What Happened with that Microsoft Outage in July?

What Happened with that Microsoft Outage in July?

by | Sep 18, 2024 | Newsletter

When 8.5 million Windows devices, including those at airlines, banks and hospitals, suddenly displayed the “Blue Screen of Death,” people began to panic. “We are under a cyber-attack!” most speculated. Fortunately, that was not the case, but the real reason behind the outage is alarming and something every business owner should be concerned about.

 

So, What Happened?

On July 19, 2024, millions of Windows devices crashed, triggering an endless reboot cycle and an unresolvable blue screen. This issue caused massive global disruptions. Airlines had to ground flights, leaving thousands of passengers stranded in airports and unable to book new routes home. Electronic health record software was knocked offline, forcing providers to cancel or delay nonemergency procedures, surgeries and medical visits. Several major banks also went offline, leaving customers unable to access their accounts. These were just some of the significant issues caused by what is now labeled the largest IT outage in history. Almost brings back those Y2K fears, doesn’t it?

 

If It Wasn’t A Cyber-Attack, What Caused It?

Many worried that the outage was due to a cybersecurity attack, but the source of the problem was a botched software update from CrowdStrike, a leading cybersecurity company. The team behind their endpoint detection and response (EDR) platform, Falcon, configured what should have been a routine sensor update. This update, specifically for Microsoft Windows, unknowingly had a flaw, and due to its tight integration with Windows OS, it resulted in widespread system crashes when it was pushed through.

 

How could a multibillion-dollar organization release an update with such a serious flaw? Representatives for the company later explained that it was due to a gap in their testing software. The issue stemmed from a flaw in the content validator tool, which failed to detect the problem in the update, leading engineers to believe everything was ready for release. As a result, the update forced Windows systems to enter an endless reboot cycle, displaying the infamous Blue Screen of Death.

 

As the situation unfolded, CrowdStrike immediately acted to fix the issue, but the damage was already done. Reports from insurers now estimate the outage will cost US Fortune 500 companies upward of $5.4 billion.

 

Why Should This Concern You?

This event reinforces how integrated technology is in our lives and underscores the significant impact a single software flaw can have on global IT infrastructure. When it comes to your company’s technology management, there is no substitute for having three things:

 

  1. A reliable, knowledgeable IT professional managing your network.
    Accidents happen even in large organizations, as seen with CrowdStrike, but you can reduce your odds of being caught up in an issue like this by working with an experienced IT team. Their expertise and knowledge in updates, backups and constant awareness keep your operations running smoothly and prevent minor hiccups from escalating into full-blown disasters.
  2. Rigorous software testing. If you have a reliable IT team, they should handle this for you.
  3. A robust disaster recovery plan. Mistakes will happen, and you need to be prepared to take action quickly so you can continue doing business and mitigate damage quickly. Many organizations affected by this outage had to pause business because they had no action plan for a disaster like this. Don’t be caught without plan B if something like this happens in your organization.

 

Don’t wait until you’re hit with a crisis to take action. Ensure your business is prepared by partnering with an experienced IT team. We offer a FREE, no-obligation Network Assessment where our team of experts will evaluate your current systems, identify potential vulnerabilities and develop a comprehensive plan to safeguard your business against future outages. Your company’s security and continuity depend on it.

 

Call us at 216-800-7800 or click here to book your FREE Network Assessment today!

 

10 Warning Signs Of Medical Fraud And How To Protect Yourself

10 Warning Signs Of Medical Fraud And How To Protect Yourself

by | Sep 9, 2024 | Newsletter

Health insurance is designed to provide access to necessary treatments, preventive services and emergency care to individuals and families in need, and, apparently, now it’s also used to hand out paydays to scammers.

 

In February of this year, Change Healthcare fell victim to a cyber-attack that impacted thousands of health care providers, insurers and policyholders nationwide. Reports from this incident suggest that around 50% of all US medical claims could be at risk! To put that into perspective, if you’re in the waiting room with nine other people, there’s a good chance that five of you could fall victim to medical identity theft within the year. The aftermath of this fraud is staggering, affecting countless individuals and their access to health care. Once your medical information is exposed online, these identity thieves can use it to file false claims, buy expensive prescriptions and more, and it will all be conveniently billed to your account.

