Cybersecurity Archives

Investing in Cyber Security is Risk Management

by blackbottledev | Aug 23, 2021 | Cybersecurity, Risk Management

When talking to IT leadership, one of the most common things we hear is how difficult it can be to justify the investment in cyber security to the stakeholders of the Company.

Let’s face it, Companies invest in technology and expect to see an ROI from operational efficiencies, increase market share, or launching of new products or services. Most experienced IT leaders understand this; hence, it’s hard to justify the effort to vet potential vendors and/or new technology, craft a proposal to justify the need, only to have the Company’s stakeholders look up and say — “Where’s the ROI on this investment?”.

Is there a Tangible ROI in Cybersecurity?

It’s true; there isn’t a tangible ROI that can be easily calculated. How to put a return on recovering from a fictitious – “it can’t happen to us” data breach scenario. Besides, having anti-virus/malware and a solid backup strategy is enough to protect us from a nasty virus or ransomware attack, right? And in the event there is an incident, the Company probably has done its fiduciary responsibility and secured a cyber insurance policy, in the unlikely event an employee would click on a bad email and allow bad actors access to the network and sensitive data. So, where’s the risk? Insurance will cover the financial burden.

The hard truth is, all IT Leaders know their Companies need better cyber security tools. But most of the time, it’s never part of their budgets, or it’s the first line item that gets trimmed during financial planning. And that is leaving lots and lots of companies exposed to lots and lots of risk.

Here are some statistics to show just some of the exposure Companies are facing:

43% of data breaches involved small businesses.
24% of data breaches are caused by human error
29.6% of companies will experience a data breach in the next two years.
The United States has the average cost of a data breach at $8.19 million
The average size of a data breach is 25,575 records
The average time to identify a security breach is 279 days
780,000 records are lost to hacking each day

So really, the conversation around cybersecurity is a risk management issue.

Can your company accept the risk of no liability or workers comp insurance?

A cyber insurance professional put it in these terms to me — “Just because you have Workers Comp insurance doesn’t mean you stop putting down salt on icy steps and sidewalks.” The same could be said for investing in cybersecurity solutions. Just because you have a cyber policy or some cyber security tools in place doesn’t mean you stop investing in new tools to lower your risk of a cyber attack.

What’s Next?

Our mission at Black Bottle IT is to help companies prepare, respond and remediate cyber incidents. We advise clients to invest in cybersecurity tools and services, and there is NO ROI. Still, your risk exposure will significantly be reduced, allowing the Company and its employees to continue serving their customers to the best of their ability.

About the Author:

This blog was written by John Hensberger, Managing Partner of Black Bottle IT. Earlier in his career, John was also part of a company that experienced a cybersecurity breach. That experience fueled his passion for assisting other companies with their cybersecurity needs to mitigate their risk. As a Technology Executive and Cybersecurity Advisor, John was recognized as the Pittsburgh CIO of the Year, 2014. Connect with John here.

5 Tips to Keep Technology at Schools Secure

by blackbottledev | Jul 26, 2021 | Cybersecurity

Did you know that the average business manages 162.9 TB of data? Because there’s so much sensitive information on an organization’s server, it’s essential to safeguard your server and applications.

Managed security services are the perfect way to ensure that malware stays out of your system. Here, we’re going to talk about what these solutions do and why they’re essential. Read on to begin protecting your business!

What Are Managed Security Services?

Managed security services are IT solutions that protect businesses from security threats. You subscribe to a package from a managed IT security services provider. In turn, this provider develops a unique plan based on your business’s individual situation to secure your digital data.

This process generally means implementing specialized software that integrates seamlessly with your data storage system. It also means building a security expert network that can respond to potential breaches in real-time. Experts, not just tools, make the difference in response time, reporting, and moving your business forward risk-free.

Because these security services are typically fully managed, you don’t need to worry about maintenance and upkeep. Managed security providers handle modifications and upgrades for you. They also implement the latest virus/spam blocking, intrusion detection, firewall, and VPN systems to keep you safe in an ever-changing digital world.

Why Are They Important?

First and foremost, you need high-quality security solutions to protect your business financially. A security breach costs a company an average of almost $9 million. If you’re an SMB, it’s unlikely that you have that kind of money.

Sensitive data theft also can cause untold problems for your employees and clients. You likely have employee SSNs stored somewhere within your system. Customer financial information is also often saved to a server.

