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Recently, Equifax announced a settlement with the FTC regarding the breach of its corporate network in 2017. We wrote about this in January of 2018 and described this breach as “one of the most extensive and intrusive data breaches in history” and we asked the question “Could it happen again?” As we’ve seen over the last 18 months, the answer is Yes, with large and small companies having to shell out huge sums in fines, penalties and damages.

How thoroughly did you investigate the vendors for your IT resources? You’ve more than likely reviewed them for what their product does:

Does the VOIP system make calling easier? Yes! You made sure it does before you bought it. 
Does the new software help you do you work 30% or 50% faster? Yes, You researched this thoroughly and even spoke with current users.

There are fewer things more certain in business than this: someone is trying to hack into your office computer network and devices every day. And for most businesses, these criminals (or hackers, cyber-criminals, cyber-terrorists, virus writers, or ransomware pirates) will one day be successful.

Microsoft has announced that they will no longer be supporting a long list of their software. On that list could be many programs you might have been depending on for years, which leaves you wondering what you should do about Microsoft ending support for your software.

Every month, in our printed newsletter and on our website’s blog, we tell you about the latest cyber security horror stories. We’ve told you about companies that have endured millions of dollars of damage from ransomware attacks. We’ve written about companies who have had to pay millions of dollars in fines to state and federal authorities because they didn’t protect their own customer’s data.

Password managers are pieces of software that store and recall passwords so you don’t have to remember them yourself. They’ve been around a long time, and are becoming more common and popular than ever. But should you use a password manager?

It used to be that password managers were considered reckless toys for lazy people that made your passwords -- and therefore your company’s cyber security -- more vulnerable.

Trustwave published its Global Security Report for 2019, which reveals the changing face of malware and data breaches. For business owners and IT managers, what is most important is how cyber security strategies must change in order to stay ahead of the advances in the speed and stealthy methods of the attacks.

About one month after it was revealed that ASUS computers’ update system was breached, resulting in potentially one million computers being infected with malware, it was announced this month that Dell computers may be similarly vulnerable via its SupportAssist software.

One of the most common ways for hackers to attack any individual or company is through email. And once a hacker gains access to your email, they can often gain access to many other parts of your business. So locking down your email with appropriate modern security measures is a very easy and powerful step in preventing an initial breach.

Most hacks affect one computer at a time, and the hackers are thrilled with each new success. But imagine a hack that was so clever that it infected almost a million computers all at once. That is what happened to owners of ASUS desktop computers and laptops in a hack that was discovered a full 6 months after it began, which allowed many more computers to be violated.