 

The worst part is how some people are finding out they were affected. Some are facing tax or mortgage fraud, but others are going to the doctor to find out if they need a procedure, but instead of getting a surgery date, they’re handed a rejection letter from their insurance provider, claiming the company won’t cover it because they’ve exhausted their benefits from multiple other procedures this year. But the thing is, THEY didn’t have any other procedures this year. Someone stole their medical ID and used it for their own procedures.

 

And it’s not just individuals you have to worry about. Manipulative organizations can use your medical information for fake billing schemes. What happens is that they submit false claims for medical services you never requested, received or knew anything about, then they collect their payday, and stick you with the bill. In July, 193 defendants, including 76 doctors, nurse practitioners and other licensed medical professionals, were charged for their alleged participation in several different health care fraud schemes that resulted in $2.75 billion in false billings to federal programs. Medical fraud happens!

 

How Do You Know If You’re A Victim?

Here are 10 signs that your medical ID may have been stolen and is currently being used by cybercriminals:

1.    Unexpected Medical Bills: Receiving bills for medical services you didn’t receive is a major red flag.

2.    Collection Notices: Being contacted by debt collectors for unpaid medical bills that aren’t yours.

3.    Errors In Medical Records: Finding inaccuracies in your medical records, such as treatments you never had, incorrect diagnoses or unfamiliar medical histories.

4.    Insurance Issues: Your health insurance claims are denied because your benefits have been maxed out or you’re told you’ve reached your coverage limit, despite not using the services.

5.    Notification From Your Insurance Provider: Receiving alerts from your health insurance provider about claims or services you don’t recognize.

6.    Unknown Accounts: Discovering new health insurance accounts or medical records under your name that you didn’t create.

7.    Discrepancies In Your Explanation Of Benefits (EOB): Your EOB statements from your insurer list medical services you didn’t receive.

  1. Being Denied Insurance: Having difficulty obtaining life or health insurance because medical conditions that you don’t have are listed in your records.
  2. Unfamiliar Prescriptions: Notices about prescriptions being filled in your name that you did not authorize or receive.

10.Calls From Medical Providers: Receiving calls from doctors or medical facilities about appointments or follow-ups for treatments you never had.

 

How Can You Prevent Becoming A Victim Of Medical ID Fraud?

Don’t become the next medical ID theft victim. Here are a few steps you can take to protect yourself:

  • Check For Health Care Breaches: Use a searchable database, like this one, to find out if your health care information has been compromised.
  • Secure Your Records: Store paper copies of medical records in a safe or lockbox to prevent unauthorized access. If your health care organization’s system is compromised and records are lost, altered or unable to be accessed, you will be glad you did this.
  • Shred Documents: Shred any documents with personal information before disposing of them.
  • Monitor Your Medical Records: Regularly request and review your medical records from your health care providers and look for unfamiliar treatments, diagnoses or other discrepancies.
  • Review Insurance Bills: Carefully review explanation of benefits (EOB) statements from your insurance provider for any services you did not receive and question unfamiliar or unclear charges. Contact your insurer immediately if you see any charges or services that you don’t recognize. Afterward, report any billing errors to the credit bureaus at IdentityTheft.gov.
  • Dispose Of Prescription Labels: Remove labels from empty prescription bottles before discarding them! These labels can contain information that, believe it or not, can be used to steal your identity.
  • Monitor Your Credit: At AnnualCreditReport.com, you are able to get three free reports a year to keep an eye on any suspicious activity.

 

Health care will always be around and will also always be a target for hackers. Attacks on hospitals, doctors’ offices and other medical facilities will continue. It’s important that you are taking proactive measures to protect yourself. We can help you find out how you’re at risk with our FREE Dark Web Scan. Using this technology, we can quickly find out if your information has been put up for sale on the dark web or if you’ve been a victim of a data breach. To book your Dark Web Scan, call us at 216-800-7800 or click here.

 

Why IT Security Shortcuts Can Lead to Major Risks

Why IT Security Shortcuts Can Lead to Major Risks

by | Sep 4, 2024 | Newsletter

The National Cancer Institute in Maryland recently analyzed data from three major US health studies that gathered information on people’s daily multivitamin use. They discovered that people who took daily multivitamins had a 4% higher mortality rate than those who didn’t.

