Tag Archives: cybersecurity

Is Your Organization Prepared to Respond to a Security Incident?

Security Incident
Cybersecurity, Security, , ,

One cybersecurity incident takes place every 14 seconds. Contrary to common assumptions, hackers are not only attacking big businesses. Everyone is now a target, from multinational corporations to small local businesses. With no discernible attack pattern, it’s hard to tell who the next victim will be. Owners must prepare all organizations with a cyber-attack response in case of a security incident.

Importance of a Security Incident Response Plan

A ready response to a security incident saves you precious time when faced with an online threat. You have already developed the plan. You just need to execute the actions, so there won’t be any need for second-guessing or unnecessary and costly delays.

An incident response plan, also called a data breach response plan,

will prevent further data loss or system damage, minimize downtime, cut financial losses, and help preserve your reputation among clients. Of course, it also helps your business get back on its feet as quickly as possible.

How to Create a Security Incident Response Plan

Creating a security incident response plan is a lengthy process that you should start long before a breach happens. It is not something left for the last minute when you’re in imminent danger. So here are the fundamental steps that you should take.

1. Assemble an incident response team.

Select competent individuals who can immediately take action during a security incident emergency. Make sure everyone is fully aware of their tasks. Enlist external assistance if necessary.

2. Backup your data.

Breaches typically target an organization’s data either to steal it, destroy it, or get unauthorized access for malicious purposes. Whatever happens to your data, you should always have a secure backup to fall back on.

3. Monitor your system.

Vigilant monitoring alerts you of online threats before they escalate. Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems and big data analytics can ensure rapid detection to safeguard your system and minimize damage.

4. Prepare contingency plans.

These are the actions, and processes to execute when the security incident crisis starts. These would constitute a large part of your organization’s incident response plan. Here, you must include all the processes needed to shut down the system, contain and assess the damage, and notify customers of the situation.

5. Practice simulations.

Preparing a response differs from carrying out the plans and strategies. Besides educating your employees on what to do in case of a security incident, you must also conduct regular simulations. This process will sharpen their responses and train them to take a calm approach when handling the situation.

6. Check and update regularly.

Cybersecurity threats evolve rapidly. A reliable response strategy today might be worthless in a few months. To keep your security incident response plan relevant and suitable, regularly check it and update variable elements like contact details, processes, and technology as needed.

Boost Your Defenses against Security Incidents

Preparedness to respond to a security incident is vital. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg of your cybersecurity strategy. There are many other ways of boosting your organization’s defenses, such as training your employees regularly and making them aware of the importance of cybersecurity. You can also restrict access to sensitive data, tighten the perimeter of your IT infrastructure, and enforce a strict BYOD policy.

Many recent security issues arise from using personally owned devices for work-related matters. You can mitigate such risks by implementing a comprehensive BYOD policy that outlines specific requirements, restrictions, and sanctions. Not sure how to create a policy from scratch? We have a BYOD policy template right here that you can download for free and customize to match your company’s needs. Contact us now if you need additional help!

Why Cybersecurity Insurance Matters

Cybersecurity Insurance
Cybersecurity, Security, Technology, , , , ,

As businesses move forward into a digital environment, cybersecurity insurance becomes even more crucial as online threats grow more advanced. Before, hackers only targeted large, high-revenue corporations since they had the money and the valuable information. But statistics show that over 40% of recent cyberattacks target small businesses. But what’s even more alarming is that only 14% of these small businesses are prepared for such an attack.

Cybersecurity Insurance is a Wise and Necessary Investment

Organizations are already taking more stringent measures to protect their businesses against online threats. Despite these efforts, malware and ransomware can still make their way into your system, and data breaches can still happen. To protect your business from the many ramifications of these attacks, you must invest in a good cybersecurity insurance plan.

While cybersecurity insurance cannot prevent or undo cybercrime, there are many ways that it can help your business recover in case an online attack takes place.

Reduce Financial Setbacks

Dealing with the consequences of a cyberattack can be expensive. Depending on the severity of the attack, it can set your business back by millions of dollars! You will pay for legal services, IT support, damage control, and more. A comprehensive plan can cover all these expenses and much more.

Cover Downtime Losses

Getting your business back on its feet can take a long time, again depending on the gravity of the situation. During rebuilding or while operations are on hold, insurance can tide you over until your business is fully recovered.

Fill the Gap Liability Insurance

When purchasing a general liability insurance plan, many business owners assume that this covers cyberattacks, which is typically not the case. Standard policies might offer coverage to some extent, but it is rarely enough. A separate cybersecurity insurance policy will give you the widest possible coverage to protect your business.

Recovery Assistance

Many cybersecurity insurance plans today offer so much more than just financial help. Many providers offer a complete recovery package that includes legal services, PR damage control, and IT forensics. You can get all these services from separate providers, but why stress yourself when you can get them all in one place?

Competitive Rates for Robust Security

Insurance carriers usually offer very competitive rates to clients with a robust cybersecurity system in place. This is to encourage companies to prioritize cybersecurity and implement better strategies. If you wish to avail discounted rates, it would be a good idea to level up your protection as early as now.

Best Practices for Improving Cybersecurity Insurance

There are many ways to boost cybersecurity in the workplace, as many of us know by now. For starters, you must train your employees regularly, as lack of awareness still ranks at the top of how hackers break into systems. You must also secure your networks, constantly update your anti-malware tools, and implement multi-factor authentication.

Bring Your Own Device Policy

Another excellent way to improve your company’s cybersecurity is to implement a sound Bring Your Own Device or BYOD policy in the workplace. The policy should clearly define the responsibilities of the company and the employee when using their personally owned devices to access company data and other uses of the device within the workplace.