When a company experience a data breach, they lose the trust of employees and clients. Not only that, but they will likely have severe concerns about identity theft and future financial problems. This problem isn’t something you want to be responsible for because it leaves you open to lawsuits, shutdown time, and customer loss.

Real-Time Network Security Monitoring: The Basics

Now that you understand the importance of data monitoring, you must choose the appropriate solutions. Real-time network monitoring is ideal for companies of all sizes.

Traditional monitoring uses analytics tools that only look into at-rest data. Since digital information is changing by the second, this becomes quickly outdated. Users won’t be able to notice new threats until it’s too late.

However, real-time network monitoring solutions like Black Bottle IT offers are different. They showcase only current data so that you can see what’s going on in your data system by the second. You, therefore, will get more relevant information and discover what needs to be done to safeguard your data in real-time.

Streamline Your Security Operations Today

Now that you know why managed services for security are the right choice for your organization, it’s time to get started. Schedule a free consultation to learn more about our managed security services.

Our experts are happy to discuss the best ways to keep your specific digital information secure by meeting your unique needs. We also will help you come up with a payment plan that works for you. Since we’re committed to helping your business succeed with secure and safe information, we look forward to hearing from you soon.

How Do Managed Security Services Work?

by blackbottledev | Jun 21, 2021 | Cybersecurity

Did you know that the average business manages 162.9 TB of data? Because there’s so much sensitive information on an organization’s server, it’s essential to safeguard your server and applications.

Managed security services are the perfect way to ensure that malware stays out of your system. Here, we’re going to talk about what these solutions do and why they’re essential. Read on to begin protecting your business!

What Are Managed Security Services?

Managed security services are IT solutions that protect businesses from security threats. You subscribe to a package from a managed IT security services provider. In turn, this provider develops a unique plan based on your business’s individual situation to secure your digital data.

This process generally means implementing specialized software that integrates seamlessly with your data storage system. It also means building a security expert network that can respond to potential breaches in real-time. Experts, not just tools, make the difference in response time, reporting, and moving your business forward risk-free.

Because these security services are typically fully managed, you don’t need to worry about maintenance and upkeep. Managed security providers handle modifications and upgrades for you. They also implement the latest virus/spam blocking, intrusion detection, firewall, and VPN systems to keep you safe in an ever-changing digital world.

Why Are They Important?

First and foremost, you need high-quality security solutions to protect your business financially. A security breach costs a company an average of almost $9 million. If you’re an SMB, it’s unlikely that you have that kind of money.

Sensitive data theft also can cause untold problems for your employees and clients. You likely have employee SSNs stored somewhere within your system. Customer financial information is also often saved to a server.

When a company experience a data breach, they lose the trust of employees and clients. Not only that, but they will likely have severe concerns about identity theft and future financial problems. This problem isn’t something you want to be responsible for because it leaves you open to lawsuits, shutdown time, and customer loss.

Real-Time Network Security Monitoring: The Basics

Now that you understand the importance of data monitoring, you must choose the appropriate solutions. Real-time network monitoring is ideal for companies of all sizes.

Traditional monitoring uses analytics tools that only look into at-rest data. Since digital information is changing by the second, this becomes quickly outdated. Users won’t be able to notice new threats until it’s too late.

However, real-time network monitoring solutions like Black Bottle IT offers are different. They showcase only current data so that you can see what’s going on in your data system by the second. You, therefore, will get more relevant information and discover what needs to be done to safeguard your data in real-time.

Streamline Your Security Operations Today

Now that you know why managed services for security are the right choice for your organization, it’s time to get started. Schedule a free consultation to learn more about our managed security services.

Our experts are happy to discuss the best ways to keep your specific digital information secure by meeting your unique needs. We also will help you come up with a payment plan that works for you. Since we’re committed to helping your business succeed with secure and safe information, we look forward to hearing from you soon.

When Firewall Security Expires

by blackbottledev | May 31, 2021 | Cybersecurity

Prioritizing the security of your company’s network is an essential practice when it comes to remaining as productive as possible. Unfortunately, failure to do so could easily result in a large number of legal complications.

When it comes to firewall security, you may be surprised to learn this type of protection can expire. Let’s take a deeper look at what you need to know.

When Does Firewall Security Expire?