This surprising result echoes a scene from the movie Grumpy Old Men, where a character explains that, despite never exercising and having unhealthy habits, he has outlived many who followed strict health regimens. This highlights a crucial point: shortcuts to achieving meaningful, difficult goals often backfire.

 

In various aspects of life, including diet, we see that seemingly easy solutions can lead to significant problems. For example, “fat-free” or “sugar-free” labels might encourage overconsumption, negating their benefits. The Atkins diet, promising easy weight loss by avoiding carbs, led to various health issues due to an imbalanced intake. Similarly, weight-loss drugs like Ozempic have resulted in serious health complications, reminding us of the dangers of quick fixes, like Fen-Phen in the 1990s.

In the IT world, shortcuts are equally perilous. Many businesses attempt to meet compliance requirements or protect themselves from data breaches by taking the easiest, cheapest routes. It’s a common mistake to rely on free antivirus or firewall software found through a quick search, underestimating the risks. Small businesses often believe they are too insignificant to be targeted, but cybercriminals target precisely these businesses, knowing they are less likely to have robust protections in place.

Another frequent error is entrusting IT management to an acquaintance or someone with basic tech knowledge but lacking professional expertise. When businesses upgrade to professional IT services, numerous inefficiencies and vulnerabilities are typically discovered. The issue is not the intent but the lack of necessary skills and resources, which significantly increases risk.

Not all shortcuts are detrimental, though. Entrusting IT matters to an experienced managed services provider can be the optimal “easy button.” By partnering with professionals who understand your industry and its specific requirements, you can achieve compliance, security and operational efficiency without the associated stress.

Choosing the right IT provider is crucial. History shows us that experts can be convincing even when wrong, as demonstrated by past medical practices like lobotomies or financial scams like Madoff’s Ponzi scheme. Therefore, it’s vital to thoroughly vet potential IT partners, ask pertinent questions and seek testimonials from other clients.

When deciding which IT provider to let handle your network, take it seriously and don’t blindly follow anyone’s advice. It’s not your responsibility to know every technical thing that needs to happen with your network, but it is your job to ask questions, request testimonials from other clients and hire someone trustworthy. Your company’s security, reputation and, possibly, future depend on you not letting the wrong person come in and muck up your business. That’s one of the reasons I created a FREE guide that you can get here that lists out 21 questions you need to ask anyone before you let them touch your network. It’s a great resource for every business owner to have.

 

If you’re ready to hand off your IT to a reliable team of experts, our team of experts is ready to manage your network so you can focus on growing your business while we focus on what we do best: protecting it. (You can even check our website for real client reviews!)

To get started and find out what you need, give us a call at 216-800-7800 or click here to book your FREE Cyber Security Risk Assessment now.

 