To guarantee that you include all the vital elements in your company’s BYOD policy, you can use our BYOD Policy template, which you can download by clicking right here. You can customize it any way you need to make it align with your organization’s operations and goals.

Final Thoughts on Cybersecurity Insurance

A business needs to do everything necessary to boost cybersecurity. But no matter how strong your defenses might be, one must never be complacent. Investing in a good cybersecurity insurance plan is one of the best things you can do to protect your business. Call us now so we can help you with any questions you may have about cybersecurity insurance.

Business Cloud Migration, The Best Move to Make Today

Business cloud migration
Cybersecurity, Security, Technology, , , , ,

The past few years have been all about business cloud migration. As the needs of businesses continue to grow, it has become more tedious and expensive to keep up if you rely only on your on-site business resources. But thanks to cloud technology, you can outsource many business processes to cloud-based providers. This freedom means you can grow your business with less effort and expense!

Why Some Business Owners Are Reluctant to Migrate

The more courageous business owners have immediately leaped since the cloud was first introduced in 2019, while many others have gradually followed suit. But to this day, many businesses still stick with their on-premises resources for their operations. Why is this so? It’s because of fears about the cloud, many of which are unfounded.

The most common fear is that the business cloud migration might put security and privacy at risk. Many business owners think the cloud is a public domain where hackers roam freely. While there are cybercriminals everywhere, cloud providers have tight security measures to help keep you and your data protected.

Other business owners hesitate because they fear cloud services will be costly to maintain or too confusing to use. Again, these fears are speculative. Cloud solutions are much less expensive than investing in on-premises equipment and services. Most of it is very easy to navigate, particularly when you work with a reliable MSP.

What Businesses Can Gain from the Cloud

Once you get past your fears, you will see the wealth of opportunities you can gain from business cloud migration. For many who have already migrated, the number one advantage is scalability. Scaling your business up or down is so much easier with the cloud. Because of the flexibility of the cloud options, you won’t have to worry about having insufficient funds or resources.

There is also the matter of cutting back on significant spending. A cloud service provider will typically charge you for the services that you use. You won’t end up paying for a whole package, most of which you don’t even need, which is what often happens with conventional operations.

Also, there is perpetual access to the latest software, hardware, and infrastructure. When a new version comes out, you can ask your provider to upgrade you, and you don’t even have to pay extra fees. In addition, the cloud also gives you better data and network security, more efficiency for your business, and improved overall business performance.

How to Go About Business Cloud Migration

Cloud migration is moving all your company’s digital resources, applications, databases, and servers into the cloud. Yes, it can be a colossal operation, especially if you go for a full migration. But the good news is that you don’t have to do it alone. If you have a trusted MSP, you can sit back and let them complete the process for you. That is exactly what we can do for you.

Whether you want to go the whole nine yards and do a full cloud migration, or just partially, we will help you with the transition in a way that meets all your business needs.


To learn more about the cloud and find out more details on how it can benefit your business, download our FREE Infographic, “5 Fears and 5 Benefits of the Cloud.” Are you afraid of the Cloud, or are you open to cloud solutions and how to use them to grow your business?

Why Are Business Owners Afraid to Move to the Cloud?

move to the cloud
Cybersecurity, Technology, , ,

It has been years since cloud technology was released. While thousands of businesses all over the world have eagerly upgraded their operations with cloud solutions. Thousands more still remain wary of this new technology to move to the cloud. Many people are still reluctant, despite the many proven benefits of the cloud for business. Why is this so? That is what we are going to talk about today.

Reasons for Holding Back to Move to the Cloud

We’ve asked around and come across some common concerns from hesitant business owners about why they are still holding back, even though there is now insurmountable evidence that the cloud presents many viable opportunities for business growth. Here are the reasons for holding back to move to the cloud.

Security

With the continued rise in cyberattacks and data breaches, it makes sense to be highly concerned about security. These attacks are rampant, even on in-house servers and data storage. How much more would there be if you stored the data in a cloud, outside of your company’s security controls? Won’t the data and the entire company be more at risk of being infiltrated by hackers? If any information gets into the wrong hands, there’s no telling what kind of damage your company will face.

Privacy If You Move to the Cloud

In the same way, companies fear the loss of data privacy. This fear is a specific concern for businesses in industries that collect and store confidential information. Health and medical records of patients, financial transactions that contain bank accounts and statements, and even personal data of clients and employees are examples of sensitive data that are frequent targets of online attackers. Putting these in cloud storage might seem risky in the minds of many.

Reliability

Another fear owners have about when they move to the cloud is that it might not always be reliable. What if the internet connection is too slow or erratic? What if the cloud provider experiences a period of downtime on their side? Surely, these events could be highly detrimental to business operations.

Cost If You Move to the Cloud

Cloud technology these days is very high-tech and diverse, which causes many business owners to think these services are expensive. Because of this assumption, they choose to stick to conventional systems rather than take a chance on modern cloud solutions, which can ironically pave the way for massive financial savings.

Complexity

There has always been a historical fear of new things, especially related to technology. When computers first became popular, many people were afraid to even touch them because they seemed too complex. It happened again a few years later when email and online messaging became popular. Now, the same fear of complexity applies to the cloud. Companies are worried they might not see the benefit to their operations.

The 5 Benefits of the Cloud

These fears make sense and are all perfectly valid. But the good news is that the cloud technology we have today has these issues covered. So if your hesitation to move to the cloud is based on any of these reasons, we can ease your mind.

We invite you to download our Free Infographic on the Cloud. You’ll discover a wealth of information, including the vast benefits of moving to the cloud and how the migration can be made simpler with the help of a reliable MSP.

A whole new world is waiting in the cloud for businesses, and we are very excited for you to take control of it. Call us anytime! We will guide you in transitioning so you can finally enjoy all the benefits and opportunities this new technology has in store for your company.