As time goes on, cybercriminals develop more advanced tools to procure sensitive data. As a result, the firewall protection you implement can quickly become outdated if you aren’t regularly updating it.

To clarify, even a firewall defense that uses relatively contemporary safeguards can become highly inefficient as hackers begin to use new types of malware.

In fact, a firewall that looks notably strong on paper may not accomplish its task appropriately.

However, to answer the above question, firewall security can be considered expired when it no longer receives regular patches, updates, and other similar services.

What Are the Risks?

As you might assume, the most significant risk of having your firewall security expire comes from failing to protect sensitive information adequately.

Depending on the industry you work in, this often includes data that should never fall into the wrong hands (such as medical patient info).

Additionally, you run the risk of hackers procuring trade secrets that they can then sell to other companies within your industry. In many scenarios, a situation like this is complicated to recover from for any business.

What Should I Look For in a Provider?

The ideal provider to work with implements a renewal policy. In practice, this will allow you to continually renew your firewall service automatically so that you can ensure you are always protected.

This firewall service often includes frequent threat detection updates and new firmware implementation.

Additionally, the provider you work with should also have some form of continual customer support for your firewall service. This level of customer support means that you should be able to quickly get in touch with your service provider with questions or concerns.

While it isn’t always practical to assume that your provider will offer 24/7 customer service, many provide round-the-clock service 365 days a year.

You should also take a look at their past reviews. You’ll gain insight into whether or not you can expect to receive the level of service you are looking for for your business.

Maintaining Proper Firewall Security Is Crucial

You must take the necessary steps to maintain firewall security properly. From here, you’ll have no issue ensuring that your firewall security is as protective as possible over the sensitive data in your organization.

Want to learn more about what Black Bottle IT has to offer your business? Feel free to reach out to us today and see how we can help.

Cloud Platforms Aid Businesses in Scalability and Mobility

by blackbottledev | Feb 22, 2021 | Cybersecurity

About 94% of businesses already use a Cloud service, and 35% of those who do not are projected to implement these frameworks in 2021. This means that you will need to invest in the benefits of Cloud computing if you want to remain ahead of your competitors.

But what are the benefits of using the Cloud, exactly? Read on to learn some of the biggest advantages.

Makes Your Business More Scalable

First and foremost, using the Cloud makes your business significantly more scaleable than it otherwise would be. You can increase your workload with existing hardware extremely easily because the information is stored over an online network. You do not need to purchase more hardware for storage when your business inevitably expands.

Virtualization means that you can have unlimited resources that can be scaled up or down depending on the direction that your business operations are moving. You can also use the Cloud to move applications and workloads to different servers or host them on many different servers at once.

This means greater flexibility for your business. Your growth can be much more stable and long-term than it would be with a hardware-based system.

Using the Cloud Means Flexible Access

Currently, about 50% of people use the internet on their mobile devices more often than on computers. By 2025, it’s estimated that about 72.6% of people will be accessing the web exclusively from Smartphones. Cloud storage supports this shift because people can access the information stored on it from any device at any time.

This means that people can get their work information on their Smartphones, tablets, and desktops if they need to work remotely. It also means that they have greater access to data and applications that speed up work-related processes so they don’t need to improvise less useful solutions when working on the go.

Convenience and Instant Backups

Fully managed IT solutions give you unlimited Cloud storage, but they also give you unlimited backups and maintenance. You therefore won’t need to invest time and energy in performing backups and upgrades. They will be completed for you- all you will need to do is research and learn about the upgrades, which you can always ask our experts about.

This will let you create a consistent tech budget and boost your productivity. You will not have as high of IT operating costs as you otherwise would and therefore can invest more money into marketing efforts and core products.

Cloud storage solutions also have great disaster recovery solutions to ensure that you do not lose information to hackers, malware, or user mistakes. This is used in conjunction with a well-encrypted security framework. You will not need to worry about security when you choose to work with us because we are well versed in data safety and protection.

Get Started With Cloud Services Today

Now that you know some of the main benefits of using the Cloud to boost your business, it’s time to start upgrading your online scalability and mobility. Contact us to discuss the top Cloud performing services on the market. Our experts are happy to assist you with all of your data storage and use needs so that you can keep your information safe.

On this page, you also can obtain a month of free no-obligations managed IT services at the click of a button. We look forward to working with you!

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.