensitive information.

Use Your E-Mail Wisely

You’ll also need some discretion with how you use e-mail. First and foremost, never open e-mails or click files from senders you don’t recognize.

Phishing attacks are set up to trick you into clicking things you shouldn’t, which then steals your information or infects your machine.

Even platforms like Twitter have experienced widespread, high-profile phishing attacks that garnered headlines. E-mail is vulnerable to hacks, so change your password regularly and remain mindful and aware of every e-mail you send and receive.

Adopt a Professional Quality Malware and Anti-Virus Software

Putting some good cybersecurity software to use can secure your home network better than just about anything else.

You need a quality, consistent way to sweep your devices of malware and viruses. Treat these malware sweeps the same way that you treat things like oil changes and inspections.

Some malware lies dormant or discreet on your machines, making it difficult to immediately notice. Running a sweep to quarantine or get rid of these attacks can spare you thousands of dollars in damage and harm in the long-run.

Make certain that your software is professional grade so you achieve the highest standard of protection.

Work With an Information Technology (IT) Professional to Secure Your Hardware

You’ll get more out of your home cybersecurity with the help of an information technology (IT) professional.

Work with these professionals so that they can set the standard of cybersecurity with your home office setup. They can send you devices that are already cleaned, secured, and preconfigured to stand up to even the toughest breaches.

Using a device that a professional IT contractor has already configured will give you the best safety when you work from home.

Work at Home Safely and Securely With These Tips

Let these work at home tips help you keep your home office as secure as possible. It’ll save you lots of stress and money, and will keep your business running smoothly.

We’d be happy to help you achieve these high safety standards.

Cybersecurity Meets Work from Home

by blackbottledev | Oct 1, 2020 | Cybersecurity

During the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was much uncertainty. As the country continued to learn and react to the changing landscape, most small/midsize businesses were reading daily news reports to determine if their business sector was deemed essential and how to quickly transition the relevant workforce to work from home.

Pre-COVID-19, most companies had some casual work from the home infrastructure. But as the demand for a more robust solution became a reality, some IT professionals scrambled to meet this new challenge. They quickly developed work from home solutions that enabled large numbers of in-office personnel to transition to work-at-home quickly.

In some cases, these solutions were never meant to be a permanent solution. But, as businesses all over the country continue to adapt to every changing landscape, the need for a robust, and possible hybrid solution, allowing employees to work from home and/or in the office all while having a seamless experience.

Statistics for employees working from have organically risen over the last 15 + years. According to Global Workplace Analytics (GWPA), work from home has grown 173% since 2005. The COVID-19 pandemic will only accelerate this trend. The GWPA estimates that 25%-30% of the entire workforce will be working from home multiple days a week by the end of 2021.

Potential Cybersecurity Weaknesses in the Home Office

Personal computers, smartphones and other devices aren’t secure beyond a simple antivirus program or firewall. Last month, the issue was so worrisome to experts that the International Association of IT Asset Managers (IAITAM) warned government agencies, businesses and other organizations of the risks involved with letting employees work from home without secure devices.

While many precautionary steps can be taken by the individual worker with the help of his/her IT department, companies should enact policies and take measures to further shore up their remote employees’ defenses.

Extraordinary Times

To be sustain or emerge during these extraordinary times, we believe that organizations should prioritize and formalize:

Develop a remote work program with policies and practice under a Risk Management umbrella
Establish a cybersecurity work from home policy that specifies cybersecurity training for every employee

Benefits when one Works from Home

While there are distractions while working from home and pressures to hit deadlines working from home also offers employees benefits beyond the safety from COVID-19 pandemic. It is estimated that employees save between $2,500 and $4,000 per year on things like gas and lunch out, which is the equivalent of 11 work days per year.

The coronavirus pandemic has forced both employers and employees to quickly adjust to remote working. Most of us believe that work from home is here to stay and data trends suggest it will continue to grow in the years to come. Companies must adapt to this new work environment by providing their workforces with solutions that give employees a seamless experience to collaborate with co-workers, access to all systems and allow for the servicing of customers.

Black Bottle IT is a leading cybersecurity team of experts who work with organizations to develop work from home cyber security protocol, tools and architecture, employee cybersecurity training and compliance checks.

We will meet with you to assess your workplace environment and what applications you use — both network and cloud-based. We will look at how your end users are deployed and what type of device support you require. Understanding the architecture, our goal is to keep remote employees protected and educated against malicious cybersecurity risks.

Let us help you make working from home safer.

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