Managed Server Providers (MSPs) provide IT and security services on a subscription model. Their great benefit is that they allow their clients to enjoy proactive management and protection while still having the ability to control IT costs. An ounce of prevention, the old saying goes, is worth a pound of cure.

Google and Apple may be competing with each other for the best devices and market share, but they are allies in the war against cybercrime. Proof of that was revealed when Google's Project Zero security research team informed Apple that they had discovered an iPhone hack and had identified 14 security flaws in iOS versions 10 through 12. These hacks gave the attackers access to almost every level of the iPhone’s software.

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.

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.

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.

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.

There’s just one bank in Chile, named RedBanc, that is responsible for managing that country’s entire ATM network, and despite the fact that they had advanced security protocols in place, the bank’s security was breached. The threat began with two tools that may be used in your office every day, LinkedIn and Skype.