Urgent Need for Robust Cybersecurity as Recent Attacks Target Businesses

Urgent Need for Robust Cybersecurity as Recent Attacks Target Businesses

by | Aug 26, 2024 | Newsletter

If the software your organization used to close deals and pay employees unexpectedly went down and you had no idea when it would be fixed, what would you do? Could you continue doing business? How much money would you lose? Unfortunately, in June, this happened to over 15,000 US- and Canada-based car dealerships when two cyber-attacks occurred on the popular industry software provider, CDK Global.
This software attack shut down the sales, financing and payroll systems for thousands of dealers, forcing them to either stop business or revert to the old-fashioned pen-and-paper method. This incident should be a wake-up call for all small business owners, highlighting the importance of robust cybersecurity measures.
What Happened?
The initial attack occurred on the evening of Tuesday, June 18. Once it was detected, CDK Global immediately took the correct action, bringing the entire system offline to investigate the issue. The system was up and running again the following day until a second incident occurred, which resulted in the company bringing the system back offline. It’s thought the system was brought back online prematurely, before all compromised areas were discovered, resulting in a second attack. Cybersecurity experts are saying it could be weeks before the system is back to being fully operational.
While some businesses were able to revert to manual processes, this incident highlights the vulnerabilities that come with relying on digital systems. In our ever-advancing digital world, where most transactions are a couple of clicks away, significant issues arise when systems go offline. Critical parts of the business process, such as completing transactions, managing payroll and interacting with financial institutions, can come to a standstill. This means that until the systems are back online, many business operations cannot be fully completed, leading to delays and potential financial losses. Business owners know that there is no sale until the check clears the bank!
So, What’s Next?
CDK Global didn’t disclose the exact cause of the attack. Whether that was intentional or they are still unsure remains to be seen. Their security team will need to meticulously comb over every area of the business to determine exactly what was compromised. It’s often difficult for large companies to get the details about cyber-attacks 100% correct after the first review because they may not be able to determine the extent of an attack’s network penetration if there are multiple points of vulnerability.
In the meantime, businesses need to take a hard look at their systems for selling and operational continuity. Will they be prepared to continue doing business if and when this happens again?
This incident should serve as a wake-up call for all business leaders. If you don’t have a business recovery and continuity plan in place, you’re putting yourself at risk. And if you do, you need to ask yourself if it is high-quality, tested often and able to handle a large-scale attack where multiple operational systems are disabled. If the answer is no, it’s time to do something about it.
We’ll do a FREE Security Risk Assessment that will achieve two important things:
  1. We’ll analyze your network for vulnerabilities. This will show you if and where an attack can occur, and we’ll offer solutions to patch it so you’re not actively setting yourself up to be the next cyber-attack victim.
  2. We’ll help you determine what continuity or recovery plan makes sense for your organization. Cybersecurity is an essential and necessary element of doing business, but even the most robust security solutions are not 100% foolproof. This means you must have a plan to bounce back and continue doing business if something should happen to your network or to a third-party piece of software you rely on, like CDK.
To get started, call our office at 216-800-7800 or click here to book your FREE Security Risk Assessment now.

Cybercriminals Are Faking Data Breaches and How AI Is Fueling This New Scam

Cybercriminals Are Faking Data Breaches and How AI Is Fueling This New Scam

by | Aug 21, 2024 | Newsletter

Just when you think cybercriminals will run out of new ideas for how to scam people, they find a way to get creative and surprise you. Now they’re faking data breaches, hoping to steal money from unsuspecting business owners and dark web data buyers alike.
Earlier this year, Europcar, an international car rental company from France, discovered a cybercriminal selling private information about its 50 million+ customers on the dark web. The car rental company immediately launched a formal investigation, only to find that the data being sold was fake. The information was falsified, most likely done with the help of generative AI.
How Did They Do It?
With AI-powered tools like ChatGPT, it’s easy for cybercriminals to generate realistic-looking data sets quickly. Smart cybercriminals do their research and design data sets that look complete, with correctly formatted names, addresses and e-mails, and can even include local phone numbers to match. They will also leverage online data generators that can quickly create large, fake data sets designed for software-testing purposes to develop authentic-looking data sets. Once they have these, hackers choose the target they claim to have stolen the data from and post the information on the dark web.
Why Are They Doing It?
Why would a hacker fake a data breach? There are a couple of reasons, besides reaping the same benefits without the work of hacking a network’s security system.
  1. Creating Distractions. One of the best ways to get a company to let down its defenses is to focus on something else, like finding a breach in its system. The company will be so intent on finding where a hacker was already able to get into its network that it will likely miss an attack from a different angle.
  2. Bolstering Their Reputation. Reputation is highly valued within the hacker community. Targeting a well-known brand publicly is a way for them to earn notoriety and get noticed by other hacker groups.
  3. Manipulating Stock Prices. For publicly traded companies, a data breach can cause a rapid 3% to 5% (or more) drop in the stock. This can cause widespread panic, allowing cybercriminals to manipulate stocks for financial gain.
  4. Learning Security Systems. Faking a data breach can allow cybercriminals to gain insight into the company’s security processes to prevent, detect and resolve attacks. Knowing threat response time and security capabilities can help them fine-tune their attack strategy.
Why Is This Bad For Businesses If The Data Is Fake?
By the time the public is made aware that the information is fake, the damage is already done. For example, in September 2023, Sony was targeted by a ransomware group that announced it had breached the company’s network and acquired its data. The breach was all over the news, where reporters repeatedly dragged Sony’s brand through the dirt, and by the time the investigation concluded that the hacker’s claim was false, irreparable damage had been done to their name.
What Can You Do To Prevent Fake Data Breaches?
If you want to avoid being the victim of a fake data breach, these are good steps to follow:
  1. Actively Monitor The Dark Web. You or your cybersecurity team should routinely monitor the dark web. If you encounter an attacker selling your data, investigate the claim immediately to prevent extensive damage.
  2. Have A Disaster Recovery Plan In Place. Don’t let your team wonder what they should say if a data breach occurs. This communication plan needs to be developed in advance and fine-tuned if or when a breach occurs.
  3. Work With A Qualified Professional. You are in business to do what you love to do, not deal with IT-related issues. Working with a cybersecurity expert who knows what to look for, how to resolve issues and how to prevent breaches takes tasks off your plate and gives you peace of mind, and will make sure #1 and #2 are taken care of.
Data breaches can create enormous problems for your organization. Get ahead of the issue and have someone proactively monitor your network and the dark web to keep you secure. If you want a no-obligation, third-party opinion on whether or not your network is vulnerable to an attack or properly secured, we’re happy to provide one for FREE. Call us at 216-800-7800 or click here to book your FREE Security Risk Assessment with one of our cybersecurity experts.

Outdated Technology Is Costing Your Organization Money

by | Aug 7, 2024 | Newsletter

Is your organization currently bleeding money due to its reliance on outdated technology? The answer is likely yes. A recent survey by Deloitte revealed that a staggering 82% of companies failed to meet their cost-reduction targets last year, with an inefficient technology infrastructure being the primary culprit.
The 2024 poll of nearly 300 business leaders on business margin improvement and technology transformation efforts revealed that challenges with their technology infrastructure are the biggest barrier to organizations seeking to improve margins by cutting costs. This same study found that over 50% of the respondents reported that leveraging data and generative AI strategies for improving margins would be their focus for 2024.
What does this tell us? Organizations are looking to adopt new, automated, AI-powered ways of doing business to save money and improve efficiency but are held back by antiquated technology.
Why Should Businesses Upgrade Their Technology?
Legacy systems, typically categorized as technology that’s at least a decade old, can quickly become expensive to maintain. They are slower, need constant updates and patches, and don’t leverage new features as they’re developed. As a result, businesses struggle to keep up with their tech-savvy competitors in every area of the organization, from scaling and cloud usage to human resources and customer service operations.
But that’s not the only issue. Outdated technology increases your risk of cyber-attacks. Old technology typically cannot keep up with the rapidly changing world of cyber security. As new, more malicious threats emerge, older technology eventually becomes incapable of keeping up with the latest updates required to keep your network secure.
So, why do business owners put off updating technology when the data clearly shows that it will positively impact productivity and the bottom line? There are a couple of reasons, the main one being sticker shock. Seeing the price of updating technology infrastructure can feel overwhelming. Smart business leaders run through risk-related questions like “What if something breaks?” or “What if it doesn’t work like they say it will?” However, the data shows that maintaining old technology could be more costly. A separate Deloitte study of CIOs in 2023 found that respondents spent an average of 55% of their technology budget on maintaining their existing systems.
There’s also the cost of switching. What will bringing systems down and transitioning to a new system cost? What will the cost be to train employees to use the software? These are all questions your IT team can help you answer BEFORE you start upgrading your technology. An experienced technician will help you analyze your system to see what needs to be updated and when, and map out a plan to upgrade your system in the most efficient way possible. It’s easier than most business leaders think and pays off in increased productivity and profitability.
If you’re looking to upgrade your technology or are just tired of slow, outdated tech and want to see what the next step could look like, we’ll do a FREE Network Assessment. Our techs will dig into your system and determine what you need to get technology that helps you run your business better. To book your assessment, call us at 216-800-7800 or click here to schedule now.

Travel Smart: Cybersecurity Practices For A Hack-Free Vacation

Travel Smart: Cybersecurity Practices For A Hack-Free Vacation

by | Jul 24, 2024 | Newsletter

Summer is a popular time for business owners and employees to step out of the office and take a well-deserved vacation. Even if their “out of office” e-mail responder is active, many people will periodically check in on work at least once while traveling. Unfortunately, studies show that working outside of the office – whether it’s a few simple check-ins on vacation, connecting to the Internet at a local coffee shop or even business travelers out on work trips – can lead to major cybersecurity issues. If you or your employees will be answering urgent e-mails from the airport or accessing network documents in the hotel lobby, it’s essential to maintain strong cybersecurity best practices to avoid exposing the company’s network to hackers preying nearby.
In this blog post, we’ll cover what cybersecurity best practices are necessary for you to take before and during any trip to keep your network secure from hackers.
Why Cybersecurity Matters While Traveling
Cybersecurity might not be at the top of your vacation checklist, but ignoring it can turn your dream getaway into a horrible nightmare. Cybercriminals know summer is a prime time to attack because people are more likely to let their guard down while on vacation. For most vacationers, the focus is on enjoying time out of the office instead of ensuring they’re following cybersecurity best practices, making them an easy target for hackers.
To minimize the risk of a cyberattack while traveling, here are a few best practices to cover with anyone on your team who might connect to the Internet while on vacation.
Before you go:
  1. Back up your data – If your device gets lost or ruined, you’ll want a copy of your data available to be restored.
  2. Update your software – Make sure your operating system software, web browsers and apps have all been updated to the latest version. Outdated software can impact your device’s ability to defend against malware.
  3. Protect your devices – You should always lock your device using a PIN, passcode, fingerprint or facial recognition feature, but if you don’t already, set this up before traveling. If you leave your device unattended and someone attempts to access it, they will have full access to your private information if it’s not locked.
  4. Enable “Find My Phone” – This feature will allow you to locate your device if you lose it, but it also gives you the power to remotely wipe data or disable the device if it falls into the wrong hands.
While traveling:
  1. Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) – A VPN encrypts your Internet connection, ensuring your data is secure even when you use public WiFi networks. Before you leave, set up a VPN on your devices and use it whenever you access the Internet.
  2. Don’t connect to public WiFi – While public WiFi offers convenience, these networks can be a hotspot for cybercriminal activity. Avoid unprotected networks whenever possible. (Yes, that means no checking your e-mail on the beach unless you have a VPN!)
  3. Manage location services – Location tools are useful for navigating new places but can also expose your location to criminals. Turn off location services when you’re not actively using that feature, and consider limiting how you share your location on social media.
  4. Enable Multifactor Authentication (MFA) – MFA adds an extra layer of security to your accounts by requiring a second verification form, such as a text message code, authenticator code or fingerprint scan. This feature should be enabled for all accounts containing sensitive information before leaving your house.
  5. Disable auto-connect features – Some devices automatically seek and connect to available wireless networks. These features can give cybercriminals access to your devices if you connect to the wrong network. Disable this option so you only connect to wireless and Bluetooth networks you know and trust.
You should be able to relax on vacation. Taking these simple precautions can help you keep your device secure so you can enjoy your time off and don’t have to worry about dealing with cyber issues when you get back to work.
However, it’s important to know that these steps aren’t fail-proof. To truly ensure that your company’s cybersecurity measures are up to standard, it’s important to work with a professional IT team that can monitor your network 24/7, patch any vulnerabilities that pop up (which happens regularly) and alert you if something seems suspicious.
To help you prepare for your vacation and have peace of mind knowing your business is secure while you or your employees are working remotely, call us at 216-800-7800 or click here to schedule a FREE IT Security Risk Assessment with our cybersecurity experts today. We’ll evaluate your current cybersecurity solutions, identify potential vulnerabilities and help you implement a strategic security plan to keep your company safe.

Massive Layoffs In 2024 Create A Serious Threat To Your Cybersecurity

by | Jul 19, 2024 | Newsletter

The massive wave of layoffs in 2024 brings a cybersecurity threat that most business owners aren’t focusing on – offboarding employees. Even big-time brands that you would expect to have top-of-the-line cybersecurity systems, processes and procedures in place fail to adequately protect themselves from insider threats. This August marks a year since two disgruntled Tesla employees went rogue after being let go and exposed the personal information – including names, addresses, phone numbers and even the Social Security numbers – of over 75,000 people, including employees.
And, of course, the issue is expected to get worse. According to NerdWallet, as of May 24, 2024, 298 US-based tech companies have laid off 84,600 workers and counting. This includes major layoffs at big companies like Amazon, Google and Microsoft, as well as smaller tech start-ups. In total, around 257,254 jobs were eliminated in the first quarter of 2024 alone.
Whether or not you’ll need to downsize your team this year, having a proper offboarding process in place is essential to every business, big or small, because it’s more than a routine administrative task – it’s a critical security precaution. Failing to revoke access for former employees can lead to serious business and legal implications later.
Some of those issues include:
  • Theft Of Intellectual Property – Employees can sneak away with YOUR company’s files, client data and confidential information stored on personal devices, as well as retain access to cloud-based applications like social media sites and file-sharing sites (Dropbox or OneDrive, for example) that your IT department doesn’t know about or forgets to change the password to.
A study by Osterman Research revealed that 69% of businesses experience data loss due to employee turnover, and 87% of employees who leave take data with them. Most often, the information you worked hard to gather is sold to competitors, used by them when they’re hired by the competition or used by the former employee to BECOME a competitor. Any way you cut it, it screws YOU.
  • Compliance Violations – Failing to revoke access privileges and remove employees from authorized user lists can register you as noncompliant in heavily regulated industries. This simple mistake can result in large fines, hefty penalties and, in some cases, legal consequences.
  • They DELETE Everything – If an employee feels unfairly laid-off and retains access to their accounts, they could easily delete ALL of their e-mails and any critical files they can get their hands on. If that data isn’t backed up, you will lose it ALL. And for those thinking, “I’ll sue them!” Rightfully so, but even if you do sue them and win, the hard reality is that the legal costs, time wasted on the lawsuit and recovering the data, plus the aggravation and distraction of dealing with it all, are greater costs than what you might get awarded if you win the lawsuit and might collect in damages.
  • Data Breach – This could be the most terrifying of all. Unhappy employees who feel they have been wronged can make you the star of the next devastating data breach headline and incur a costly lawsuit to go with it. It could be as simple as making one click and downloading, exposing or modifying your clients’ or employees’ private information, financial records or even trade secrets.
Do you have an airtight offboarding process to curb these risks? Chances are you don’t. A 2024 study by Wing revealed that one out of five organizations has indications that some of their former users were not properly offboarded, and those are the people who were astute enough to detect it.
How DO you properly offboard an employee?
  • Implement The Principle Of Least Privilege – Successful offboarding starts with proper onboarding. New employees should ONLY be given access to the files and programs they need to do their jobs. This should be meticulously documented to make offboarding easier.
  • Leverage Automation – Your IT team can help use automation to streamline revoking access to multiple software applications simultaneously, saving time and resources while reducing the likelihood of manual errors.
  • Implement Continuous Monitoring – You can implement software that tracks who is doing what and where on the company network. This can help you identify suspicious behavior by an unauthorized user and help you determine if a former employee retains access to private accounts.
These are only a few ways your IT team can help improve your offboarding process to make it more efficient and secure.
Insider threats can be devastating, and if you think this can’t happen to you, think again. You have to be proactive in protecting your organization.
To find out if any gaps in your offboarding process expose you to theft or a data breach, our team will do a free, in-depth risk assessment to help you resolve it. Call us at 216-800-7800 or click here to book now.

Frustrated With BAD Tech Support? You Are Not Alone

Frustrated With BAD Tech Support? You Are Not Alone

by | Jul 10, 2024 | Newsletter

A recent stream of Reddit comments emerged detailing a series of poor customer service experiences with tech support. While I typically try to stay clear of Reddit and its gang of chronic whiny-pants commenters, I scrolled through a few, you know, for research purposes since I’m in the industry. A few of the complaints sounded so outlandish – like the lady who claimed the technician took a bathroom break in her attic – that it almost seemed impossible they could be true. However, other more common issues on the thread I’ve experienced myself, and to be candid with you, they sucked!
When you are experiencing a tech emergency – be it a broken printer, hardware malfunctions, Internet connectivity issues, login troubles or something similar – poor tech support only worsens the irritation. It leaves you with frustrated employees who can’t efficiently get their jobs done because they’re troubleshooting their tech and on hold with an IT company that is “looking into it” and irritated customers who just want a smooth process when dealing with your organization.
This can result in losing customers and A-player employees to your competitors that don’t have these same daily issues. At first, it might seem dramatic that a few unresolved “tech issues” could cause such a stir, but as these problems continue to repeat themselves, with no solution in sight, resentment grows and will eventually result in these people seeking organizations that don’t have to deal with such headaches.
What can you do to get ahead of the problem? Start by polling your employees. Ask them questions that will help you “grade” your current IT company to see if they’re dealing with your team as fast and efficiently as they should. Here are a few questions to ask:
  1. Do you experience any recurring technical problems that haven’t been fully resolved? If so, what are they?
  2. How would you rate the response time of the IT support team when you encounter a technical issue?
  3. Have you found the IT support team to be knowledgeable and helpful in resolving your issues?
  4. Do you feel that the IT company communicates effectively and keeps you informed about the status of your requests?
  5. How would you describe your overall satisfaction with the support provided by our IT company?
These questions take only a few minutes to answer and can help you gain valuable insight into whether or not your current IT team is properly handling issues or if there is trouble brewing within your organization that you weren’t aware of.
If you would like to see what good IT support actually looks like, we’ll do TWO FREE hours of support for your organization.
Here are SOME of the ways you could use your time with us:
  • Diagnose any computer network problem you are experiencing.
  • Check your network’s security against hacker attacks and viruses.
  • Scan and review for spyware.
  • Check your network backup system to make sure it is working properly.
  • Diagnose slow, unstable PCs.
  • Have us conduct our proprietary 57-point IT Systems Security And Performance Assessment.
  • Discuss a project or upgrade you are considering, or even get a second opinion on a quote you received.
To get started, give our team a call at 216-800-7800 or click here to book your call now.

Apple Might Never Have Released The Macintosh If This Happened

Apple Might Never Have Released The Macintosh If This Happened

by | Jun 12, 2024 | Newsletter

Steve Wozniak was asked in an interview what he would have done differently if he had been Apple’s CEO instead of Jobs. He said he would have been “a lot nicer to people,” but then quickly added that IF he had been CEO, they might never have released the Macintosh.
Jobs was known for being ruthless and controlling, rude and ill-tempered, driven by a desire for perfection and pushing people to bring products out before they were ready, creating enormous strain within the organization. The OG “mean girl.” Many people couldn’t tolerate working for him, and I’m sure he missed out on a lot of talent for this reason. But in spite of that – or more possibly because of that – he was able to build one of the world’s most iconic brands and successful companies.
I’m not sure that level of “disagreeableness” is necessary for us mere mortals running small businesses vs. the enterprise builders like Jobs, but I do know this: FAR too many business owners tolerate FAR too much from too many people: employees, vendors, clients or otherwise!
One of the reasons so many people loved the character Tony in The Sopranos was because, deep down, they secretly wished they had his backbone and confidence, not taking anything from anyone AND bold enough to do something more than simply holding a grudge against someone who wrongs them.
I’m not suggesting his level of corruption, anger or response is good or healthy. That’s not my point. What I’m saying is that many people would do far better in life if they were unafraid to stand up for themselves, not allowing themselves to be affected by critics and instead becoming a more imposing, respected alpha leader, unafraid of speaking their mind and standing their ground.
This translates directly to the security of your business. If you cower and fear taking a stand for yourself, failing to draw a HARD LINE to protect yourself and your organization, you WILL be taken advantage of. It’s really that simple. There are a lot of people out there with their own agendas who aren’t going to give a rip about you. Many want to take you out, harm you and damage you for their own personal gain, particularly cybercriminals, whose job it is to capitalize on YOUR hard work. To steal YOUR profits. To sneak into your network and steal YOUR data, putting on the line your livelihood and everything you’ve spent years of blood, sweat and tears building.
As a business leader, you must assume a Tony Soprano–level toughness about this. ZERO tolerance for it: be awake and alert, look for such enemies at the gate and get rid of them before the damage they do is irreversible. Further, you need to protect yourself by putting the necessary protections in place to prevent those who mean you harm from getting into your network in the first place. The cold, hard truth is that, at the end of the day, as a leader in your organization, if you’re the victim of a cybercrime, YOU will be the one they blame. Your tail is on the line, and reporters won’t be timid about blasting that headline all over the news.
Business isn’t all about being tough on others – it’s also about innovation and driving your company forward, using the best strategies and best practices of those who lead the way, including protecting what you’ve built. It can all be taken away with one wrong mouse click if you don’t have the foresight to get ahead of the problem.
To stay ahead of the cybercriminals and make sure you’re protected book a 10-Minute Discovery Call with our team of experts to get a free IT Risk Assessment. We’ll perform analysis of your network to identify any vulnerabilities and provide you with a plan of action to fix them. This assessment will give you the peace of mind to do what you do best and focus on growing your business.
Click here to book your call now or give us a call at 216-800-7800.